•290 



TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



againfl Amdo with all poffible expedition, as his affairs 

 were become defperate in that part of his dominions. 



The king hereupon marched ftraight to Woggora, and join- 

 ed Julius at Shimbra-Zuggan ; thence he defcended from 

 Samen, and encamped upon Tocur-Ohha, (the black river) 

 thence he proceeded to Debil, and then to Sobra ; and from 

 this lafl ftation he fent a detachment of his army to attack 

 a ftrong mountain called Mefhraba, one of the natural for- 

 trefTes of Gideon, which was forced by the king's troops, af- 

 ter fome refinance, and the whole inhabitants, without di~ 

 Hinclion of age or fex, put to the fword, for fuch were the 

 orders of the king. 



This firft fuccefs very much disheartened the rebels, for 

 Mefliraba was, by nature, one of the ftrongeft mountains, 

 and it, befides, had been fortified by art, furniflied with plen- 

 ty of provifions, and a number of good troops. The next 

 mountain Socinios attacked was Hotchi, and the third Am- 

 ba Za Hancafie, where he had the like fuccefs, and treated 

 the inhabitants in the fame manner; thence he removed his 

 army to Seganat, where he met with a very flout refinance ; 

 but this mountain, too, was at laft taken, Gideon himfelf 

 efcaping narrowly by the bravery of his principal general, 

 who, fighting defperately, was {kin by a mufqueteer. 



The conftant fuccefs of the king, and the bloody manner 

 in which he purfued his victory, began to alarm Gideon, 

 left the end mould be the extirpation of his whole nation. 

 He, therefore, made an overture to the king, that, if he would 

 pardon him and grant him peace, he would deliver the re- 

 bel Amdo bound into his hands, 



The- 



