THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 413 



Jerome Lobo mentions Facilidas's bad fuccefs againft the 

 Gallas and Agows as an inftance of divine vengeance which 

 purfued him. But if the approbation or difapprobation of 

 heaven is to be appealed to in this reign as a proof of the 

 juftnefs of the meamres taken, we muft be obliged to fay 

 the caufe of the Jefuits was not the caufe of heaven. If we 

 except the temporary advantage gained over Facilidas, and 

 the accident that happened to his army at Lafta, perpetual 

 victory had attended the wars in which this prince was en- 

 gaged; for fo far was he from being unfortunate this cam- 

 paign againft the Agows, that, on the 9th of February 1636, 

 he marched from Libo into Gojam, and totally defeated the 

 two great tribes Azena and Zeegam. After which he fent 

 his army with Kafmati Melca Bahar, who coming up with 

 the Galla, a great body of whom had made an incurfion in- 

 to Gojam, he totally overthrew them, and paffing the Nile 

 into their country, laid it wafte, and returned with a great 

 number of cattle, and multitudes of women and children to 

 be fold as Haves. 



The king then returned to Begemder, and took up his 

 head-quarters at Gonfala ; but, foon hearing that the Abuna 

 Marcus was arrived, he quitted that place, and came to meet 

 him in Gondar. 



The next year, which was the fifth of his reign, and the 

 firft of the coming of Abuna Marcus, he again fought with 

 the Agows, and beat the Denguis, Hancaiha, and the Zee- 

 gam, and palled that winter in Gafat ; nor was he ever un- 

 fortunate with the Agows or Galla. But a misfortune hap- 

 pened this year (the 6th of his reign) wmich very much af- 

 fected the whole kingdom. The people of Lafta feemed to 



grow 



