THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 11g 
Tue horfemen of the king’s army were about 7000, moft- 
ly very indifferent troops; fo that his whole mutter was 
nearly .7ooo mufqueteers, 25,000 foot, armed with lances 
and fhields, and about 7500 horfemen ; in round numbers 
about 40,000 men. It is not poflible, | believe, to know, 
with greater precifion, the number, fuch is the confufion of 
barbarous armies on thefe occafions, and fuch the inclina- 
tion of their leaders to magnify and increafe their quotas. 
Befides thefe, Ayto Confu and Sanuda were left with about 
600 men each, to protect Gondar from flying, pillaging 
parties, and to keep the communication open between the 
army and the capital, from whence the provifions were to: 
be fupplied. 
Tus army was furnifhed with a number of excellent of- 
ficers, veterans of noble families, who had fpent their 
whole life in war, which we may fay, for thefe laft 4oo 
years, has never ceafed to lay defolate this unhappy coun- 
try ; the principal were Ras Michael, who, arrived at the age 
of feventy-four, had paffed the laft so years of his life in a. 
courfe of continued victories, Atfham Georgis, and Gue- 
bra Chriftos, uncles by the mother’s fide to the king; Kefla. 
Yafous, in the full vigour of life, who, though unhap- — 
pily born in a country plunged in ignorance, and where 
there is no education, pofleffed every quality that became 
aman, whether a foldier, ftacefman, citizen, or friend; Wel- 
leta Michael, mafter of the houfehold to the king; Billeta- 
na Gueta Tecla ; Bafha Hezekias, and Guebra Matfcal, two: 
principal officers of his mufquetry, and a great number of 
others of equal merit, known better in the camp than at the 
eourt ; Aylo, and Engedan, two fons of Kafmati Efhté ; Ayto 
€onfu, fon of Ozoro Efther, all young men, employed. gene- 
4 rally 
