Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile/Volume 4/Book 7/Chapter 9
CHAP. IX
ON the 25th of May, early in the morning, I went to Gusho. When I arrived near his tent I dismounted my mule, and, as the king had commanded me, bared myself to below the breasts, the sign of being bearer of the king's orders. Four men were now sent from the tent, who, two and two, supported each arm, and introduced me in this state immediately to Gusho. He was sitting on a kind of bed, covered with scarlet cloth, and edged with a deep gold fringe. As soon as I came near him, I began, "Hear what the king says to you." In a moment he rose, and, stripping himself bare to the waist, he bowed with his forehead on the scarlet cloth, but did not, as was his duty, stand on the ground, and touch it with his forehead, tho' there was a good Persian carpet, as pride and newly-acquired independence had released him from those forms, in the observance of which he had been brought up from his childhood.
On seeing him attentive, I continued, "The king sends you word by me, and I declare to you from my own skill as a physician, that the fever now amongst you will soon become mortal; as the rains increase, you will die; consequently, being out of your allegiance, God only knows what will happen to you afterwards. The king therefore wishes you to preserve your health, by going home to Amhara, taking Powussen, and all the rest along with you who are ill likewise, and the sooner the better, as he heartily wishes to be rid of you all at once, without your leaving any of your friends behind you." It was with difficulty I kept my gravity in the course of my harangue; it did not seem to be less so on his part, as at the end he broke out in a great fit of laughter. "Aye, Aye, Yagoube, says he, I see you are still the old man; but tell the king from me, that if I were to do what you just now desire of me, it was then I should be afraid to die, it was then I should be out of my duty; assure the king, continued Gusho, I will do him better service. Were I to go home and leave Michael with him, I, who am no physician, declare, the Ras would prove in the end a much more dangerous disease to him than all the fevers in Dembea."
I then introduced his relation, Tecla Mariam, who stood with the people behind; and, as he had on his monk's dress, Gusho at first did not know him. He had been well informed, however, of his having saved the king, and of the blow that he had received from him. He said every thing in, commendation of the young man, and his honourable action, adding, that the preservation of kings was a gift of Providence particularly reserved for the people of Amhara. He then ordered new cloaths to be brought and put upon Tecla Mariam, who scrupled to take off his cowl; on which Gusho violently tore it from his head, dashed it on the floor, stamped twice on it with his foot, and then threw it behind the back of the sofa. At parting, Gusho ordered him five ounces of gold, a large present for one that loved money as Gusho did, commanding him strictly to return to his duty and profession, and ordering me to carry him to the king, and see him reinstated in his office in the palace.
I then desired his permission to visit the sick, and left ipecacuanha and bark with Antonio, (his Greek servant,) and directions how to administer them. One of his nephews, (Ayto Aderesson) the young man who had lost Gusho's horse, had the small-pox, upon which I warned Gusho seriously of the danger to which he exposed all his army if that disease broke out amongst them, and advised him to send his nephew forthwith to the church of Mariam, under the care of the priests, which he did accordingly.
The tent being cleared, he asked me if I had seen Welleta Selalle; if I was with her when she died; and who was said to have poisoned her, Ras Michael or herself, or if I had ever heard that it was Ozoro Esther? I told him her friends had sent for me from the camp, but miffed me, not knowing I was at Koscam with Ayto Confu, who had been wounded; but that I could have been of little service to her if they had found me sooner: That she had scarce any signs of life when I entered her room, and died soon after: That she confessed she had taken arsenic herself, and named a black servant of hers, a Mahometan, from whom she had bought it; and the reason was, her fears that her grandfather, Ras Michael, whom die had always looked upon as the murderer of her father, should force her when he returned to Gondar. He seemed exceedingly attentive to all I said, and mused for a couple of minutes after I had done speaking.
