THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 295 
thus: The king, reftoring the villages to the Iteghé, ac- 
cording to the itipulation of his lait treaty with Powuflen, 
‘thought that he might fo far infringe upon it, from grati- 
tude to Ras Michael, as to give part of the number to Ozoro 
Efther, the Iteghé’s daughies: and, Ayto Confu, going to 
Tcherkin to hunt, he took his mother along with him to 
put her in poffeflion; for the Iteghé’s people were not 
lambs, nor did they pay much regard to the orders of the 
king, nor to that of the lreghé their miftrefs, at. all times, 
farther than fuited their own convenience.. 
We now wanted only the prefence of Ayto Conta to 
make our happinefs complete; he came about four, and 
with him Ayto Engedan, and. a great company. ae was 
nothing but rejoicing on all fides. Seven ladies, relations 
and companions of Ozoro Efther, came with Ayto Confu; 
and I confefs this to have been one of the happieft mo, 
ments of my life. I quite forgot the difaitrous journey I had 
before me, and all the dangers that awaited mc. Ibeganeven 
to regret being fo far m my way to leave Abyilinia for ever. 
We learned from Ayto Confu, that it had been reported at. 
Gondar that we had been murdered by the peafants of Gim-- 
baar, but the contrary was foon known. However, Enge-. 
dan and he had fet the leffer vill lage on fire in their palin 
and laid a contribution of eleven ounces.of. gold upon the: 
two larger. 
AyTo Conru’s houfe at Tcherkin.is built on the edge of 
a@ precipice which takes its name from the mountain Amba 
Tcherkin.. It is built all. with cane very artificially, the 
outer wall being compofed of fafcines of canes, fo neatly 
_ Joined together as not to be penetrated by rain or wind,. 
The: 
