122 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



fous the Great, was fcarce a quarter of a mile to the S. W. 

 of us, and the church of St George a htile more on the eaft, 

 when orders came from the Ras for us to encamp on the 

 fide of the hill, which we accordingly did, and were prefeni^ly 

 in better order than we were when marching. The Ras, wlio 

 had pafl'ed the river of Tedda, encamped on the fouth fide 

 of it. It happened that our two bodies, the front and cen- 

 ter, were at that time treading upon one another's heels ; but 

 the rear, from fome accident, was confiderably behind, and 

 part of it had fcarce pailed the Mogetch. 



' Both the bury ing-pl ace, and church near it, were planted 

 thick round with Cyprus and cedar trees. Juft a little be- 

 fore the Ras ordered us to encamp, a mefTenger arrived 

 from Netcho, (the Fit-Auraris) that he had that morning 

 met the Fit-Auraris of Begemder on this fide of the river 

 Mariam ; that he had killed the Fit-Auraris himfelf, (a man 

 of Lafta) with 37 of his men, and driven them back : he 

 added, that he intended to fall back himfelf upon the Ras's 

 army, unlefs ll:opt by contrary orders ; thefe the Ras did 

 not fend, being deiirous that he fliould join him, as he 

 foon after did, without being purfued : he brought word 

 that the army of the rebels was near at hand, between. 

 Korreva and the lake ; that PowufTen's head-quarters were 

 at Korreva,- and that he had heard Gulho had puflied on 

 advanced ports, as far as the church of Mariam ; but this he 

 did not know for certain, being only the information of a 

 dying man. Ras Michael immediately detached Guebra 

 Mafcal, and another officer, with 400 men to take pollef- 

 fion of the fepulchre and the church at Tedda, and conceal 

 themfelves among the cedar-trees» 



We 



