86 
TRAVELS IN ABYSSINIA. 
times. Then, at his eager desire, he was led by 
his guide to the principal fountain. He now 
bursts into raptures similar to those of Payz, at 
having arrived at an object which the most power- 
ful sovereigns of ancient or modern times had 
sought in vain to explore. These ecstasies were 
very suddenly interrupted by gloomy reflections 
on his situation, and on the dangers by which he 
was surrounded. He soon recovered his cheer- 
fulness, however, and spent some days in ex- 
amining the appearance of all the places around. 
He then left Geesh, and went to the house of 
Welled Amlac, an intimate friend of Fasil, with 
whom the wife of that chief was residing, and 
where he was received with ample and very pe- 
culiar marks of barbarous hospitality. Meantime 
Michael, having assembled a large army in Tigre, 
marched upon Gondar, when the confederates 
being unable to maintain that city against him, re- 
treated and left him again in possession of it. This 
was a revolution entirely acceptable to Mr Bruce, 
who had always continued attached to Michael. 
He was mistaken, however, in supposing that 
his residence at Gondar would now be agreeable. 
Michael came breathing vengeance upon all who 
had taken part against him in his recent reverse j 
and his own austere character heightening the 
ferocious temper of the nation, drove him and his 
adherents into the most furious extremities. The 
