THE SOURCE OFTHENILE. 257 



tinued there till the 2 2d of the fame month, and then de- 

 camped, pafling by Goi\dar, without entering it ; he came 

 to Ras Gufho's houfe, under the hill of Kofcam, where he 

 had feveral interviews with the king and Iteghe, to what 

 purport was never known ; but it probably was to endea- 

 vour fome reconcilement between the king and queen, and 

 this was efFe(5ted a few days afterwards (at lead in appear- 

 ance) by Ayabdar, and fome of the great men at Gondar, 

 after which PowufTen returned to Begemder. For my part, 

 I neither defired nor obtained an interview ; I faw that the 

 florm was ready to break, and I was taking the moil fpeedy 

 and eiFeftual way to be out of the fphere of its adion. 



On the 12 th of November, all Gondar was flruck with 

 -a panic at the news brought in by the peafants from the 

 country, flying for refuge to the capital, deilitute of every 

 thing, and thankful only they had efcaped with life. Fa- 

 iil had marched v/irh a confidcrable army from Ibaba, and 

 advanced to Dingleber in peace, when he left the main 

 body, under the conduft of Welleta Yafous, and all his 

 baggage, confidering that place as the limits of his govern- 

 inent. He marched from this, without taking for him- 

 .felf two changes of raiment, at the head of 700 horfe, the 

 moll vv^ild and dcfperate banditti that ever were introduced 

 into anv unfortunate countrv. ^Yitll thefe he burnt every 

 village and everv church between Dingleber and Sar-Ohha, 

 Tnurdered every male, without dillinction of prieft or lay- 

 man; killed every woman pad the age of child-bearing, and 

 gave the others as flaves to the wild Pagan Galla whom he 

 had with him. In lliort, he jull indulged that body of men 

 in the fame enormities that rhey themielves exercife in the 

 inroads they malic into countries unhappy enough to be 



Vol. IV. K k their 



