636 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



infifted likewife that the king himfelf fliould march, and 

 refufed to let a fingle foldier ftay behind him in Gondar ; 

 not that he wanted the afliftance of thofe troops, or trufled 

 to them, but he faw the deftruclion of Mariam Barea was 

 refolved on, and he wiflied to throw the odium of it on the 

 king. He affected to fay of himfelf, that he was but the 

 inftrument of the king and his party, and had no end of 

 his own to attain. He expatiated, upon all occafions, upon 

 the civil and military virtues of Mariam Barea ; faid, that 

 he himfelf was old, and that the king fliould walk coolly 

 and cautioufly, and confider the value that officer would be 

 of to his poflerity and to the nation when he fliould be no 

 more. 



Upon the firft news of the king's marching, Mariam Ba- 

 rea, who was encamped upon the frontiers near where he 

 defeated Brulhe, fell back to Garraggara the middle of Be- 

 gemder. The king followed with apparent intention of 

 coming to a battle without lofs of time ; and Mariam Ba- 

 rea, by his behaviour, fliewed in what different lights he 

 viewed an army, at the head of which was his fovereign, 

 and one commanded by a Galla. 



No fuch moderation was fhewn on the king's part. His 

 army burnt and deftroyed the whole country through which 

 they paffed. It was plain that it was Joas's intention to re- 

 venge the death of Brulhe upon the province itfelf, as well 

 as upon Mariam Barea. As for Ras Michael, the behaviour 

 of the king's army had nothing in it new, or that could 

 either furprife or difpleafe him. Friend as he was to peace 

 and good order at home, his invariable rule was to indulge 



his 



