THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 115 



inferted in their hiftories ; which they entitle Kebra Za Ne- 

 gttft, the greatnefs or atchievements of their kings. This, 

 however political in itfelf, is a great difadvantage to hiftory, 

 by concealing from poilerity the firft caufe of the moft im- 

 portant tranfadjions. 



For feveral years after Ifcander afcended the throne, the 

 queen his mother, together with the Acab Saat, Tesfo Geor- 

 gis, and Betwudet Amdu, governed the kingdom defpotical- 

 ly under the name of the young king. Accordingly, after 

 fome years fufferance, a confpiracy was formed, at the head 

 of which were two men of great power, Abba Amdu and 

 Abba Hafabo, but the confpirators proving unfuccefsful, 

 fome of them were imprifoned, fome put to death, and 

 others banifhed to unwholefome places, there to perifh with 

 hunger and fevers. 



The king from his early age had fhewn a paflionate de- 

 fire for a war with Adel, and that prince, whofe country had 

 been fo often defolated by the Abyflinian armies, omitted 

 no opportunity of creating an intereft at that court, that 

 fliould keep things in a quiet Hate. In this, however, he 

 was much interrupted at prefent by a neighbouring chief 

 of Arar, named Maffudi. This man, exceedingly brave, ca- 

 pable of enduring the greateft hardfhips, and a very great 

 bigot to the Mahometan religion, had made a vow, that, 

 every Lent, he would fpend the whole forty days in fome 

 part of the Abyflinian kingdom ; and to this purpofe he 

 had raifed, at his own expence, a fmall body of veteran 

 troops, whom he infpired with the fame fpirit and refolu- 

 tion. Sometimes he fell on one part of the frontier, fome- 

 times upon another; flaying, without mercy, all that made 

 P 2 refiilancc, 



