THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 153 
the left wing of the rebels, under Kafmati Ayabdar, who 
had lately received large reinforcements from Gojam, by 
means of the Iteghé, who well knew him to be an invete- 
rate enemy to Ras Michael, and one who would never 
make peace with him. 
- I wave often heard it obferved by officers of fkill and ex- 
perience, that nothing is more difficult to defcribe than a 
battle, and that as many defcriptions as are given of ir, they 
generally difagree, and feem as many different battles. To 
this I fhall add, that I find as great difficulty in giving an 
idea of the ground.on which a battle was fought, which 
perhaps is not the cafe with profeffional men ; and though 
I deferibe nothing but what I faw, and what my horfe pafl- 
ed over, fill I very much doubt if Ican make myfelf intel- 
ligible to my readers. The hill of Serbraxos was neither 
very high nor fteep, unlefs on the north and eaft, where it 
was almoft a precipice. It was not a mountain joined with 
others, as the bed of a torrent, that ran very rapidly from 
-Beleffen fouth of Mariam-Ohha, divided it from thefe 
mountains. The weft fide of it floped gently to a large 
plain, which extended to the brink of the lake Tzana, and 
upon this our rear was encamped. The S. W. fide of this 
hill was like the former, and about half a mile from it 
came an elbow of the river Mariam, fo called from a church 
in the plain: on this fide of the hill our center was encamp- 
ed with the king, Abuna, and the princefles ; whilft on the 
fouth face (which looked down a valley) was Ras Michael 
and the van of the army: the hill here was confiderably 
-—~fteeper, and I have already faid ended with the precipice on 
the north. Along the.bottom of this fouth face of the hill 
lay the fmall ftream called Deg-Ohha, which ftood in pools, 
Vo t. IV. COUESS and 