A plentiful breakfast was then brought us, and many of his officers sat down to it. I observed like wise some people of Gondar, who had formerly fled to Fasil at Michael's first coming. He said he wished me to bleed him before I went away, which I assured him I would by no means do, for if he was well, as I then saw he was, the unnecessary bleeding him might occasion sickness; and, if he was dangerously ill, he might die, when the blame would be laid upon me, and expose me to mischief afterwards. "No, says he, I could certainly trust you, nor would any of my people believe any harm of you; but I am glad to see you so prudent, and that you have a care of my life, for the reason I shall give you afterwards." I bowed, and he made me then tell him all that passed in my visit to Fasil, which I did, without concealing any circumstance. All the company laughed, and he more than any, only saying, "Fasil, Fasil, thou wast born a Galla, and a Galla thou shalt die."
Breakfast being over, the tent was cleared, and we were again left alone, when he put on a very serious countenance. "You know, says he, you are my old acquaintance. I saw you with Michael after the battle of Fagitta, as also the presents you brought, and heard the letters read, both those that came from Metical Aga, and those of Ali Bey from Cairo. All the Greeks here who have considerable polls, and are proud and vain enough, have yet declared to us several times, (as Antonio my servant did to me last night) that, in their own country, the best of them are not higher in rank than your servants; and that those who hitherto have come into this country were no better. We know then, and the king is sensible, that in your own country you are equal to the best of us, and perhaps superior, and as such, even in these bad times, you have been treated. Now, this being the case, you are wrong to expose yourself like a common soldier. We all know, and have seen, that you are a better horseman, and shoot better than we; your gun carries farther, because you use leaden bullets; so far is well; but then you should manage this so as never to act alone, or from any thing that can have the appearance of a private motive[1]." "Sir, said I, you know that when I first came recommended, as you say, into this country, Ayto Aylo, the most peaceable, as well as the wisest man in it, the Ras, and I believe yourself, but certainly many able and considerable men who were so good as to patronize me, did then advise the putting me into the king's service and household, as the only means of keeping me from robbery and insult. You said that I could not be safe one instant after the king left Gondar, being a single man, who was supposed to have brought money with him; that therefore I must connect myself with young noblemen, officers of consequence about court, whose authority and friendship would keep ill-disposed people in awe. The king observing in me a facility of managing my horse and arms, with which, until that time, he had been unacquainted, placed me about his person, both in the palace and in the field, for his own amusement, and I may say instruction, and for my safety; and this advice has proved so good, that I have never once deviated from it but my life has been in danger. The first attempt I made to go to the cataract, Guebra Mehedin way-laid and intended to murder me. When the king was in Tigré, Woodage Asahel designed to do me the same favour by the Galla he sent from Samseen; and so did Coque Abou Barea at Degwalla, by the hands of Welleta Selasse. No safety, therefore, then remained to me but in adhering closely to the king, as I have ever since done, and was advised from the first to do, which indispensibly brought me to Serbraxos, or wherever he was in person. You cannot think it is from a motive of choice that a white man like myself runs the risk of losing his life, or limbs, so far from home, and where there is so little medical assistance, in a war where he has no motive that can concern him."
