THE SOURCE OF THENILE. 



117 



Za Saluce withdrew in the heat of the engagement, leaving- 

 the king in the midil of his enemies. This treafon, how- 

 ever, feemed to have infpired the fmalL army that remained 

 with new courage, fo that the day was as yet dubious, when 

 Ifcander, being engaged m a narrow pafs, and feeing him- 

 felf clofe preffed by a Moor who bore in his hand the green 

 ilandard of Mahomet, turned fuddenly upon him, and new 

 him with a javelin ; and, having wrefled the colours from 

 him as he was falling, he, with the point of the fpear that 

 bore the enfign, flruck the king of Adel's fon dead to the 

 ground, which immediately cauied. the- Moors to retreat.. 



The young prince was too prudent to follow this victory 

 in the Hate the army then was ; for that of Adel, though it 

 had retreated, did not difperfe. Za Saluce was returning 

 by long marches to Amhara, exciting all thofe in his way 

 to revolt; and it was high time, therefore, for the king to < 

 follow him. But, unequal as he was inilrength to the 

 Moors, he could not reconcile it with his own honour to 

 leave their army mailers of the field. He, therefore, firft 

 confulted the principal officers of his troops, then harangued 

 his men, which, the hiflorian fays, . he did in the moil pa- 

 thetic and mafterly manner ; fo that, with one voice, they 

 defired inftantly to be led to the Moors. The king is faid 

 to have ranged his little army in a manner that aifenifhed. 

 the oldefl officers. ■ He then fent a defiance to the :< r oors s , 

 by feveral prifoners whom he reieafed: They, .however,-, 

 more defirous to keep him from ravaging. the country than 

 to fight another battle, continued quiet in their tents ;. and: 

 the king, after remaining on the field till near noon, drew 

 off his troops in the pre fence of his enemy, making a re~. 



treat- 



