682 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



all thofe diftricts within a day's march of the place through 

 which he palled ; and, upon this not being readily complied 

 with, he burnt the houfes to the ground, and flaughtered 

 the inhabitants. Woggora, the granary of Gondar, full of 

 rich large towns and villages, was all on fire before him ; 

 and that capital was filled with the miferable inhabitants, 

 ftript of every thing, flying before Ras Michael as before an 

 army of Pagans. The king's underftanding was now reftored 

 to him for an inftant. ; he faw clearly the mifchief his 

 warmth bad occafioned, and was truly fenfible of the rafh 

 ftep he had taken by introducing Michael. But the dye was 

 cart ; repentance was no longer in feafon ; his all was at ftake 9 

 and he was tied to abide the iflue. 



Michael, with his army in order of battle, approached 

 Gondar with a very warlike appearance. He defcended 

 from the high lands of Woggora into the valleys which fur- 

 round the capital, and took pofTefnon of the rivers Kahha 

 and Angrab, which run through thefe valleys, and which 

 alone fupply Gondar with water. He took port at every 

 entrance into the town, and every place commanding thofe 

 entrances, as if he intended to befiege it. This conduct 

 fouck all degrees of people with terror, from the king and 

 queen down to the lowed inhabitant. All Gondar pafTed 

 an anxious night, fearing a general maflacre in the morn- 

 ing ; or that the town would be plundered, or laid under 

 fome exorbitant ranfom, capitation, or tribute* 



But this was not the real defign of Michael ; he intended 



to terrify, but to do no more. He enteredGondar early in the 



morning, and did homage to the king in the moil refpect- 



ful manner. He was inverted with the charge of Ras by 



i Joas 



