THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 685 



ed two jars for each family twice a-day, and broke them 

 when they returned for more*. 



Ras Michael, at his rifing from council, ordered a loaf 

 of bread, a brulhe of water, and an ounce of gold, all ar- 

 ticles portable enough to be expofed in the market-place, 

 upon the head of a drum, without any apparent watching. 

 But tho' the Abyflinians are thieves of the firft rate, tho' 

 meat and drink were very fcarce in the town, and gold ftill 

 fcarcer, though a number of ftrangers came into it with the 

 army, and the nights were almoft conftantly twelve hours 

 long, nobody ventured to attempt the removing any of the 

 three articles that, from the Monday to the Friday, had 

 been expofed night and day in the market-place unguarded. 



All the citizens, now furrounded with an army, found 

 the fecurity and peace they before had been ftrangers to, 

 and every one deprecated the time when the government 

 mould pafs out of fuch powerful hands. All violent op- 

 preiTors, all thofe that valued themfelves as leaders of par- 

 ties, faw, with an indignation which they durft not fufFer 

 to appear, that they were now at laft dwindled into abfolute 

 iniignificance. 



Having fettled things upon this bails, Ras Michael next 

 prepared to march out for the war of Begemder ; and he 

 fummoned, under the fevereft penalties, all the great offi- 

 cers to attend him with all the forces they could raife. He 



infilled 



* This is commonly done in times of trouble, to keep the townfmen in awe, as if fire was 

 intended, which would not be in their power to quench* 



