THE SOURCE OF THE ^^ILE. 247 



refift to the utmoft, none of the leaders then prefent thouglit 

 themfelves warranted to rifk the death of a perfon fo no- 

 ble, and fo powerfully related, efpecially in an obfcure 

 fliirmifli, fuch as was then likely to happen, the motives 

 for which were not publicly known ; they accordingly all 

 returned to Gondar, leaving the Ras to purfue his way, 

 who being now advanced as far as DegwaiTa, and think- 

 ing himfelf out of all danger, was fuddenly furrounded 

 by Aclog, governor of a little diflricT; there, and even 

 from him he would have efcaped by his own courage and 

 exertion, had not his horfe funk in miry ground whence 

 he could not recover him. After receiving thefe news, the 

 king fent his Fit-Auraris, Adera Tacca Georgis, and Ayto 

 Engedan, wich a number of troops, to bring Guflio to 

 town, when he returned a miferable figure, with his head 

 Ihaven : he was cloathed in black, and was confined that 

 fame day (the firll of Auguft) a clofe prifoner, and in irons,, 

 in a high, damp, uninhabited tower of the king's houfe,, 

 without being pitied by either party.. 



It was now the feafon of the year when this country 

 ufed to overflow with milk and honey; becaufe, being in alV 

 the low part of it covered with rain, the horfemen and 

 foldiers, who ufed to obflrudl the roads, were all retired to 

 quarters, and the peafants, bringing provifions to the mar- 

 ket, pafTed the high grounds in fafety ; all forts of people, 

 profiting by the plenty which this occafioned, indulged 

 themfelves to the greatefl excefs in every fort of pleafura 

 to which their refpedive appetites led them. The rains 

 had fallen, indeed, as ufual, but had not, however, flopped 

 tJie march of the armies, and if not a famine, at leafl a 



4w fcarcityv 



