180 _ TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
or all the men that had fallen that day; I had feen him in 
Ayto Engedan’s tent, fitting behind his bed, in the darkeft . 
place of it; both his lips, nofe, and chin were violently cut, 
his whole (fag teeth beat out, and both his cheeks greatly 
fwelled. I had given him what relief I could, nor was 
there any thing dangerous in his wounds; but the affront 
of receiving the blow from the king, when he was doing’ 
a moft meritorious act of duty, (the faving him from death, 
or the hands of the rebels), had made fuch an impreflion 
‘upon a noble mind, that as foon as he arrived in Engedan’s 
tent, he had ordered his hair to be cut off, put a white 
cap, or mopk’s cowl upon his head, and by a vow dedicated 
himfelf to a monaftic life. In vain the king flattered, re- 
warded, and threatened him afterwards, and went fo far as 
to make the Abuna menace him with excommunication 
if he perfifted in his refolution any longer. After this I 
carried him, as we fhall fee, by the king’s defire, to Gufho, 
in his camp, and interefted him alfo to perfuade Sertza Deng- 
hel to renounce his rafh vow: no confideration could how-. 
ever prevail, for, like a private monk, he lived at home in 
the village which belonged to him in patrimony, and, tho’ 
he often came to court, never flept or ate in the palace, 
the excufe being, when defired to ftay dinner, that he had 
no teeth. He conftantly flept at my houfe, fometimes-chear- 
ful, but very feldom fo. He was a young man of excellent 
anderftanding, and particularly turned to the ftudy of reli- 
gion ; he was well read in all the books of his own country, ’ 
and very defirous of being inftructed in ours; he had the 
very worft opinion of his own priefts, and his principal de- 
fire (if it had been poffible) was to go with me to die, and. 
to be buried in Jerufalem.. 
.~* 
CHAR. 
