684 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



vernment in Gondar ; on the contrary, thefe officers were 

 only appointed to give force to the fentences and proceed- 

 ings of the civil judges, and had not deliberation in any 

 caufe out of the camp. But two Umbares, or judges, of the 

 twelve were obliged to attend each of the three diftricts ; 

 two were left in the king's houfe, and four had their 

 chamber of judicature in his. 



The citizens, upon this fair afpecl: of government, where 

 juflice and power united to protect them, difmifTed all their 

 fears, became calm and reconciled to Michael the fecond 

 day after his arrival, and only regretted that they had been 

 in anarchy, and ftrangers to his government fo long. 



The third day after his arrival he held a full council in 

 prefence of the king. He fharply rebuked both parties in 

 a fpeech of confiderable length, in which he expreffed much 

 furprife, that both king and queen, after the experience of 

 fo many years, had not difcovered that they were equally 

 unfit to govern a kingdom, and that it was impoffible to 

 keep diftant provinces in order, when they paid fuch inat- 

 tention to the police of the metropolis. Great part of this 

 fpeech applied to the king, who, with the Iteghe and Galla, 

 were in a balcony as ufual, in the fame room, though at 

 fome diftance, and above the table where the council fat, 

 but within convenient hearing. 



The troubled ftate, the destruction of Woggora, and the 

 infecurity of the roads from Damot, had made a famine in 

 Gondar. The army poflefled both the rivers, and fufifered 

 no fupply of water to be brought into the town, but allow- 



3 ed 



