168 _TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
Wuute their army was thus feparated into two divifions, 
both in great confufion, the king, with his referve, fell fu- 
rioufly upon them; and being followed by all the reft of 
the horfe, they pufhed the right divifion (where Powuffen 
was in perfon) along the plain, but thefe retired, fighting ve- 
ry obftinately, and often rallying. Kefla Yafous faw the great 
danger to which the king would quickly be expofed by pur- 
fuing the troops of Begemder fo far at a diftance from his 
foot, and that they would foon turn upon and overpower ~ 
him with numbers, and then furround him. He therefore, 
with great prefence of mind, provided for his retreat. He 
drew up the heavy-armed horfe which could not gallop, 
the Moors of Ras el Feel, and the foot which were left be- 
hind, and which had now recharged their firelocks before 
the narrow road, and ordered Guebra Mafcal to refume his 
ftation. He then twice, with great earneftnefs, cried in. a 
loud voice to the foldiers, The king’s fafety depends upon 
you,--Stand firm, or all is loft. After which, he galloped, with 
a {mall body of horfe, to join the king, clofely engaged at 
a confiderable diftance: The foot that had purfued, or 
were {cattered, now came in by tens and twelves, and joined” 
the heavy-armed horfe, fo that we began again to fhew a 
very good countenance. Among thefe,a common foldier 
of the king’s houfehold, bufied in the vile practice of mang- 
ling and fpoiling the dead, found the red ‘colours of king 
Theodorus lying upon the field, which he delivered me, up- 
on promife of a reward, and which I gave a fervant of 
my own to keep till after the engagement. 
Ar this inft:nt Guebra Mafcal came up from below the 
bank, leaping and flourifhing his gun about his head, and 
crying, jut before my horfe, “Now, Yagoube, ftand firm, if 
I you 
