262 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
ge; and, for the greater folemnity, the king and Fafil took 
a formal oath, to ratify all thefe articles, and to remain in 
friendfhip for ever. After which, the Abuna, in pontificals, 
being called to be prefent, pronounced a formal curfe and 
fentence of excommunication, upon whichever of the par- 
ties fhould firft break the vow they had taken. 
No word was mentioned of Tigré, or Kefla Yafous, or of 
Powuflen, nor the fmalJleft notice taken of Ras Ayabdar, who 
remained in his houfe and office, as if he had not exifted. 
It appeared to me the party was again made by one half of 
the kingdom againft the other; Kefla Yafous and Powuffen 
againft Fafil and Gufho; as for Ayabdar and Ayto Tesfos of 
Samen, thefe were left, contemptuoufly iz medio, to take any 
fide they pleafed, which, indeed, was of no confequence. 
After this interview, Fafil never again entered the king’s 
houfe, though he went often to Kofcam ; but I neither faw 
him nor fought to fee him, nor did he ever inquire after 
me, as far as I could learn. 
On the roth of November Fafil fent orders to the palace, 
that four bodies of the king’s houfehold-troops, Gimja Bet, 
Werk Sacala, Ambafelé, and Edjow, fhould immediately 
join him, which they did, to the number of 1200 men, all 
armed. Thefe he carried, with Gufho his fon-in-law, in 
triumph to Damot, nor was this the only inftance Fafil gave 
of the great regard he had to his late oaths, and to the fa- 
cred character of the perfon that adminiftered them; for the — 
morning he marched off, a party of the Galla, meeting the 
Abuna, and a numerous retinue mounted on mules, going 
to the king’s houfe, obliged them all to difmount at 
once, without diflinction, taking their mules with them to 
4 the 
