478 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
Tue queen ordered her gates at Kofcam to be fhut. A - 
little before the Ras mounted his mule, Ozoro Efther and 
her fervants took refuge with her mother the Iteghé; Gon- 
dar was like a town which had been taken by an enemy; 
every one that had arms in his hands did juft what he pleafed. 
Two very remarkable things were faid to have happened 
the night before Michael left the city. He had always pre- 
tended, that, before he undertook an expedition, a perfon, 
or fpirit, appeared to him, who told him the iffue and con- 
fequence of the meafures he was then taking ; this he ima- 
gined to be St Michael the archangel, and he prefumed very 
much upon this intercourfe. In a council that night, where 
none but friends were prefent, he had told them that his 
{pirit had appeared fome nights before, and ordered him, in 
his retreat, to furprife the mountain of Wechné, and either 
flay or carry with him to Tigré the princes fequeftered 
there. Nebrit Tecla, ‘governor of Axum, with his two fons, 
(all concerned in the late king’s murder) were, it is faid, 
ftrong advifers of this meafure ; but/Ras Michael, (probably 
fatiated with royal blood already) Kefla Yafous, and all the 
more worthy men of any confequence, acting on principle, 
abfolutely refufed to confent to it. It was upon this the 
paflage by Beleffen was fubftituted inftead of the attempt on 
Wechné, and it was determined to conceal it. 
Tuer next advice which, the Ras faid, this devil, or angel, 
gave him, was, that they fhould fet fire to the town of Gon- 
dar, and burn it to the ground, otherwife his good fortune 
was to leave him there for ever; and for this there was a 
. great number of advocates,,Michael feeming to lean that 
way himfelf. But, when it was reported to the king, that 
I young 
