THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 702 



ly all the great offices in the laft reign. He was immenfely 

 rich; had married a daughter of Ras Michael, and after- 

 wards fix or feven other women, being much addicted to the 

 fair fex, and was lately married to Ozoro Welleta Ifrael, the 

 ItegheY daughter. Nor was he in any fhape an enemy to 

 wine;. but very engaging, and plaufible in difcourfe and be* 

 haviour ; in many refpecls a good officer, careful of hit- 

 men, but faid to be little folicitous about his word or pro- 

 mife to men of any other profefhon but that of a foldier. 



An accident of the mod trifling kind brought about an 

 open breach between the king and the Ras, which never af- 

 ter was healed. The weather was very hot while the army 

 was marching. One day, a little before their arrival at Gon- 

 dar, in palling over the vaft plain between the mountains 

 and the lake Tzana, (afterwards the fcene of much blood- 

 fried) Ras Michael, being a little indifpofed with the heat, 

 and the fun at the fame time affecting his eyes, which were, 

 weak, without other defign than that of fhading them, had 

 thrown a white cloth or handkerchief over hk head. This 

 was told the king, then with Fafil in the center, who imme- 

 diately fen t to the Ras to inquire what was the meaning 

 of that novelty, and upon what account he prefumed to 

 cover his head in his prefence ? The white handkerchief r 

 was immediately taken off, but the affront was thought fo 

 heinous as never after to admit of atonement. 



It mufl be here obferved, that, when the army is in the 

 field, it is a . diilinction the king ufes, to bind a broad fillet' 

 of fine mailin round his head, which is tied in a double 

 knot, and hangs in two long ends behind. This, too, is worn 

 by the governor or a province when he is firfl introduced; 



into 



