406 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
of which he was governor, and had taken the high road to 
join the forces of Begemder. 
NeEtTcHO, a near relation.of the old queen, arrived from 
Kuara juft as we were fitting down to dinner. He had 
about 50 horfe and 200 foot, all bad troops, and ill armed ; 
he was, however, a refpectable, tried veteran, who having 
had many opportunities of becoming rich, gave the whole 
to his foldiers, and thofe of his dependents that lived with 
him; on which account he was extremely beloved, and it 
was hoped that, if the iffue of this campaign was favourable, 
Ras Michael would make him governor of Kuara, in room 
of Coque Abou Barea, a man of a very different character, 
who had intruded himfelf into that province by the power 
of Fafil, and after maintained himfelf in it by open rebellion. 
Tue mules that had hitherto carried my quadrant and te- 
lefcopes being bad, I had luckily kept them behind, in 
hopes that either Adigo or Netcho would fupply me with 
better; and I had now placed them upon the frefh mules I 
had obtained, and had not fent them on with the fervants, 
and we were then taking a friendly glafs. It was, I fuppofe, 
about noon, when we faw our fervants coming back, and 
Strates alfo among the ref, {tript of every thing that he had, 
except a cotton night-cap, which he wore on his head. 
The fervants fwam over the Gomara immediately, nor 
was Strates interrupted, but pafled at the ford. They told 
us that Gufho and Powuffen were in rebellion againft the 
king, and confederated with Fafil, that they were advancing 
faft to cut off the Ras’s retreat to Gondar, and that Guebra 
Mehedin, and Confu, Powullen’s Fit-Auraris, had fallen in 
4 with 
