THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 231 



From the moment the town was invefled, and indeed in 

 the field, before Guflio had taken the lead, and though 

 neither Ayabdar nor Powuflen were his friends, all Gon- 

 dar was at his command ; and in it an army infinitely fu- 

 perior in number and riches, now they had got fuch a 

 chieftain, to all the Confederates put together, and Michael's 

 army added to them. Gufho, a man of great underftand- 

 ing, born and bred in Gondar, knew this perfectly well, 

 and that he alone was looked up to as the father of his coun- 

 try. He knew, moreover, that he could not ruin Michael 

 fo efifedtually as to lodge him fafely in Gondar, amidft a 

 multitude of enemies, and blockade him there before he 

 had time for refources. He therefore detached Ay to Tes- 

 fos, the very day he arrived before the town, after Darien,. 

 Bafl-ia of Belelfin, whom Ras Michael had fent before him 

 into Woggora to effect a pafTage through that province in- 

 to Tigre by fair means, promifes, and prefents. Tesfos 

 came up with Darien before he had time to enter upon his 

 commiifion, and, having beaten and taken him prifoner^ 

 raifed all Woggora in arms againft Michael, fo that not a. 

 man could longer pafs between Tigre and Gondar., 



No perfon from the rebel army had yet entered Gondar^ 

 The king's fecretary, Azage Kyrillos, a relation of Guflio, 

 had gone to his camp the day of his arrival. The fame 

 day the kettle-drums v/ere brought to the brink of Kah- 

 ha, and a proclamation made. That all foldiers of the pro- 

 vince of Tigre, or who had bore arms under Ras Michael, 

 fliould, on the morrow before mid-day, bring their arms, 

 offenfive andjdiefenfive, and deliver them on a fpot fixed up- 

 on near the church of Ledeta, to commillaries appointed 

 for the purpofe of receiving them ; with further intimation 



to 



