i 9 o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



fuccefles againft David the king's father, were this day flain 

 in the field. 



Claudius now defcended into the low country of Derfe- 

 gue, a very plentiful province, to which the Moors al- 

 ways retreated to ftrengthen themfelves after any misfor- 

 tune. This the king utterly deilroyed ; while Gragne 

 did the fame with thofe countries in Dembea that had 

 been recovered by the king. Claudius then returned to Sha- 

 wada, and Gragne to Derfegue. After that the king march- 

 ed to Wainadega, and Gragne, leaving Derfegue, advanced 

 fo near, the king's army, that the outpolls were nearly in 

 fight of each other. In fuch a pofition of two fuch armies 

 a battle became inevitable. 



Accordingly, on the ioth of Feb. 1^43, in the morning, 

 the king, whofe quarters were at Ifaac's Bet, having well re- 

 frefhed his army, marched out of his camp, and offered the 

 enemy battle. The Portuguefe, ever mindful of Don Chrif- 

 topher, fought with a bravery like to defperation, and the 

 prefence of the king keeping the Abyflinians in their duty, 

 the van of Gragne's army was pufhed back upon the cen- 

 ter, and much confufion was like to follow, till Gragne ad- 

 vanced alone before them, waving and beckoning with his 

 hands to his men that they iliould follow ; and he was al- 

 ready come fo near the Portuguefe line as to be ealily 

 known and diftinguifhed by them. 



Peter Ly on, a man of low itature, but very active and 

 valiant, who had been valet-de chambrc toDon'Chriftopher, 

 having crept unfeen along the courfe of a river_a corifider- 

 able fpace nearer, to make his aw more certain, mot Gragne 



with 



