434 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
refpect, being on a flat on the lee-fide of a hill,and fhelter~. 
ed from the ftorm; but, on the other hand, the water ran fo. 
plentifully from above as quite to overflow it on the infide 
till a trench was dug to carry it off. 
Ras Micuagrx had burnt nothing at Tfoomwa, though: 
there was a houfe of Powuflen’s in the place, built by his fa-. 
ther. But that diffembler, to prevent the worft, and carry on. 
the farce to the uttermoft, had fent many bags of flour for- 
the ufé of the King and the Ras, which were to be diftributed: 
to the army in cafe they wanted. 
_ From the paflage to Tfoomwa, all the country was fors. 
faken ; the houfes uninhabited, the grafs. trodden down,,. 
and the fields without cattle. Every thing that had life 
and ftrength fled before that terrible leader, and his no lefs. 
terrible army; a profound filence was in the fields around: 
us, but no marks as yet of defolation. We kept ftrict watch. 
in this folitude all that night. IT took my turn till twelve,, 
as I was the leaft fatigued of any. Netcho had picquets. 
about a quarter of a mile on every fide off us, with fire-arms. 
to give the alarm.. 
On the 2 yh about three in the morning, a gun was heard’ 
on the fide towards the paflage. This did not much alarm. 
us, though we all turnedout. In a few minutes came Ayto- 
Adigo, (not the Shum of Karoota, already mentioned, who, 
left us at the Gomara,) but a young’ nobleman of Begem-. 
_ der of great hopes, one of the gentlemen of the king’s bed- 
chamber, and confequently my colleague. He intended ta. 
have brought four horfes to the king, one of which he had. 
drowned, or rather, as | afterwards underftood, throttled in 
patting 
