672 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



Eflite had kept about him in a private nation, and had lately 

 given him a fubaltern command among his own country- 

 men,theDjawi of Damot. From the fervices that he had then 

 rendered, it was expected a greater preferment was to fol- 

 low. 



The infolence of the Djawi had come to fuch a pitch 

 that they had offered Eflite battle ; but they had fled with 

 very little refiftance, and been driven over the Nile to their 

 countrymen whence they came, Eflite, roufed from his in- 

 dolence, now fliewed himfelf the gallant foldier that he 

 really was, He croffed the Nile at a place never attempted 

 before ; and though he loll a confiderable number of men 

 in the paflage, yet that difadvantage was more than com- 

 penfated by the advantage it gave him of falling upon the 

 Galla unexpectedly. He therefore deftroyed, or difperfed 

 feveral tribes of them, poflefled himfelf of their crops, 

 drove off their cattle, wives, and children, and obliged 

 them to fue for peace on his own terms ; and then repafled 

 the Nile, re-eftablifliing the Djawi, after fubmiflion,in their 

 ancient poffeflions. 



Upon news of Welled de 1'Oul's death, and the known in- 

 tention of the queen that Eflite fhould fucceed him in the 

 office of Ras, he was muttering his foldiers to march to Gon- 

 dar : Damot, the Agows, Goutto, and Maitflia, all readily 

 joined him from every quarter ; and Waragna Fafil had 

 been fent to bring in the Djawi with the reft. Eflite had 

 marched by flow journies from Bure, flenderly attended, 

 to arrive at Goutto the place of rendezvous ; and, being come 

 to Fagitta, in his way thither, he encamped upon a plain 

 there, near to the church of St George. 



It 



