THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 523 
this time ; the Ras has work enough on his hands for thereft 
of his life.” “What work? faid I.” “Why, the mountain,” re- 
plies he.” “The mountainAromata!” “The fame, fays he; you 
never faw fuch a place; Lamalmon, and all the mountains of 
Abyfiinia, are nothing to it: he was, when at the prime of 
life, fifteen years in taking it from this Netcho’s father.” “ But 
he has been luckier this time, replied I, by fourteen years.” 
“ How!” fays he, with fome amafement.” “ Pardon me, faid J, 
if Ihave unawares told you unwelcome news ; but the moun- 
tain is taken, the garrifon put to the {word, and Za Menfus, 
after furrendering, flain, in cold blood by:Guebra Mafcal, 
in revenge for the death of his father.” Fafil had in his 
hand a blue cut-glafs goblet, gilt round the edges with gold. 
I had bought it at Cairo, with feveral other articles of the 
fame kind, from a merchant who procured them from 
Triefte. I had given it to the king, who drank out of it 
himfelf, and had fent it as an honourable token to Fafil 
from Dingleber, the day when they made peace, after the 
battle of Limjour. Upon hearing what I faid, he threw it 
violently upon the ground, and broke it into a thoufand 
pieces. “'Take care what you fay, Yagoube, fays he, take care 
this be not a lie; tell it me again.” Itold him the whole cir- 
cumftances from beginning to end; how the news had come 
to the Iteghé—who had brought the intelligence—how it had 
come from the Ras to Ozoro Efther—and how Kefla Yafous 
had furprifed the mountain by treachery, having firft lulled 
the befieged afleep by a negociation, and a propofed media- 
tion of the priefts and hermits. On this Fafilobferved,itwas the 
‘very way Michael took it laft time; and, putting his forefinger 
in his mouth, bit it very hard, crying, Fool, fool, was he not 
warned? We all were again difmiffed from the tent,.and ftaid 
Be) Wiig out 
