.144 TRAVELS TO DIS GOV EH 



'ble of command or fervice. Whether this was really his 

 .opinion, or only faid vv^ith a view of forwarding a fcheme 

 already laid, I will not fay ; but certainly it was the foun- 

 dation of a quarrel which, by its confequences, did greatly 

 •weaken the rebels, and contributed much afterwards to 

 maintain the king upon the throne ; for Gulho, who, upon 

 the defeat of Ras Michael, was deftined by all parties to take 

 the lead, was as lavifli in praifes of Powuilen for his beha- 

 A'iour that xiay, as he was bitter in condemning his uncle, 

 •which created a violent mifunderftanding between thefe 

 two chiefs, infomuch that Afahel Woodage, with his troops 

 •of Maitfha, left Ayabdar, and joined Powuilen. Confu, 

 moreover, fon of Bafha Eufebius, and brother to Guebra 

 Mehedin, who had fruftrated my firft attempt to difcover 

 the fource of the Nile, endeavouring to promote a revolt a- 

 ■mong the troops of Foggora, to which he belonged, was 

 put in irons by Ayabdar, from which he was but too fooQ 

 releafed to meet, a few days afterwards, a fate that put an 

 end to his profligacy and follies. 



PowussEN in this confli(5l had retreated, if not beaten, 

 with a confiderable lofs ; nine hundred of his bell troops 

 were faid to have been flain that day, and a great many 

 tnore wounded, moft of whom (thofe I mean that had gun- 

 Ihot wounds) died from the want of furgeons, and the igno- 

 rance of thofe who imdertook to cure them. On the part 

 of Michael about 300 men, all of the cavalry, were faid to 

 have perilhed that day, including the troops of Netcho the 

 Fit-Auraris. Of the king's divifion about twenty- three were 

 killed, feven of thefe being his guards, I believe moflly by 

 the unfortunate fire of his troops, arifing from his own im- 

 patience in attacking the Galla unadvifedly,of whom about 

 a fixty 



