THE SOURCE OF THE NILE* 697 



greatly increafed his importance with the king ; and the 

 number of troops he had now with him made Joas think 

 himfelf independent of the Ras. Fafil had brought with 

 him near 30,000 men, about 20,000 of whom were horfe- 

 men, wild Pagan Galla, from Bizamo and other nations 

 fouth of the Nile. The terror the favages occafioned in the 

 countries through which they paffed, and the great difor- 

 ders they committed, gave Ras Michael a pretence to infift 

 that all thofe wild Galla mould be fent back to their own 

 country. I fay this was a pretence, becaufe Michael's fol- 

 diers were really more cruel and licentious, becaufe more 

 confident and better countenanced than thefe flrangers were* 

 But the war Was over, the armies to be dilbanded, thefe 

 Pagans were confequently to return home ; and they were 

 all fent back accordingly, excepting 12,000 Djawi, men of 

 FafiTs own tribe, and fome of the beft horfe of Maitfha, A= 

 gow, and Damot. 



This was. the nrfl appearance of quarrel between Fafil 

 and Ras Michael. But other accidents followed fall that 

 blew up the flame betwixt them ; of which the following 

 was by much the moll remarkable, and the moll unex- 

 pected. 



At Nefas Mufa, near to the field of battle, was a houfe of 

 Mariam Barea, which he ufed to remove to when he was 

 bufy in wars with the neighbouring Galla. It was fur- 

 rounded with meadows perfectly well-watered, and full of 

 luxuriant grafs. Fafil, for the fake of his cavalry, had > en- 

 camped in thefe meadows ; or, if he had other views, they 

 are not known ^ and though all the doors and entrances 

 of the houfe were lliut, yet within was the unfortunate" 



Vol. II. 4 T Ozoro 



