134 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
camp, without any adventure, bringing the news of Wel- 
leta Selaffé’s death, which feemed to caufe neither furprife 
nor forrow, and was never after fpoken of either by the Ras 
or Ozoro Efther; but very great rejoicings were made at the 
~ good accounts of Ayto Confu, with very kind expreflions of 
me, both from the Ras and Ozoro Efther. 
Berore he went to bed, the king had examined Mahomet, 
and drawn from him the true ftate of the kingdom of Sen- 
naar; he then fent for me, and ordered me to deliver him 
my letters, which I did, interpreting them to him, word for 
word. He faid, however, but little at this time, as he ~ 
thought that that door, being fo effectually fhut againft me, 
lefs could be urged againft the fafer, and more known road 
through Tigré, which, of courfe, it was prefumed I fhould 
more eagerly embrace; he kept my letters, and ordered me 
to choofe two of the horfes for myfelf, which I did, one of 
them near feventeen hands high,I fuppofe one of the moft 
powerful horfes in the world. The reft he diftributed a- _ 
mong the black troops; the fame he did with the coats of 
mail. I found the army in great fpirits, but ftill the ftory 
of fighting only at Serbraxos feemed to be obftinately per- 
fifted in. I afked Ozoro Efther if St Michael had yet appear- 
ed to the Ras; fhe anfwered, “ Hufh! for God’s fake, don’t 
make a joke of this, one word of this kind repeated to him 
would prevent your ever receiving a favour from Michael. 
Ir happened that, the day after I had attended Ayto Con- 
fu to Gondar, Ras Michael fent fome foldiers into Dembea 
to forage, thefe had been intercepted by a party pofted on 
purpofe by Kafmati Ayabdar and Gufho, confifting of Ed- 
jow Galla, with fome horfe from Foggora and Amhara. An 
3 engagement 
