THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 271 



not poffible to fufFer the deformity to appear ; for which rea- 

 fon, as he laid, but, as it appeared afterwards, to conceal the 

 little refemblance he bore to Jacob, he wrapped about his 

 head the corner of his upper cloth, and fo concealed one 

 fide of his face entirely. 



All Tigre haftened to join this impoftor as their true 

 fovereign ; who, finding himfelf now at the head of an ar- 

 my, came down from the mountains of Bifan, and encamp- 

 ed in the neighbourhood of Dobarwa upon the Mareb, 

 where he had a new accemon of ftrength. 



The fhape of the crown in Abyffinia is that of the hood> 

 or capa, which the priefts wear when faying mafs. It is 

 compofed of filver, fometimes of gold, fometimes of both 

 metals, mixed and lined with blue filk. It is made to cover 

 part of the forehead, both cheeks, and the hind-part of the 

 neck like wife to the joining of the fhoulders. A crown of 

 this fhape could not but be of great fervice in hiding the 

 terrible fears with which the impoftor's face was fuppofed 

 to be deformed. He had accordingly got one made at Ma- 

 fuah, beat very thin out of a few ounces of gold which he 

 had taken from a caravan that he had robbed. He wore it 

 eonftantly upon his head as a token that he was not a can- 

 didate for the crown, but real fovereign, who had worn that 

 mark of power from his infancy. 



The news of this impoflor, with the ufual exaggeration 

 of followers, foon came to Sela Chriflos, governor of Tigre, 

 who, feeing that the affair became more ferious every day, 

 re/ >lved to attempt to check it. He conceived, however, he 

 had little truit to put in the troops of his province, who all 



1 g£ 



