^$6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



having found one that pretended to be of the royal blood, 

 rhe proclaimed him king, and put his army in motion. 



Upon the firfl news of this revolt, the king, though at- 

 tended with few troops, immediately left Gondar, ordering 

 all thofe -whofe duty it was to join him at Ibaba. Having 

 there collected a little army, he marched immediately for 

 the country of the Baffo, deftroying every thing with fire 

 and fword. Tigi, in the mean time, by forced marches 

 came to Ibaba, where he committed all forts of cruelties 

 without diflinction of age or fex. The cries of the fufferers 

 reached the king, who turned immediately back to the re- 

 lief of Ibaba ; and, not difcouraged by his enemy's great fu- 

 periority of number, offered battle to them as foon as he 

 arrived. Nor did Tigi and his Galla refufe it; but, on the 

 28 th day of March 1709, a very obilinate engagement enfued.; 

 where, though the king was inferior in forces, yet being him- 

 felf warlike and active, he was fo well feconded by his troops 

 that Baffo and Liban were almoit entirely cut ofE 



In the field of battle there was a church, built by the 

 •late king Yafous after a victory gained there over the Pa- 

 gans, whence it had the name it then bore, Debra Mawea, 

 or the Mountain ofVlEiory. A large body of thefe Galla, feeing 

 .that all went againfl them in the field, fled to the church 

 for a fanctuary, tru fling to be protected from the fury of 

 the foldiers by the holinefs of the place, and they fo far 

 judged well ; for the king's troops, though they furround- 

 ,ed the church on every fide,. did not offer to break into it, or 

 moleft the enemy that had flickered themfelves within. 

 Theophilus, informed of this fcruple of his foldiers, imme- 

 diately rode up to them, crying out, " That the church was 

 .2 " defiled 



