THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 23 



ranees through the mediation of the queen. The king, how- 

 ever, having publicly reproved the queen for offering to in- 

 termeddle in fuch matters, and growing more violent and 

 inflexible upon this application, there remained no alterna- 

 tive but that of furrendering himfelf at difcretion. Where- 

 upon Saber-eddin threw himfelf at the king's feet. The 

 foldiers and by-ftanders, far from being moved at fuch a 

 fight, with one voice earneftly befought the king, that the 

 murderer of fo many priefts, and the profaner and deltroyer 

 of fo many Chriilian churches, ihould inftantly meet the 

 death his crimes had merited. The king, however, whofe 

 mercy feems to have been equal to his bravery, after ha- 

 ving reproved him with great afperity, and upbraided him 

 with his cruelty, prefumption, and ingratitude, ordered him 

 only to be put in irons, and committed to a clofe prifon. 

 At the fame time, he difplaced Hydar, governor of the pro- 

 vince of Dawaro, of whofe treafon he had been long inform- 

 ed ; and he inverted Gimmel-eddin, Saber-eddin's brother, 

 with the government of the Mahometan provinces, who, as 

 he pretended, had not been prefent at the beginning of the 

 war, but had preferved his allegiance to the king, and dif- 

 fuaded his brother from the rebellion. 



While the king was thus fettling the government of the 

 rebellious provinces, he received intelligence that the kings 

 of Adel and Mara had refolved to march after him into 

 Shoa when he returned, and give him battle. 



At this time the king was encamped on the river Hawafrt, 

 at the head of the whole army, now united. This news of the 

 koftile intentions of the kings of Adel and Mara, fo e^afpera- 



4 ted 



