THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 



449 



che loweft part of the mountain, from whofe thickets they 

 fally, upon every opportunity that prefents itfelf, to attack 

 the enemy whom they find marauding in the plains. 



The king had often afTembled his army at Ibaba, only 

 four days march from Zeegam. He had done more ; he 

 had palled below the country, and returned by the other 

 fide of it, in his attack upon Geefa and Wumbarea ; but 

 he had never committed any act of hoftility, nor fhewn 

 himfelf difcontented with them. To deceive them ftill 

 farther, he ordered now his army to meet him at Efte in 

 Begemder ; and fent to Kafmati Claudius, governor of Ti- 

 gre, to join him with all his forces as foon as he mould 

 hear he was arrived at Lama, a large plain before we de- 

 fcend the fteep mountain of Lamalmon, which ftands not 

 far from the banks of the river Tacazze. He privately gave 

 orders alfo to Kafmati Claudius, Kafmati Dimmo Chriftos 

 of Tigre, and to Adera and Quaquera Za Menfus Kedus, to 

 inform themfelves where the water lay below, and whether 

 there was enough for his army in Betcoom, for fo they call 

 the territory of the eaftern branch of Shangalla adjoining 

 to Sire and Tigre. By this manoeuvre the enemy was de- 

 ceived, as the moft intelligent thought he was to attack 

 Lafta, and the others, that knew the fecret of the water, were 

 fure his march was againft the Shangalla. 



The king began his march from Ibaba, and crofTed the 

 Nile at the fecond cataract below Dara, where there is a 

 bridge ; and, entering Begemder, he joined his army at Me, 

 which was going in a route directly from Agow and Da- 

 mot towards Lafta. But no fooner was he arrived at Efte, 

 than, that very night, he fuddenly turned back the way he 



Vol. II. 3 L came. 



