THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 629 



dead, for political reafons, and was come again to claim his 

 erown and kingdom. Never was refurrection fo little wifli- 

 -ed for as this ; a violent fear fell upon part of the multitude 

 for fome time ; but his name making no party, whether 

 true or falfe, he was feized upon without bloodfhed, tried, 

 and condemned to die. This punifhment was changed in- 

 to one of 2ifuppofed gentler kind, the cutting off his leg, and 

 fending him to Wechne. The operation, always performed 

 in the groffeft manner by an ax, high up the leg, and near 

 the knee, is generally fatal; for there is no one^ having 

 either fkill or care, to take up the ends of the veins and ar- 

 teries feparated by the amputation ; they only apply ufelefs 

 ftiptics and bandages, of no effect, till the patient bleeds to 

 death. This is the common cafe, fo that the pretended Ba- 

 cuffa died, in confequence of the operation, before he came 

 to' Wechne, though he was by his fentence reprieved from 

 death, 



The king, now arrived at the feventh year of his reign* 

 proclaimed a general hunt, which is a declaration of his 1 

 near approach to manhood; but he purfued it no lengthy ., 

 and again returned to Gondar. 



At that time, a great party of the queen's relations was 

 made againft Ayo governor of Begemder. It began by a 

 competition between Kafmati Geta the queen's brother, and 

 Ayo, who mould have that province. The common voice 

 was for Ayo, not only as a man of the greateil intereft in 

 the province, but in all refpecls unexceptionable through- 

 out the kingdom. Welled de l'Oul, (brother to Geta) how- 

 ever, being now Ras and Betwudet, Geta governor of Sa- 

 men, Eufebius, and all the reft of them in high places at 



court, 



