THE SOURCE OF THE NILE, 6y S 



This fpirited anfwer was magnified into the crime of 

 difobedience and rebellion. Michael purfued it no further. 

 He knew it was in good hands, which, when once the matter 

 was fet agoing, would never let it drop. Accordingly, to 

 every one's furprife but Michael's, a proclamation was made, 

 that the king had deprived Mariam Barea of his govern- 

 ment for difobedience, and had given it to Kafmati Brulhe 

 his uncle, now governor of Begemder. 



All Abyflinia was in a ferment at this promotion. The 

 number, power, and vicinity of that race of Galla being 

 confidered, this was but another way of giving the richefl 

 and flrongeft barrier of Abymnia into the hands of his he- 

 reditary and bloody enemy. There could be no doubt, in- 

 deed, but that, as foon as Brulhe fhould have taken poiTef- 

 iion of his government, it would be inftantiy over-run by 

 the united force of that favage and Pagan nation; and there 

 was nothing afterwards to avert danger from the metropo- 

 lis, for the boundaries of Begemder reach within a very 

 fhort day's journey of Gondar. 



Mariam Barea, one of the noblerl in point of birth in 

 the country where he lived, fetting every private confidera- 

 tion afide, was too good a citizen to fuffer a meafure fo per- 

 nicious to take place quietly in his time, while the province 

 was under his command. But, beiides this, he confidered 

 himfelf as degraded and materially hurt both in honour 

 and in intereft, and very fenfibly felt the affront of being, 

 himfelf and his kindred, fubjected to a race of Pagans whom 

 he had £o often overthrown in the field. 



4 Qji This 



