THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 287,. 



mong his flaughtered followers, guefling his intention, de* 

 clined the combat, turned his horfe and fled, while affairs 

 even yet appeared in his favour. This panic of the general 

 had the effect it ordinarily has in barbarous armies. Nobody 

 confidered how the profpect of the general iffue flood ; they 

 fied with Melchizedec, and lofi more men than Would have 

 Secured them victory had they flood in their ranks. 



A body of troops, joined by fome peafants of Begemder, 

 purfued Melchizedec fo clofely that they came up with him 

 and took him prifoner, together withTenfa Chriftos, a very ac- 

 tive partizan, and enemy to Emana Chriftos. Having brought 

 them to the camp, before the Ras returned to Coga, they 

 were tried and condemned to die for rebellion, as traitors, 

 and the fentence immediately executed, after which their 

 heads were fent to the king. Very foon after this, Arzo, 

 and his general Za Chriftos, were taken and fent to the 

 king, who ordered them to be tried by the judges in com- 

 mon form, and they underwent the fame fate. 



The king was employed in the winter feafon while he ren=> 

 ded at Coga, in building a new church, called St GabrieL 

 But the feafon of taking the field being come, he marched I 

 out with his army and halted at.'Gogora, fending Emana 

 Chriftos and Sela Chriftos againft the rebels; thefe were not 

 in a particular clan, or province, for all the country was 

 in rebellion, from the head of the Nile round, eaftward, to 

 the frontiers of Tigre. Part of them indeed were not in 

 arms, but refufed to pay their quota of the revenue ; part of 

 them were in arms, and would neither pay, nor admit a go- 

 vernor .from the king among them ; others willingly fub- 



xrdtted i 



