THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 55 



~he Mahometan mofques to the ground, to deftroy all the 

 grain, bum the villages, and put the people to the fword, which 

 was executed accordingly. The king then, decamped the 

 fourth of July ; and, palling the great river (Zorat) came to 

 the country of the Oritii, and took up his quarters there. 

 The people of this province were in the very worft reputa- 

 tion for cruelty, and hatred of the Chriftian name. They 

 were perpetually making incuriions into the ■ Chriftian vil- 

 lages, and thofe that fell alive into their hands, they either 

 eafbrated, cut off their nofe or ears,, or otherwife mangled 

 them. 



The king, to vindicate the feverity he was about to 

 exercife, ordered all thofe people, who had fuffered in this 

 manner, to be collected and brought before him. The 

 number appeared very considerable; and, having inquired 

 in what occupations they had been employed, they anfwer- 

 ed, that their buiinefs was to cut down wood, draw and 

 fetch water, and fome of them to take aire of the Mooriih 

 women. Violently affected with this, he called, his princi- 

 pal officers, and commanded them, that, when he decamp- 

 ed with his army the next day, fmall parties mould remain 

 in ambufh on each fide of the town. The king, early in 

 the morning, marched out with found of trumpet; and the 

 Moors, thinking the army gone, returning to- their houfes^ 

 were fet upon by the parties, and deftr.oyed.. 



The next place the king came to was Haggara, where he 

 ftaid eight days, and celebrated there the feafl of the Crofs g 

 furrounding his camp with palifades,. as if he was to flay 

 there a considerable time. Here he made his foldiers depo- 

 fit all their plunder, leaving it under the care of a weak 



guard, 



