THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 273 



troops of foldiers, he was afraid he had advanced too far ; 

 and, apprehenfive left he mould be inclofed in the midfl 

 of a multitude fo polled, he began to think how he could 

 bell make his retreat before he was furrounded by fo nu- 

 merous enemies. But they no fooner faw his intention by 

 the movement of his army, than, leaving their leader as a 

 fpectator above, they fell on all fides upon Sela Ghrillos's 

 troops, who, having no longer any fafety but in their arms, 

 began to attack the hill that was next them, which they 

 ftormed as they would do a callle. Finding the fmall re- 

 finance that each of thefe polls made, the governor divided 

 his fmall army into fo many feparate bodies, leaving his 

 cavalry in the plain below, who, without fighting, were 

 only employed in llaughtering thofe his troops had dhlodged 

 from their feparate polls. 



The day after, the impollor aflembling his fcattered troops, 

 retreated towards the fea into the territory of Hamazen, be- 

 tween the country of the Baharnagalh and the mountains 

 of the Habab. 



Sela Christos, finding that, while he purfued his victory 

 in thefe dillant parts, the fpirit of rebellion increafed nearer 

 home, refolved to inform the king his brother of the un- 

 promifing Hate of his affairs in Tigre, and the great necef- 

 fity there was of his prefence there. Nor did Socinios lofe 

 a moment after receiving this intelligence from Sela Chri- 

 ftos, although it had found him, in one refpect, very ill pre- 

 pared for fuch an undertaking ; for he had fent all his 

 horfe from Coga upon an expedition againil the Shangalla 

 and Gongas, nations on the north- well border of this king- 

 dom ; fo that, when he marched from Wainadega, his ca- 

 ' Vol. II, Mm valry 



