THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 211 



himfelf in a condition to take the field, rather than to lefTen 

 his reputation by conflantly declining battle. 



In thefe difpofitions both armies met, and the confede- 

 rates were again beaten by the king, with very little lofs or 

 Tefiftance. This battle was fought on the 20th of April 1562. 

 Immediately after this victory the king marched to Shoa, 

 and fent feveral detachments of his army before him to fur- 

 prife the robbers called Dobas, and drive off their cattle. 

 What he intended by retiring fo far from his enemies, the 

 Baharnagafh and Bafha, is what we do not know. Both of 

 them were yet alive, but probably fo weakened by their laft 

 defeat as to leave no apprehenfions of being able to moleft 

 the country by any incurfions. 



The king, being advanced into the province of Ogge, was 

 taken ill of the Kolla, or low-country fever, and, after a few 

 days illnefs,he died there on the 13th of January 1563, leaving 

 three fons, Sertza Denghel, who fucceeded him, Tafcar, and 

 Lefana Chriftos. 



Some European hiftorians * have advanced that Menas 

 was defeated and flain in this laft engagement juft now 

 mentioned. This, however, is exprefsly contradicted in the 

 annals of thefe times, which mention the death of the king 

 in the terms I have here related; nor were either of the chiefs 

 of the rebels, the Bafha or Baharnagafh, flain that day. The 

 rebellion ftill continued, Ifaac having proclaimed a prince of 

 the name of John to be king in place of Tafcar, his deceafed 

 brother. 



D d 2 Menas 



* Ludolf, lib. 2. cap. 6. 



