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468 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
Galla at Tchelga, a town upon the frontiers of Sennaar, being 
at variance with her hufband, upbraided him with being the 
perfon that, with his own hand, had aflaflinated the late 
king Joas. This Galla was immediately feized and fent to 
Gondar, and was examined before the queen, where I was 
prefent. He, with very little hefitation, declared, That, on a 
night immediately after the battle of Azazo, he was fent for 
to Ras Michael, who gave him fome money and large pro- 
mifes, on condition that he would undertake to murder the 
king that night. The perfons prefent were Laeca Netcho, 
and his two fons, Nebrit Tecla and his two fons, Shalaka 
Becro relation to the prefent king, and Woldo Hawaryat a 
monk of Tigré. The prifoner faid, he was afraid, if he fhould 
refufe, they would murder him for the fake of fecrecy. He 
further faid, that they had given him fpirits to. drink till he 
was intoxicated, and then delivered to him the keys of the 
apartments where Joas was confined, and they all went with 
him to the palace; they found the unfortunate king alone, 
walking in his apartment, very penfive,and, though at the 
late heur of twelve at night, dreffed in his ufual habit. Two 
of Laeca Netcho’s fons attempted to put a cord round his 
neck, but the king, being young and flrong, fhewed a difpo- 
fition to defend himfelf, and wrefted the cord out of the 
murderers hands; upon which Zor Woldo (the name of 
the Galla) ftruck him a violent blow with a bludgeon on 
the head, which felled him to the ground: The others 
then, with a fhort cord, ftrangled him, the monk, Woldo 
Hawaryat, crying, difpatch him quickly; after this they 
carried the body to the neighbouring church of St Raphael, 
where a grave, or rather hole, was ready, into which they 
threw it with the clothes juflas he was. The prifoner faid, 
That, when they were carrying the king’s body out of the 
2 palace 
