6 7 6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



The king's army marched, under the command of his 

 uncle Brullie, to take poileffion of his government; it was 

 with much difficulty, indeed, that Joas could be kept from 

 appearing in perfon, but he was left under the inspection 

 and tuition of his uncle Lubo, at Gondar. Brulhe made 

 very flow advances ; his army feveral times aflembled, as 

 often difbanded of itfelf ; and near a year was fpent before 

 he could move from, his camp on the lake Tzana, with a 

 force capable of mewing or maintaining itfelf in Begemder, 

 from the frontiers of which he was not half a day's journey,, 



Mariam Barea remained all this time inactive in Be- 

 gemder, attending to the ordinary duties of his office, with.- 

 a perfect contempt of Brulhe and his proceedings. But, in 

 the interim, he left no means untried to pacify the king s . 

 and difluade him from a meafure he faw would be ruinous 

 to the Hate in general.. 



M-ariam Barea, though young, had the prudence and" 

 behaviour of a man of advanced years. He was efteemed, 

 without comparifon, the braveft foldier and beft general in 

 the kingdom, except old Suhul Michael, his hereditary rival 

 and enemy. But his manners were altogether different 

 from; thofe of Michael. He was open, chearful, and unre- 

 ferved ; liberal, even to excels, but not from any particular 

 view of gaining reputation by it ; as moderate in the ufe of 

 victory as indefatigable to obtain it ; temperate in all his 

 pleafures ; eafily brought to forgive,, and that forgivennefs 

 always fmcere ; a Heady obferver of his word> even in trifles ; 

 and diftinguiilied for two things, very uncommon in Abyf- 

 finia, regularity in his devotions, and constancy to one wife, 

 which never was impeached. In his laft remonttrance, af~ 



ter 



