132 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



nies. The caufe was never properly known; fome attri- 

 buted it to the jealoufy of Ozoro Either, others alledged 

 that £he had taken poifon from apprehenfion of faUing into 

 the hands of Ras Michael: whatever was the truth, her fer- 

 vants certainly told me, that fhc had confeffed fhe had taken 

 poifon, and not till the pain became violent, and then flie 

 turned afraid, would flie confent to have an exprefs fent to 

 Ozoro Efther, to bring me from the camp. 1 had unluckily 

 left it before to attend Ayto Confu, neither is it probable I 

 could have been of any fervice, as the poifon fhe had taken 

 was arfenic. This accident detained me that whole day, fo 

 that,inftead of returning to the army, I went to Ayto Confu 

 at Kofcam, where I found another melTenger in fearch of 

 me. • 



The king's Mahometan was returned fromSennaar, and 

 with him Soliman my fervant, who brought me anfwers to 

 the letters I had written ; they had come by Beyla to Ras el 

 Feel, by Sim Sim, and the wellern deferts, the way to Teawa 

 being much infefted by gangs of Arabs, and Ganjar horfe, 

 who murdered every body they found in their way. They 

 brought with them only twelve horfes, eighteen coats of 

 mail, and about thirty libd*; thefe were moftly returns made 

 by the principal members of government to the prefcnts 

 the king had fent them, for every body at Sennaar no\y fet 

 too great a value upon the armour, and horfes, to part ca- 

 fily with them, on account of the unfettled ftate of the 

 times, the hiflory of which we Ihall give afterv.-ards. 



My 



* Thefe are leather coats quUted with cotton, ufed inHead of coats of mail : botli man an* 

 liorfe are covered wiUx them, and they give to both a monfirons apjiearance. 



