the source of the nile. 573 



fet on fire. But the foldiers, at their firft meeting in the 

 palace *, had fhut up the coronation-chamber, and the other 

 royal apartments, and pouefTed themfelves of the kettle- 

 drum by which all proclamations were made at the gate, 

 driving away, and rudely treating the multitude on every 

 fide. At laft they brought out the drum, though it was yet 

 night, and made this proclamation :■ — " David, fon of our 

 late king Yafous, is our king." The tumult and diforder, 

 neverthelefs, ftill continued ; during all which, it was very 

 remarkable no one ever thought of offering an injury to 

 Ouftas, 



While thefe things were palling at Gondar, a violent 

 alarm had feized all the princes upon the mountain of 

 Wechne. They had been treated with feverity during Ouftas's 

 whole reign. Their revenues had been with-held, or at leail 

 not regularly paid, and they had been reduced nearly to 

 perilh for want of the neceflaries of life. When, therefore, 

 the accounts of Ouftas's illnefs arrived, and that the princi* 



pal 



* There feems here fome contradiction which needs explanation. It is faid that the palace, 

 was burnt before Ouftas went to his tent. How then could the foldiers aflemble in it 

 afterwards ? The palace confifts of a number of feparate houfes at no great diftan.ee, but de- 

 tached from one another with one room in each. That where the coronation is performed' 

 is called Anbafa Bet; another, where the king fits in feftivals, is called Zeffan Bet; another- 

 is called Werk Sacala, the gold-houfel; another Gimja Bet, or the brocade-houle, where the war- 

 drobe and the gold ftuffs ufed for prefents, or received as fuch, arejaid. Noav, we fuppofe Quftas . 

 in any one of thefe apartments, fay Zeffan Bet, which he left to go to his tent,, and it was then 

 burnt ; fliil there remained the coronation-houfe where the regalia-was kept, which the fol- 

 diers locked up that it might not be ufed to crown Fafil, Ouftas's fon^ whom they though*', 

 thtjeyen great rcsn they had. murdered. confpired to place upon the throne after his father, 



