THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 401
Fit-Auraris has territories affigned him in every province that he ever panes through, ib has that of the Ras, if he commands in chief. Every governor of a province has alfo an officer of this name, who has a revenue allowed him within his own province. It is a place of great fatigue. Their pod is at different diftances from the van of the army, according to the circumftances of the war ; fometimes a day's march, fometimes four or fix hours. As he paffes on he fixes a lance, with a flag upon it, in the place where the king's tent is to be pitched that night, or where he is to halt that day. He has couriers, or light runners, through which he conftantly correfponds with the army ; whenever he fees the enemy, he fends immediate advice, and falls back him- felf, or advances farther, according as his orders are.
From Tfoomwa the king marched on, a fliort day's march, to Derdera, and encamped near the church of St Michael. Derdera, was a collection of fmall villages, between the lake Dembea and Court-ohha, where, it will be remembered, the agreement was the confederates mould inclofe Michael, and give him battle; but he had now loft all patience, as there was no appearance of either Guflio or Powuflen ; and being, be- fides, in an enemy's country, he began to proceed in his u- fual manner, by giving orders to lay wafte the whole adja- cent territory with fire and fword. The whole line of march, two day's journey in breadth from the lake, was fet on fire; the people who could not efcape were ilain, and every wan- ton barbarity permuted.
The king's paffage of the Kile was the fignal given for me to fet out to join him. It was the 18th of May, at noon, I left Emfras, my courfe being fouthward whilft in the plain
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