i8o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



or all the men that had fallen that day ; I had feen him in 

 Ayto Engedan's tent, fitting behind his bed, in the darkcft 

 place of it ; both his lips, nofe, and chin were violently cut, 

 his whole fore teeth beat out, and both his cheeks greatly 

 fwelled. I had given him what relief I could, nor was 

 there any thing dangerous in his wounds ; but the affront 

 of receiving the blow from the king, when he was doing 

 a moil meritorious a(ft of duty, (the faving him from death, 

 or the hands of the rebels), had made fuch an impreffion 

 upon a noble mind, that as foon as he arrived in Engedan's 

 tent, he had ordered his hair to be cut off, put a white 

 cap, or monk's cowl upon his head, and by a vow dedicated 

 himfelf to a monaftic life. In vain the king flattered, re- 

 warded, and threatened him afterwards, and went fo far as 

 to make the Abuna menace him with excommunication 

 if he perfilled in his refolution any longer. After this I 

 carried him, as we fhall fee, by the king's deiire, to Gufho, 

 in his camp, and interelled him alfo to perfuade Sertza Deng- 

 hel to renounce his rafh vow : no confideration could how- 

 ever prevail, for, like a private monk, he lived at home in 

 the village which belonged to him in patrimony, and, tho* 

 he often came to court, never flept or ate in the palace, 

 the excufe being, when deflred to flay dinner, that he had 

 no teeth. He conftantly flept at my houfe, fometimes chear- 

 ful, but very feldom fo. He was a young man of excellent 

 underftanding, and particularly turned to the ftudy of reli- 

 gion ; he was well read in all the books of his own country, 

 and very deflrous of being inflruded in ours ; he had the 

 very worft opinion of his own priefts, and his principal de- 

 fire (if it had been poffible) was to go with me to die, and 

 to be buried in Jerufalem. 



CHAP. 



