59 o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



the Itchegue's gate :" with fuch a centinel they concluded 

 that they were perfectly fafe from any attempts of man. 



In the mean time, however, the king was violently affected 

 at the feditious behaviour of the monks ; nor did he hefitate 

 a moment in what manner he was to punifh it. As they had 

 employed the fong which was fung only for victories obtain- 

 ed over infidels, by which they meant to allude particularly 

 to the king, he detached a body of Pagan Galla to punifh. 

 them ; having furrounded the Itchegue's houfe, where the 

 monks were aflembled, they forced open the gate, (and the 

 cherub with the naming fword not interfering) they fell, 

 fword in hand, upon the unarmed priefls, and in an inflant 

 laid above a hundred of the principal of them dead upon the 

 floor. They then fallied out with their bloody weapons in- 

 to the ftreet, and hewed to pieces thofe that attended the 

 proceflion, and who were ftill diverting themfelves with 

 their fong. Gondar now appeared like a town taken by 

 florm ; every ftreet was covered with the dead, and dying ; 

 and this maffacre continued till next day at noon, when, by 

 proclamation, the king ordered it to ceafe. 



David, now fatisfied as to the priefls, thought he owed to 

 the Abuna a mortification for his double-dealing. He fent, 

 therefore, the foldiers to take him out of his houfe, and 

 bring him to the gate of the palace, where the poor wretch, 

 half dead with fear, expected every moment to fall by the 

 bloody hands of the Dj a wi. Having enjoyed his panic fome 

 time, the king ordered him to be placed clofe befide the ket- 

 tle-drum, and a profeffion of faith was made in the royal 

 prefence, and announced by beat of drum to the people, 

 agreeing in every refpect to that publifhed the firft day by 

 $ Betwudet 



