THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 53 



good countenance, and feemed perfectly prepared and dif- 

 pofed to engage him. But an immenfe multitude of ufelefs 

 people covered the plain, old men, women, and children, 

 with the parents, wives, and families of thofe he had al- 

 ready flain ; and thefe were determined, with the remnant 

 of their countrymen, to conquer this invader, or to perifh. 



The king, upon perceiving this flrange mixture, halted 

 for a time in great furprife and aftonifhment. He could not 

 penetrate into the motive of afTembling fuch an army ; and 

 fending a party of horfe, as it were, to difperfe them, he 

 found everywhere a flout refinance ; foldiers well provid- 

 ed with fwords and fliields, and a multitude of archers, who 

 rained fhowers of arrows upon him, while the women, with 

 clubs, poles, flakes, and ftones, damped the ardour of his 

 foldiers, who, when they firfl charged, fcarcely expected re- 

 finance. The king, feeing the battle every minute become 

 more doubtful, and having but few troops, began to repent 

 that he had weakened his army by detachments ; he inflant- 

 ly difpatched orders to them to advance, and fall upon the 

 enemy in the nearefl direction poffible. At the fame time, 

 he himfelf made an extraordinary effort with his horfe, but 

 all in vain ; and he found, on every fide, people who prefent- 

 ed themfelves willingly to death, but who would not quit 

 their flation while they had power to defend themfelves 

 in it.. 



Conspicuous above all thefe for his drefs, his youth, his- 

 many acts of valour, and his graceful figure, was the young 

 king of Wypo, who, encouraging his troops, prefented him- 

 felf wherever Amda Sion was in perfon. The remarkable 

 refiftance that this young prince made, foon drew the at- 

 4 tendon: 



