438 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER
'been feeking, in all the bufhes and concealed parts of the river, for the miferable natives, who had hid themfelves thereabouts ; in this they had many of them been fuccefsful. They had fome of them three, fome of them four women, boys and girls, who, though Chriftians like themfelves, they neverthelefs were carrying away into flavery to fell them to the Turks for a very fmall price.
A little before nine we heard a gun fired that gave us fome joy, as the army feemed not to be far off; a few mi- nutes after, we heard feveral dropping mots, and, in lefs than a quarter of an hour's time, a general firing began from right to left, which ceafed for an inftant, and then was heard again as fmart as ever, about the occafion of which we were divided in opinion.
Netcho was fatisfied thatWoodage Afahel, from Samfeen, had fallen upon Ras Michael at Karcagna, to prevent his burning it, and that Fafil had ftrongly reinforced him that he might be able to retard the army's march. On the other hand, having been informed by Ayto Adigo, that news were come to Gondar that Fafil had left Bure, and that Derdera was the place agreed on by Gufho and Powuffen to fhut up Michael on the rear, I thought that it was Fafil, to make good his part of his promife, who had crofled the Nile at Goutto, and attacked Ras Michael before he fuffered him to burn Samfeen. Indeed we all agreed that both opinions were likely to be true, and that Fafil and Woodage Afahel would both attack the king at the fame time. The firing continued much in the fame way, rather flacker, but ap* parently advancing nearer us ; a fare fign that our anny was beaten and retreating. We, therefore, made ourfelves 4 ready,
