THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 641 



ftroying their country, and committing all fort of de valla- 

 tion, when they thought him long ago dead, or fugitive, 

 and fkulking half-famifhed on the banks of the Dender. 



The king returned in this manner to Gondar, carrying 

 more the appearance of a conqueror than one who had fuf- 

 fered the lofs of a whole army, his foldiers being loaded with 

 the ipoils of the Arabs, and multitudes of cattle driven be- 

 fore them. It was but too vifible, however, by the counte- 

 nances of many, how wide a difference there was between 

 the lofs and the acquifition. 



It was, indeed, not from the prefence or behaviour of 

 the king, nor yet from his difcourfe, that it could be learned 

 any fuch misfortune had befallen him. On the contrary, 

 he affected greater gaiety than ufual, when talking of the 

 expedition ; and faid publicly, and laughing, one day, as he 

 arofe from council, " Let all thofe who were not pleafed 

 with the fong of Kofcam fing that of Sennaar." From this 

 many were of opinion, that he enjoyed a kind of malevo- 

 lent pleafure from the misfortune which had befallen his 

 army, who, not content with feeing him cultivate and enjoy 

 the arts of peace, had urged him to undertake a war of 

 which there was no need, and for which there was no pro- 

 vocation given, though in it there was every fort of danger 

 to be expected. 



Although Yafous gave no confolation to his people, the 

 priefts and fanatics foon endeavoured to prepare them one. 

 Tenfa Mammo arrived from Sennaar with the crown of 

 thorns, the true crofs, and all the reft of that precious mer- 

 chandife, fafe and entire, only a little profaned by the bloody 



Vol. II. 4 M hands 



