272 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



of them were wavering whether they mould not join the 

 rebel. His fole dependence, then, was upon the troops of 

 his own houfehold, veteran foldiers, well paid and cloathed, 

 and firmly attached to his perfon, and likewife upon the 

 Portuguefe. Above all, being himfelf a man of confum- 

 mate courage and prudence, he was far from judging of the 

 power of his enemy by the multitude of rabble which com- 

 pofed it. 



As foon as the armies came in prefence of each other, 

 Jacob offered the governor battle. But no fooner did the 

 impoftor's troops fee the eagernefs with which the fmall but 

 chofen band ruflied upon them, than they fled and difper- 

 fed ; and though Sela Chriftos had taken every precaution to 

 cut off the pretended Jacob from his ufual fculking places, 

 it was not poffible to overtake or apprehend him ; for he 

 arrived' in fafety in one of the higheft and moil inacceffible 

 mountains of the diftrict, whence he looked down on Sela 

 Chriftos and his army without apprehenfion, having be- 

 hind him a retreat to the more diftant and lefs known moun- 

 tains of Hamazen, mould his enemies prefs him further. 



As long as Sela Chriftos remained with his little army in 

 that country, the imppftor Jacob continued on the higheft 

 part of the mountains, accompanied only by two or three 

 of his moft intimate friends, who being people whofe fami- 

 lies dwelt in the plain below, brought him conftant intelli- 

 gence of what palled there. 



Sela Christos, wifhing by all means to engage the ene* 



my, marched into a coniiderable plain called Mai-aqud] but* 



feeing on every fide the top of each mountain guarded by 



I troops 



