THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 255 



made a virtue of neceffity : he difpatched an ambaflador to 

 acknowledge Socinios as his fovereign, and declare that he 

 was ready to fwear allegiance to him. Socinios received 

 this embaffy with great apparent complacency. He fent in 

 return a monk, in whom he confided, a perfon of great 

 worth and dignity, to be his reprefentative, and receive the 

 homage of Za SelafTe and his army. On the news of this 

 monk's approach, Za SelafTe fent on his part ten men, the 

 moil refpectable in his camp, to meet this reprefentative of 

 the king, and conduct him into the camp, where Za SalefTe, 

 and all his troops, did homage, and fwore allegiance to So- 

 cinios. Feafls and prefents were now given in the camp^ 

 as is ufual at the acceffion of a new king to the throne, and 

 all the army abandoned themfelves to joy. 



These good tidings were immediately communicated 

 both to Socinios and Ras Athanafius. But, in the midft of 

 this rejoicing, a mefTenger came from Jacob, informing Za 

 SelafTe that he was then in Dembea.; that he had conferred 

 upon him the title of Ras and Betwudet, that is,, had made 

 him the king's lieutenant-general throughout the whole 

 empire. Za SelafTe, in pofleflion of the height of his wifheSj 

 and making an ample diftribution among his troops, deters 

 mined immediately to march and join Jacob in Dembea ; but 

 firft he wrote privately to the ten men that had accompa- 

 nied the monk.to Socinios, that they mould withdraw them- 

 felves as fuddenly. and privately as poflible before the co- 

 ming of Jacob was known. Eight of thefe were lucky e- 

 nough to do fo ; two of them were overtaken in the flight 

 and brought back to Socinios, who ordered them to imme? 

 diate. execution, . 



Ras 



