433 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
been feeking, in all the bufhes and concealed parts of the 
river, for the’ miferable natives, who had hid themfelyes 
thereabouts ; in this they had many of them been fuccefsful. 
They had fome of them three, fome of them four women, 
boys and girls, who, though Chriftians like themfelves, they 
neverthelefs were-carrying away into flavery to fell them to 
the Turks for a very {mall price. . 
A xiTTLeE before nine we heard a gun fired that gave us 
fome joy, as the army feemed not to be far off ; a few mi- 
nutes after, we heard feveral dropping fhots, and, in lefs than 
a quarter of an hour’s time, a general firing began from 
right to left, which ceafed for an inftant, and then was heard 
again as fmart.as ever, about the occafion of which we were 
divided in-epinion. 
‘Nercuo was fatisfied that Woodage Afahel, from Samfeen, 
had fallen upon Ras Michael at Karcagna, to prevent his 
burning it, and that Fafil had ftrongly reinforced him that 
he might be able to retard the army’s march. On the other 
hand, having been informed by Ayto Adigo, that news were 
come to Gondar that Fafil had left Buré, and that Derdera 
was the place agreed on by Gufho and Powuffen to fhut up 
Michael on the rear, I thought that it was Fafil, to make 
good his part of his promife, who had croffed the Nile at 
Goutto, and attacked Ras Michael before he fuffered him to. 
burn Samfeen. Indeed we all agreed that both opinions 
were likely to be true, and that Fafil and Woodage Afahel - 
would both attack the king at the fame time. The firing 
continued much in the fame way, rather flacker, but, ap- 
parently advancing: nearer us; a fure fign that our army 
was beaten. and retreating. We, therefore, made ourfelves 
4 ; ready, 
