i 
THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 197 
vifible enough to every one that a treaty of fome kind was 
not only on foot, but already far advanced. In the evening 
a party of 4oo foot and so horfe, which went to Dembea 
to forage for the king, was furprifed by Coque Abou Barea, 
- and cut to pieces ; after which that general encamped with 
Guitho, and brought with him about 3000 men. 
PROVISIONS were now become fcarce in the camp, and 
there was a profpect that they would be every day fcarcer ; 
and, what was ftill worfe, Deg-Ohha, which long had ttood 
in pools, was now almoft dry, and, from the frequent ufe 
made of it by the number of beafts, began to have both an 
offenfive fmell and tafte; whilft, every time we attempted 
to water at the Mariam river, a battle was to be fought with 
Tesfos’s horfe in the valley. On the other hand, an epide- 
mical fever raged in the rebels camp on the plain, efpecial- 
ly in that of Gufho and Ayabdar. The rain, moreover, was 
_now coming on daily, and fomething decifive became ne- 
ceflary for all parties. 
On the 24th, in the morning, a meflage arrived from Gu- 
fho to the king, defiring I might have liberty to come and 
bring medicines with me, for his whole family were ill 
of the fever. The king anfwered, that I had been wound- 
ed in the head, and was ill; nor did he believe I could be 
able to come; but, if 1 was, he fhould fend me in the morn- 
ing. 
A uiTTLe before noon the drums in the plain beat to 
arms. Heraclius, Mammo, and Tesfos on the fide of the 
valley, Coque Abou Barea and Afahel Woodage on the fide 
of the plain, with frefh troops, had obtained leave from 
Gutho 
