THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 481
had flain the father of Guebra Mafcal, Michael's nephew by marriage, who was commander in chief of all the muf- quetry Michael had brought from Tigre, fo that he feared nothing fo much as falling into Ras Michael's hands.
Ras Michael faw the danger of leaving an enemy fo prepared and fo lituated behind him ; he therefore, before the rainy feafon was yet finilhed, ordered the whole moun- tain to be furrounded with barracks, or huts, for his fol- diers ; he alfo erected three houfes for himfelf, the principal officers, and the king. The country people were called in to plow and fow the ground in the neighbourhood, fo that his intention was plainly never to rife from thence till he had reduced the mountain of Aromata for the fecond time, after having once before fucceeded in taking it, after jifteen years fiege, from Netcho's father. There we fhall leave him at this fiege, and return to Gondar.
It was on the 10th of June that Gufho and PowufTcn entered Gondar, and next day, the nth, waited upon the .queen ; they both befeeched her to return from Kofcam to the capital, and take into her hands the reins of government for the interim : this me pofitively refufed, unlefs peace was .firft made with Fafil, She faid, that Fafd was the only perfon who had endeavoured to avenge his mailer Joas's death; that he had continued till that day in aims in that quarrel ; and, notwithstanding all the offers that could be made her, fhe never would come to Gondar, nor take any part in public bufinefs, without this condition. Fafil, moreover, informed her by a meffenger, that there was no trufl to be put either in Gufho or PowufTen ; that they had failed in their engagement of following and fighting Ras
Vol. IIL 3 P Michael
