654 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



full liberty; and it was now the 17th year of Yafous's reign, 

 when, on the 17th of September 1746, at a great promotion 

 of officers of ftate, Michael, by the. nomination of the king 

 himfelf, was reftored to his government of Tigre ; and, a 

 few days after, he returned to that province. All his an- 

 cient friends and troops nocked to him as foon as he ap- 

 peared, to welcome him upon an event looked upon by all 

 as nearly miraculous. Nor did Michael difcourage that 

 idea himfelf, but gave it to be underftood, among his moll 

 intimate friends, that a vifion had afTured him that he was 

 thenceforward under the immediate protection of St Mi- 

 chael the archangel, with whom he was to confult on eve- 

 ry emergency. 



As foon as he had got a fufncient army together, the firfl 

 thing he did was to attack Kafmati Woldo, without any pro- 

 vocation whatever ; and, after beating him in two battles, 

 he drove him from his province, and forced him to take re- 

 fuge among the Galla, where, foon after, by employing 

 fmall prelents, he procured him to be murdered ; the or- 

 dinary fate of thofe who feek protection among thofe faith- 

 lefs barbarians. 



It will feem extraordinary that the king, who had fuch 

 recent experience of both, the one diflinguifhed for his duty, 

 the other for his obitinate rebellion, mould yet tamely fuf- 

 fer his old and faithful fervant to fall before a man whom 

 in his heart he fo much miftrufted. But the truth is, all 

 Michael's danger was pafl the moment he got free accefs 

 to the king and queen, though he was defervedly efteemed 

 to be the ableft foldier in Abymnia of his time, he was infi- 

 nitely more capable in intrigues, and private negociations 



at 



