3 o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



Mara, Tico, Agwama, Bakla*, Murgar, and Gabula, and they 

 had already collected a confiderable army. The king, who 

 faw they perfifted in their nightly attacks, rode out, thinly 

 accompanied, to choofe a poll for an encampment that was 

 to give him the greateft advantage over his enemy; and, 

 whilft thus occupied, he was fuddenly furrounded by a 

 body of troops of Adel lying in ambufh for him. A foldier 

 (in appearance an Abyflinian) came fo clofe to the king as 

 to ftrike him with his fword on the back with fuch violence 

 that it cut his belt in two, and, having wounded him thro' 

 his armour, was ready to repeat the blow, when the king 

 pierced him through the forehead with his lance, upon 

 which his party fled. 



But the Moors, for five fucceffive nights, did not fail in 

 their attempts upon his camp, which wearied and greatly 

 contributed to difcontent his men; and the more fo, becaufe 

 the enemy declined coming to any general engagement, 

 though the king frequently offered it to them. Amda Sion, 

 therefore, decamped the 28th of June, and, leaving this dif- 

 advantageous ftation, advanced a day's march nearer Mara, 

 pointing, as it were, to the very center of that kingdom. 

 But here, again, he was flopt by the difcontent of his fol- 

 diers, who abfolutely refufed to go farther, or fpend the 

 whole feafon in arms, in this inclement climate, while 

 the reil of his fubjecls, in full enjoyment of health and 

 plenty, were rioting at home. 



This difpofition of his army was no fooner known to 

 the king than he called the principal of them together, 



and, 



* A tribe of the Shepherds ; all the reft, but the two firft, unknown in Abyffinia at this day. 



