26+ RECOLLECTIONS OF FORTY YEARS. 



was composed of three hundred and thirty-six monks 

 or priests and fifteen nuns. The second day after it had 

 started it was attacked by the Moors of the Hamozem 

 district, and all the Christians of a certain age were put 

 to the sword, the younger ones being sold to the Turks. 

 Only fifteen persons escaped, of whom three alone suc- 

 ceeded in rejoining the king at Shoa. From this time 

 the Abyssinians cut off all communication with Egypt 

 by way of the Desert, and David entered with his 

 army the province of Dawaro, sending on a detach- 

 ment of troops which defeated the Adel advance guard, 

 while the king advanced and fought a great battle at 

 Chimbra-Core, in which he was totally defeated, losing 

 a great part of his nobility and four thousand soldiers. 



Mehemet, surnamed Gragne (the left-handed), Go- 

 vernor of Zeyla, was in command of the allied army, 

 and he spent the next two years following this victory 

 in strengthening his forces, at the expiration of which 

 time he invaded the frontier provinces of Fategar, 

 Efat, and the Dawaro, putting most of the inhabitants 

 to the sword and reducing the remainder to slavery. 



Seeing his empire threatened with ruin, King 

 David resolved, despite his inferior forces, to fight 

 another battle, but he was once more defeated, losing 

 his principal commander and leading officers. He 

 returned to Amhara and encamped at Hegis, hoping 

 to recruit a fresh army, but the Turkish commander 

 did not give him time to do this, and in the month of 

 April following entered Amhara and then burnt and 



