THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 211 



tance, for confequences that might other wife follow, there 

 are common foldiers chofen for that purpofe, and for which 

 they are not the more efteemed. This, however, I will con- 

 fefs to you, that when either the king's horfes or mine went 

 down to Deg Ohha to water, and never but then, I fat upon 

 the rock above, and did all in my power to protecl: them, 

 and the men who were with them, and to terrify the enemy 

 who came to moleft them, by Ihewing the extenfive range of 

 our rifle guns ; and that very day when Ayto Tesfos arrived, 

 fome of his troops having driven ofF the mules, among 

 which were two of mine, I did, I confefs, with my own 

 hand flioot four of them from the rock, and at laft obliged 

 the reft to keep at a greater dillance ; but as for Woodage 

 Afahel, I difown having had arms in my hand the day he 

 entered the camp, or having been abfent, till late in the 

 evening, from the king's perfon." 



Now, all this is very well, continued Guflio ; who killed 

 Theodorus, or the man at Serbraxos ; who killed Ayto Tes- 

 fos's men, is no objecft of inquiry ; Deg-Ohha was within - 

 the line of the king's camp, and they that wanted to deprive 

 him of this poiTcffion, or the ufe of it, did it at their peril. 

 If you had fhot Ayto Tesfos himfelf, attempting to deprive 

 you of water for the camp, no man in all Amhara would 

 have faid you did wrong ; but I am very much pleafed 

 with what you tell me of Woodage Afahel. The lliort, yel- 

 low man, who breakfafted with you, was one of thofe two 

 who accompanied Woodage Afahel when he was fhot^ 

 and is a friend of mine; he brought word that he was 

 killed by a frank, and the leaden bullet fix'd it upon 

 you." ' 



Dd2 This 



