THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 591 



Betwudet Georgis, and directly contradicting what he had 

 faid with his own mouth to the monks of Debra Libanos, 

 which was the occafion of the riot. 



This bloody, indifcriminate maffacre had comprehended 

 too many men of worth and diftinetion not to occafion 

 great difcontent among the principal people both within 

 and without the palace. Confpiracies againft the king 

 were now everywhere openly talked of, the fruits of which 

 foon appeared. David fell lick, and thofe about him endea- 

 voured to perfuade him that it was the remains of an injury 

 Which he had lately received from a fall off his horfe. But, 

 upon the meeting of a council on the 9th of March 171 9, it 

 was difcovered and proved, that KafmatiLate and Ras Georgis 

 had employed Kutcho, keeper of the palace, to give a flrong 

 poifon to the king, which he had taken that morning from 

 the hands of a Mahometan. Ras Georgis was then brought 

 before the council, and fcarcely denied the fact ; upon 

 which his only fon was ordered to be hewn to pieces before 

 his face, and immediately after the father's eyes were pulled 

 out. Kutcho, keeper of the palace, and the Mahometan 

 who gave the poifon, were hewn to pieces with fwords 

 before the gate of the palace, and their mangled bodies 

 thrown to the dogs. The king died that evening in great 

 agony, 



The king^s favourite, Betwudet Georgis, found himfelf 

 now in a moil dangerous fituation. David his protector 

 was dead, and he was left now alone to anfwer for thofe 

 bloody meafures of which he was univerfally believed to 

 be the advifer. It was abfolutely neceiTary, therefore, if 

 pouible, to fecure a fucceHbr of David's own family, who 



might 



