476 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
large force, with a knowledge of all the fords, and mafter 
of all the inhabitants of the country. Remember how you 
pafled thofe rivers, holding hand in hand, and drawing one 
another over. Could you have. done this with an ene- 
my behind you, and fuch an enemy as Woodage Afahel? 
He would have followed and harraffed you till you took 
the ford at Goutto, and there was Welleta Yafous waiting 
to oppofe you with 6000 men on the oppofite bank.. When 
Ras Michael marched by Mariam Net, he found the priefts — 
at their homes. Was that the cafe in any of the other 
churches we pafled? No; all were fled for fear of Michael ; 
yet thefe were more guilty than any by their connections 
with Fafil; notwithftanding which, they alone, of all others,. 
ftaid, though they knew not why; an invifible hand held 
them that they might operate your prefervation. Nothing 
could have faved the army but the defperate paflage, fo 
tremendous that it will exceed the behef of man, croffing 
the Nile that night. Yet if the priefts had crofled before 
this, not a man would have proceeded to the ford.. The: 
priefts would have been Ras Michael’s prifoners, and, on: 
the other fide, they never would have fpoken a word whilft 
in the prefence of Michael. Providence, therefore, kept 
them with Kefla Yafous; all was difcovered, and the army 
faved by the retreat, and his {peedy palling at the ford of 
Delakus. 
Wuat would have happened to Kefla Yafous, had Fafil 
marched down. to Delakus either before or after the paflage? 
Kefla Yafous would-have been cut off before Ras. Michael 
had pafic ied the Kelti; inftead of which, an unknown caufe 
detained him, moft infatuated-like, beating his kettle-drums 
behind Bofkon Abbo, while our army under the Ras was 
{fwimming. 
