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THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 461 
-would break in upon the foot. Several fhots were fired from 
the center at them by order of the Ras, who cried out aloud 
in derifion, “ Take away thefe horfes and fend them to the 
mill.” They divided, however, to the right and left, into 
~ the two grafly valleys under cover of the mufquetry, and a 
very few horfe of Fafil’s were carried in along with them, 
and flain by the foldiers on the fide of the hill. Onthe 
king’s fide no man of note was mifling but Welleta Michael, 
nephew of Ras Michael, whofe horfe falling, he was take. 
prifoner and carried off by Fafil.. 
A FEwminutes after this, arrived a meflenger from Fafil,, 
a dwarf, named: Doho, a man always employed on errands 
of this kind; it is an intercourfe which is permitted, and 
the meffenger not only protected, but rewarded, as I have 
before obferved; it is a fingular cuftom, and none but 
fhrewd fellows are fent, very capable of making obferva- 
tions, and Doho was one of thefe. Hetold the Ras to pre- 
pare immediately, for Fafil intended to attack him as foon 
as he had brought his: foot up: Doho further added a 
requeft from his mafter, as amark of his duty, that the king 
might not change his drefs that day, left he might fall in- 
to the hands of fome of the ftranger troops of Galla, who 
might not know him otherwift, or fhew the proper refpect 
to his perfon. The Ras, I was told afterwards, for he was. 
too far before us to hear him, laughed violently at this com-_ 
pliment. “ Tell Fafil, fays he, to wait but a few minutes 
where he now’is, and I'promife him that the king fhall drefs 
in any way he pleafes.”. When Doho’s meflage was told to 
the king, he fent back anfwer'to Ras Michael, “Let Doho 
tell. Fafil from me, that, if I had Known thofe two trees had. 
been. where they are, I'would have brought Welleta Ga- 
huely 