"Do not mistake me, Yagoube, says Gusho, your behaviour at Sebraxos does you honour, and will never make you an enemy, so does the like affair with Kefla Yasous; there is no man you can so properly connect yourself with as Kefla Yasous; all I wanted to observe to you is, that it is said Woodage Asahel would have escaped safely from the mountain if you had not shot him, and that yours was the only musquet that was fired at him; which is thought invidious in you, being a stranger, as lie is the head of the Edjow Galla, the late king's guards; they may yet return to Gondar, and will look upon you as their enemy, because a leaden bullet was found in Woodage Asahel's body fired at him by you." — " Sir, said I, it is very seldom a man in such a case as this can have the power of vindicating himself to conviction, but that I now happily can do. All the Greeks in the king's army, their sons and families, all Mahometans, who have been in Arabia, India, or Egypt, use leaden bullets. The man who shot Woodage Asahel is well known to you. He is the king's old cook, Sebastos, a man past seventy, who could not be able to kill a sheep till somebody first tied its legs. He himself informed the king of what he had done, and brought witnesses in the usual form, claiming a reward for his action, which he obtained. It was said that I, too, killed the man who carried the red flag of Theodorus at Serbraxos, though no leaden bullet, I believe, was found in him. A soldier picked up this flag upon the field, and brought it to me. I paid him, indeed, for his pains; and, when I prefented the flag to the king, told him what I had seen, that the bearer of it had fallen by a shot from Guebra Mascal. I had not a gun in my hand all that day at Serbraxos, nor all that other day when Woodage Asahel was slain. I saw him pass within less than ten yards where I was standing behind the king, in great health and spirits, with two other attendants; but, so far from firing at him, I was very anxious in my own mind that he should get as safely out of the camp as he had gallantly, though imprudently, forced himself into it. It is not a custom known in my country for officers to be employed to pick out distinguished men at such advantage, nor would it be considered there as much better than murder: certainly no honour would accrue from it. But when means are necessary to keep officers of the enemy at a proper distance, for consequences that might other wise follow, there are common soldiers chosen for that purpose, and for which they are not the more esteemed. This, however, I will confess to you, that when either the king's horses or mine went down to Deg Ohha to water, and never but then, I sat upon the rock above, and did all in my power to protect them, and the men who were with them, and to terrify the enemy who came to molest them, by shewing the extensive range of our rifle guns; and that very day when Ayto Tesfos arrived, some of his troops having driven off the mules, among which were two of mine, I did, I confess, with my own hand shoot four of them from the rock, and at last obliged the rest to keep at a greater distance; but as for Woodage Asahel, I disown having had arms in my hand the day he entered the camp, or having been absent, till late in the evening, from the king's person."
Now, all this is very well, continued Gusho; who killed Theodorus, or the man at Serbraxos; who killed Ayto Tesfos's men, is no object of inquiry; Deg-Ohha was within the line of the king's camp, and they that wanted to deprive him of this possession, or the use of it, did it at their peril. If you had shot Ayto Tesfos himself, attempting to deprive you of water for the camp, no man in all Amhara would have said you did wrong; but I am very much pleased with what you tell me of Woodage Asahel. The short, yellow man, who breakfasted with you, was one of those two who accompanied Woodage Asahel when he was shot and is a friend of mine; he brought word that he was killed by a frank, and the leaden bullet fix'd it upon you." This man was now immediately called for. He went by the nickname of Goul, or the Giant, from his small size and debility of body. "Is this your man, says Gusho, who shot Woodage Asahel on the hill?" "O, by no means, says Goul; he was an old man with a long grey beard, and a white cloth round his head. This man I know well. I saw him with Fasil. This is Yagoube, the king's friend; he would not do such a thing." "No, certainly he would nor, says Gusho, and so mind that you tell Woodage Asahel's friends." Upon this he withdrew. And now, says Gusho, talk no more upon this affair, I will take the rest upon myself. There is a servant of Metical Aga's now in the camp, sent over by desire of your friends and countrymen[2] at Jidda, to know if you are alive and well. He has also a message to the king, and perhaps I may send him to the camp to-morrow, but more probably defer it till we meet at Gondar. Meantime, remember my injunction to you, to keep close by the person of the king, and then no accident can befal you in the confusion that will soon happen. I thanked him for his friendly advice, which I promised to follow. I then asked for Ayto Confu and Engedan, as also for Metical Aga's servant, but he answered, I could not then see them.
He had now in his hand, some silk paper, in which they generally wrap their ingots of gold, and he was preparing to slip this into my hand at parting, in the same manner we do the fee of a physician in Europe. "You forget, said I, what you mentioned in the morning, that I am no cast-away, no Greek nor Armenian servant, but perhaps of equal rank to yourselves: if I wanted money, Metical Aga's servant would procure it for me upon demand. It is your wife and two daughters who are ill; and when you shall hereafter be great, and governing every thing at Gondar, I will by them put you in mind of any piece of friendship I may stand in need of at your hand; and you shall grant it." — "You are a good prophet, Yagoube, says he; and so I shall; but remember my advice; I know you are a friend of Ozoro Esther, but she cannot protect you; Ozoro Altash[3] may: the best of all is to keep close to the king, to defend yourself if any body molests you on your way to Gondar, and leave the rest to me.
