oli 
THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 247 
refift-to the utmoft, none of the leaders then prefent thought 
themfelves warranted to rifk the death of a perfon fo no- 
ble, and fo powerfully related, efpecially in an obfcure 
_ f{kirmith, fuchsas was then likely to happen, the motives 
for which were not publicly known; they accordingly all 
returned to Gondar, leaving the Ras to purfue his way, 
who being now advanced as far as Degwafla, and think- 
ing himfelf out of all danger, was fuddenly furrounded 
by Aclog, governor of a little diftrict there, and even. 
from him he would have efcaped by his own courage and 
exertion, had not his horfe funk in miry ground whence 
he could not recover him. After receiving thefe news, the 
king fent his Fit-Auraris, Adera Tacca Georgis, and Ayto 
Engedan, with a number of troops, to bring Gutfho to: 
town, when. he returned a miferable figure, with his head 
fhaven: he was cloathed in black, and was confined that: 
fame day (the firft of Auguft) a clofe prifoner, and in irons, 
in a high, damp, uninhabited tower of the king’s houfe,, 
without being pitied by either. party. . | 
Ir was now the feafon of the year when, this country 
ufed to overflow with milk and honey; becaufe, being in all 
the low part of it covered with rain,. the horfemen and 
foldiers; who ufed to obftruct the roads, were all retired to 
quarters, and the peafants, bringing provifions to the mar-. 
Ket, pafled the high grounds in fafety; all forts of people, 
profiting by the plenty which this cccafioned, indulged 
themfelves to the greateft excefs in every fort of pleafure 
to which their refpective appetites led them. The rains 
had fallen, indeed, as ufual, but had not, however, flopped 
the march of the armies, and if not a famine, at leaft a 
Ih ies {carcity: 
