THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 1^3 



the left wing of the rebels, under Kafmati Ayabdar, who 

 had lately received large reinforcements from Gojam, by 

 means of the Iteghe, who well knew him to be an invete- 

 rate enemy to Ras Michael, and one who would never 

 make peace with him. 



I HAVE often heard it obferved by officers of Ikill and ex- 

 perience, that nothing is more difficult to defcribe than a 

 battle, and that as many defcriptions as are given of it, they 

 generally difagree, and feem as many different battles. To 

 this I fhall add, that I find as great difficulty in giving an 

 idea of the ground on which a battle was fought, which 

 perhaps is not the cafe with profeffional men ; and though 

 I defcribe nothing but what I faw, and what my horfe paft 

 ed over, ftill I very much doubt if I can make myfelf intel- 

 ligible to my readers. The hill of Serbraxos was neither 

 very high nor fteep, unlefs on the north and eaft, where it 

 was almoft a precipice. It was not a mountain joined with 

 others, as the bed of a torrent, that ran very rapidly from 

 Beleffen fouth of Mariam-Ohha, divided it from thefe 

 mountains. The weft fide of it floped gently to a large 

 plain, which extended to the brink of the lake Tzana, and 

 upon this our rear was encamped. The S. W. fide of this 

 hill was like the former, and about half a mile from it 

 came an elbow of the river Mariam, fo called from a church 

 in the plain: on this fide of the hill our center was encamp- 

 ed with the king, Abuna, and the princeffes ; whilft on the 

 fouth face (which looked down a valley) was Ras Michael 

 and the van of the army : the hill here was confiderably 

 fteeper, and I have already faid ended with the precipice on 

 the north. Along the bottom of this fouth face of the hill 

 lay the fmall ft ream called Deg-Ohha, which flood in pools. 

 Vol, IV, u and 



