The Portuguese Expedition to Abyssinia in 1541–1543/Chapter IX

by Miguel de Castanhoso

[30]

Of how D. Christovão, on his March, found a very strong Hill, and made arrangements to attack it.

Near this, D. Christovão learned that there was a hill standing in the middle of a plain which we had to cross, that was held for the King of Zeila, and on it one of his Captains, a Moor, with fifteen hundred archers and buckler men. The hill was naturally very strong, standing alone, and very lofty. There were only three passes to it, all easily defended; each pass lay a matchlock shot distant from the other. At the beginning of the rise, in the first pass, was a very strong stone wall with its gate. Leaving the gate, the ascent is very steep, and by a very narrow path easily commanded by those on the summit. At the top is a gate in the living rock, through which is the entry. At this point of the pass was a Captain with five hundred men. The second pass is not so strong, but any way the path is a very difficult one; for it is also commanded from the summit, as I have explained, and at the top is another door, where was another Captain with five hundred men to defend the ascent. The third pass is the strongest of all, as from all outward appearance it is impregnable; for there is no path save over slippery rocks entirely exposed to the summit, so that any stone would do great damage. Men can only climb up with naked feet to a projection; from this up is four fathoms, and the rock is scarped with only a few holes chiselled out and some chinks, and over this one must proceed, or clamber by help of spears. Above was another Captain with five hundred men, who defended the pass. [31] The top of the mountain is very flat, with a few hillocks. In the centre is a very high peak, visible for a long distance, and from its foot there gushes a fountain of very excellent water, so copious that it irrigates the whole hill; thus they sow on it food grains in sufficiency, and maintain numbers of cows and all kinds of cattle. The circumference is about a league. They kept there nine horses, with which they used to raid the country. They captured many people from the skirts of the hill, and did such damage that the very inhabitants, who were subject to them, dared not pass that way. On the summit was a large church, which they had turned into a mosque. Before the hill was captured, it was the custom of the kingdom for all the kings of the country to be crowned here, like the Emperors in Rome; and nowhere else could it be done save here. The Moors captured it by treachery in this way. The King of Zeila sent several of his men, disguised as merchants, to start a fair at the foot of the hill, which they did; and when they saw the people immersed in the fair, and in the desire of buying, selected men, under colour of desiring to obtain lodgings, ascended, and when there captured the hill. This was the first step the King of Zeila took to conquer the country; for when he knew that the hill was held for him, he marched with his army, and subdued all the more defenceless country between his own and the hill. As the Preste was at that time some distance away he could not easily assist; still he would never have been defeated had his men been as loyal as the Portuguese, even although they were much weaker than they are. When D. Christovão heard that this hill lay on his road he enquired about it, and determined to take it in order not to [32] leave any danger behind him. When the Queen heard of D. Christovão's intention she sent for him, and told him that he should not think of daring such a great deed with so small an army; that they should march and join the Preste, and then they could do everything — that it was less difficult to fight twelve thousand men in a plain, and destroy them, than to capture that hill. To this D. Christovão replied that she should fear nothing, as they were Portuguese, and they hoped to be able, with the help of God, to capture it with very little loss; that she should be at ease, for they would all die before any harm came to her. With these words she and hers were somewhat pacified, and agreed that D. Christovão should act in the matter as he pleased, but very doubtful that the attempt could be satisfactorily prosecuted. All this while we were approaching the hill.