THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. Ss 



flaughter, like to that made upon mount Damo, was the 

 occafion, as we mail fee, of deferring Gefhen likewife. 



The king applied himfelf next to meafures for the better 

 government of his country. He ordered a general pardon 

 to be proclaimed to all who, by the feverity of the late reign, 

 lay under fentence of death, banifhment, or any other 

 punifhment ; and, convoking the Hates of the kingdom, he 

 met them with a chearfulnefs and opennefs which infpired 

 confidence into every rank, while, at the fame time, he fill- 

 ed all the places he found vacant, or that he thought pro- 

 per to change, with men of the greatert integrity. He then 

 reviewed the whole cavalry that were in his fervice, which 

 he diftributed into bodies, and itationed them in places 

 where they could be readieft called, to execute thofe tle- 

 figns he had then in contemplation. 



The next year the king went to Debra Libanos in Shoa. 

 It was, however, obferved, that his preparations were not 

 fuch as were ufual in thefe Ihort joumies, nor fuch as were 

 made in peaceable times. * On the contrary, orders were 

 fent to the borders of Tigre to receive the royal army, which 

 was foon to arrive in thofe parts. The rumour of this was 

 quickly fpread abroad, and affected all the neighbouring 

 Hates, according to their feveral interefts. Mahomet king of 

 Adel was the firft that took the alarm. Tho' a kind of peace 

 had fubfifled for feveral years between Adel and Abyffinia, 

 yet inroads had been made from each country into the 

 other; and thefe might have ferved them as pretexts for 

 war, had that been the inclination of the times. Yet, as 

 both countries happened to be difpofed for peace, thefe out- 

 rages paired unnoticed. 



Vol, II. I, But, 



