190 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
‘my as he was to Ras Michael, he would not venture to 
plainly goinz to ruin. I have already mentioned, that the 
cut offall recruits arriving from Tigré. Nothing that had yet 
when his army appeared, and from the hills above march- 
on account of its vicinity to Tigré, the language and cuf- 
take an active part againit him, ull the king’s affairs were 
lait thing Michael did was to fend Kefla Yafous, Bafha He- 
zekias, and Welleta Michael, to difpoffefs him of his ftrong- 
ho}d if poffible, and in this they had failed. But now that 
Tesfos faw there was no probability that Michael fhould 
be able to retreat to Tigré, he came at laft to join Gutfho, 
bringing with him only about a thoufand men, having left 
all his pofts guarded againft furprife, and ftrong enough to 
happened ever had fo bad effect-upon Michael’s men as 
this appearance of Tesfos. It was a little before mid-day — 
ed down towards the valley below us, not two mufquet- 
fhot from our camp. 
‘Tuoucu Samen is really on the weft of the Tacazzé, and 
cconfequently in the Amharic divifion of this country, yet, 
toms are moflly the fame with thofe of that province. 
There is a march peculiar to the troops of Tigré, which, 
when the drums of Tesfos beat at pafling, a defpondency 
feemed to fall on all the Tigran foldiers, greater than if 
ten thoufand men of Amhara had joined the rebels. It 
was a fine day, and the troops, {pread abroad upon the face 
of the hill, not only fhewed more in number than they 
really were, but alfo more fecurity than they were, in point 
of prudence, warranted to do, when at fo fmall a diftance 
from fuch an army as ours, ; 
‘TESFOS 
