ij6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



ber of troops glide below unfeen, along the river in the 

 valley, take polTeffion of the round hill, at the north ford of 

 Mariam, and cut off our retreat to our camp at Serbraxos ; 

 the Ras immediately difpatched fome fmgle horfemen to 

 take a view of the enemy more nearly, and report what 

 their numbers were, and where Gufho and Ayabdar were 

 polled, for we could dillinguifh the colour of the horfes, 

 and all the movements of the Begemder troops, not being - 

 much above three miles diftance, yet we did not know whe- 

 ther they were alone, or whether one or more of the other ge- 

 nerals were with them : we faw indeed Powuffen's ftandards, 

 but they were fo weather-beaten and faded, that we could not 

 diftinguifli their real colours, which were blue and yellow. 



The king's whole army was defcending into the valley, 

 and palling over the ford of the Mariam, to the plain above 

 where Kefla Yafous was riding to and fro with great ear- 

 neftnefs, encouraging his troops. In a very fliort time the 

 left was formed ; the Ras, having given all his orders, and 

 taken to himfelf the charge of the camp and the referve, fat 

 down, as was ufual,to play at drafts with the black fervants. 

 The army was now all in. the plain, when the fcouts arriv- 

 ed, and brought word that Guiho and Ayabdar had both 

 taken their ground, not dire(5lly in a llraight line from Po- 

 wuffen, fquare with the lake, but as it were diagonally de- 

 clining more to the fouthward, fo that the moil advanced, or 

 neareft to us, were the troops of Begemder ; and this was 

 probably done, in order that, our backs being more turned 

 to the lake, we might be eafier cut off from our camp, and 

 furrounded in the plain, between their army and the Tzana , 

 if Powuflen was fo fortunate as to beat the king and the 

 left ; but this difpofition of thefe troops was out of our 



fight, 



