>6$6 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



finifhed Mariana Barea, came to the king's tent to feek the 

 unhappy prifoners, whom he intended as victims to the 

 ■memory of Brulhe like wife. Hearing, however, that they 

 were fled to Michael's tent, he fent Woofheka to demand 

 them ; but that officer had fcarce opened his errand, in the 

 gentler! manner poflible, when Michael, in a fury, cried out, 

 Cut him in pieces before the tent-door. Woofheka was in- 

 deed lucky enough to efcape ; but we fhall find this was 

 not forgot, for his punifhment was more than doubled 

 iooii afterwards. 



At feeing Mariam Barea's head in the hands of a Galla, 

 after forbidding him to expofe it in his tent, Michael is faid 

 to have made the following obfervation : " Weak and 

 cowardly people are always in proportion cruel and un- 

 merciful. If Brulhe's wife had done this, I could have for- 

 given her ; but for Joas, a young man and a king, whofe 

 heart mould be opened and elated with a firft victory, to be 

 partaker with the Galla, the enemies of his country, in the 

 murder of a nobleman fuch as Mariam Barea, it is a pro- 

 digy, and can be followed by no good to himfelf or the 

 flate ; and I am much deceived if the day is not at hand 

 when he fhall curfe the moment that ever Galla crofTed the 

 Nile, and look for a man fuch as Mariam Barea, but he fhall 

 not find him." And, indeed, Michael was very well entitled 

 to make this prophecy, for he knew his own heart, and 

 the defigns he had now ready to put in execution. 



It is no wonder that thefe free communications gave 

 the king reafon to diftruft Michael. And it was obferved 

 that Waragna Fafil had infinuated himfelf far into his fa- 

 vour ; his late behaviour at the battle of Nefas Mufa had 



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