THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 6gs 



I have often faid, the Mofaical law, or law of retaliation,. 

 is conflantly obferved over all Abyilinia as the criminal law 

 of the country, fo that, when anyperfon is flain wrongfully 

 by another, it does not belong to the king to punifh that 

 offence, but the judges deliver the offender to the nearefl 

 relation of the party murdered, who has the full power of 

 putting him to death, felling him to flavery, or pardoning . 

 him without any fatisf action. 



Lubo faw the king relenting, and that the greateft crime, 

 that of rebellion, was already forgiven. He flood up, there- 

 fore, and, in violent rage, laid claim to Mariam Barea as the 

 murderer of his brother : the king Hill faying nothing, he 

 and his other Galla hurried Mariam Barea to his tent, where 

 he was killed, according to report, with fund ry circumftan- 

 ces of private cruelty, afterwards looked upon as great ag- 

 gravations. Lubo, with his own hand, is faid. to have cut 

 his throat in the manner they kill fheep. His body was af- 

 terwards disfigured with many wounds, and his head feve- 

 red and carried to Michael, who forbade uncovering it in 

 his tent. It was then fent to Brulhe's family in their own 

 country, as a proof of the fatisfa&ion his friends had ob- 

 tained ; and this gave more univerfal umbrage than did: 

 even the cruelty of the execution. 



Several officers of the king's army, feeing the bloody-: 

 intentions of the Galla, advifed Powuffen, and the eleven, 

 other officers that were taken prifoners, to make the beft 

 ufe of the prefent opportunity, and fly to the tent of Mi- 

 chael and implore his protection. This they moft will- 

 ingly did, with the connivance of Wooihcka, who had 

 been intruded with the care of them, and Lubo having 



i nnimed: 



