6zo TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



broke through them wherever they faw the greateft num- 

 ber together; a great Slaughter was made, and Tenfa Mam- 

 mo, with difficulty, efcaped. The victory indeed would have 

 been complete, had not an accidental fhot from a diftance 

 wounded Shalaka Tchinftio mortally. His own people car- 

 ried him within the gate of the palace, where he gloriouf- 

 ly expired at the feet of his fovereign.. 



The rebels, notwithstanding this check, increafed every 

 day in number and refolution, when the news arrived that 

 Waragna had compofed all the differences in Damot, Agow, 

 and Goutto, and, at the head of a numerous army, was 

 waiting the king's orders. This intelligence firft had the 

 effect to difconcert the rebels, who fuddenly left the capitaL 

 in their way to Wechne. 



The king, now matter of Gondar, ordered a proclama-- 

 tion to be made for all perfons whatever holding fiefs o£ 

 the crown, as- alfo all others, to.affemble before him on a 

 fhort day, where the Itchegue and Abuna, holding the pic- 

 ture of our Saviour, with the crown of thorns * up before 

 the people, did adminifter to them a folemn oath, to live 

 and die with the king and Iteghe ; a feeble experiment, 

 often tried by a weak government. The only confequence 

 of this was prefent expence to the crown in a diftribu- 

 tion of beef, honey, butter, wheat, and all kinds of provi- 

 fions ; after which each man returned to his houfe, ready to? 

 repeat the perjury ten times a day for the fame emolu- 

 ment,, and fame Uncerity.. 



Mes- 



* A reli<ft of the moil p/ecious kind, believeclto haye coiEeiicra Jerufalero, and been paintsdL 

 by St- Luke*. 



