«58 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



Had I been commander of the Begemder troops that da)% 

 this fhower fhould have been the fignal of charging ; for 

 all the king's fire-arms were ufelefs, and the matches wef ; 

 but the Begemder horfe feemed raoll: uneafy under the fall 

 of rain; they began to be unmanageable, and turn tail to the 

 wind, which now arofe and was dire^ly in their faces, and 

 in a few minutes they wheeled about, and retired to their 

 camp. The king halted on the ground where he was, or- 

 dered the kettle-drums to beat, and the trumpets to found ; 

 and having continued half an hour till the heavy fliower 

 began, he fell back as did the whole army, and retired to 

 the camp. When he got up the hill, and pafled the brow 

 where Ras Michael was fitting with fome flaves, who held 

 up a piece of fail-cloth over his head to keep off the rain, 

 the fervants raifed the Ras upon his feet; without any pre- 

 / vious falutation, he then afked the king what he had done 



with king Theodorus ? and was anfwered, " Begemder 

 brought him, and Begemder took hini away, we faw no- 

 thing but his flag." Lafia carried his flag, fays one of the 

 nobility. He is a peaceable prince, fays the king ; yet he 

 begins with fighting, but he will make amends afterwards, 

 if he governs this country in peace a thoufand years. If 

 he does that, fays the Ras, Powufl;en is to die at the next 

 battle, for the thoufand )'ears peace will never begin, as 

 long as he is alive. 



CHAP. 



