234. TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
had of him as a foldier that he owed his being fuffered to 
continue at Gondar; for he was fufpected to have been 
familiar with one of his uncle’s wives in Tigré, by whom it 
was thought he had a child, at leaft the Ras put away his 
wife, and never owned the child to be his. 
Tuis man fupped with us that night, and thence began 
one of the moft ferious affairs I ever had in Abyflinia. 
Guebra Mafcal, as ufual, vaunted inceffantly his {kill in 
fire-arms, the wonderful gun that he had, and feats he had 
done with it. Petros faid, laughing, to him, “ You have a 
genius for fhooting, but you have had no opportunity to 
learn. Now, Yagoube is come, he will teach you fome- 
thing worth talking off.’ They had all drank abundantly, 
and Guebra Mafcal had uttered words that I thought were 
in contempt of me. I believe, replied I peevifhly. enough, 
Guebra Mafcal, I fhould fufpe&t, from your difcourfe, you’ 
neither knew men nor guns; every gun of mine in the 
hands of my fervants’fhall kill twice as far as yours, for 
my own, itis not worth my while to put a ball in it: When 
I'compare with you, the end of a tallow-candle in my gun 
fhall do more execution than an iron ball in the beft of 
yours, with all the fkill and experience you pretend to. 
He faid I was a Frank, and a liar, and, upon my im- 
mediately rifing up, he gave me a kick with his foot. I -was 
quite blind with paffion, feized him by the throat, and 
threw him on the ground ftout as he was. The Abyflinians 
know nothing of either wreftling or boxing.. He drew his 
knife as he was falling, attempted to cut me in the face, 
but his arm not being at freedom, all he could do was to 
give me.a very trifling ftab, or wound, near the crown of the; 
head,. 
q 
