542 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER
who led the life of a drunkard, a ruffian, and a profligate, but her chief fears were that Michael mould return, the probability of which increafed daily.
As for Fafil, he had hitherto anfwered the queen's invi- tation to Gondar evafively, fornetimes by complaining that Gulho and Powuffen had come to Gondar before him, and that Gufho was made Ras ; at other times fending peremp- torily to them to leave Gondar, and return to their provin- ces, or he would burn the town about their ears : and the laft mefiage, the day before they left the capital was, that he was then on his march towards Gondar, and confented to Guiho and Powuffen's flaying ; but as thefe two chiefs had great reaibn to fufpect that he was in correfpondence with the king and Ras Michael in Tigre, as it was known to them that he had fomented disturbances both in Begem- der and Amhara, they had gone with Socinios to Kofcam, without drums beating, or any fort of parade whatever, and, after taking leave, had the next day fet out to their refpec- tive provinces. Upon another meffage from Fafil, they had agreed to return to Gondar, and leave their army at Emfras; but their troops, finding themfelves fo near, had diibanded, and returned to their homes, leaving Guiho and Powuffen at- tended only by their houfehold fervants, who, finding them- felves in danger, and that Fafil was actually advancing fe- cretly, left Gondar and feparated.
Ozoro Esther's fervant (Guebra Mariam) likewife told me, that Michael, as he believed, waited for nothing but fome arrangement with Fafil, for that he had no enemy re- maining on the eaft of the Tacazze; that his intention was to return by the way of Laila, not willing to rifk the many i difficult