An officer was now appointed to conduct me across the plain, and several servants laden with fish and fruit. About a hundred yards from the tent, a man muffled up met me, whom I found to be a servant of Engedan. "Your army will disband, says he to me, in a low tone of voice; keep by the king, or Aylo my master's brother, and he will bring you over here." Having left him, we continued across the plain, and saw several small parties of horse patroling, but they came not near us. My conductor said they were Galla, waiting for some opportunity to do mischief. He told me that Ozoro Welleta Israel, and his son Ayla, had joined their army that day with 10,000 men from Gojam, to no purpose at all, continued he, but that of eating up the country. But your friend the Iteghé could not see Ras Michael fall without giving him a shove, though she has staid till the very last day before she ventured, for fear of accidents. Gusho's men set the fish down at the advanced guard, and returned with the officer who had attended me, while I went towards the king's tent, musing what all this might mean, what power was to carry us to Gondar, disband the army, depose Michael, and not hurt the king.
I found the king had not been well, and had taken warm water to vomit, a remedy I advised him sometimes to make use of, not choosing to venture on all occasions to give him medicines, and he was then quiet. I therefore went to Ras Michael, who was alone, and seemingly much chagrined. He interrogated me strictly as to what passed between me and Gusho. I told him the discourse about Woodage Asahel's death, and about Fasil; then about the sick family I had seen, the offer of money, the fish, &c. The same I repeated when I went back to the king, but nothing about our meeting at Gondar. I begged, however, as he still complained a little of his head, that he would see nobody that night, but lie down and compose himself, allowing me to wait in the secretary's apartment till he should awake. I thought he embraced this proposal willingly, Ozoro Esther having had a long conference with him the night before. I do not imagine the state of the realm had much share in their conversation. After he was laid down, I went and found Azage Kyrillos, and with him the beautiful daughter of Tecla Mariam, who was just dressed to go to Ozoro Esther's. She said the would either take me along with her to Ozoro Esther's, or stay, and the king would send us supper at her father's. I excused myself from either, on account of the king's indisposition, and my business with Ther father, who, guessing by my countenance I had something material to communicate, sent her on her visit, and so we were left alone.
As he was a man with whom I had always lived in the most confidential friendship, and knew the same subsisted between him and the king, I made no scruple to tell him, word for word, what I had heard from Gusho, and Engedan's servant. He said, without any seeming surprise, Why, we are all worn out, but state all this to the king. Soon after, came in the slave who had the charge of the king's bed-chamber, and told the secretary that the king found himself well, only wanted to know what he should drink. I ordered him some water, with some ripe tamarinds, a liquor he usually took in time of Lent. See him and advise him yourself, says the secretary. I accordingly went in, and told the king the whole story. He seemed to be in great agitation, repeating frequently, "O God! O God! O Guebra Menfus Kedus[4]!" — "Who is this Guebra Menfus Kedus?" said I afterwards to Tecla Mariam, who in his heart believed in him no more than I did. "Why, answered he gravely, he is a great saint, who never ate or drank from his mother's womb till his death, said mass at Jerusalem every day, and came home at night in form of a stork." — "But a bad regimen his, said I, for such violent exercise." — "That is not all, says Tecla Mariam, he fought with the devil once in Tigré, and threw him over the rock Amba Salam, and killed him." — "I wish you joy, said I, this his good news indeed." All this conversation had passed in half a whisper. The king was quiet; but, hearing me say the last words, he started, and cried, "What joy, what good news, Yagoube?" — "Why, said I, Sir, it is only Tecla Mariam informing me that the devil is dead, which is good news, at lead to me, who always dreaded falling into his clutches." — "Aye, says the king, the monks fay so; it must have been long ago; but the faint was surely a holy man."
Though the king was violently agitated, yet he neither said that he did or did not understand what was meant by Gusho and Engedan, but only ordered me home immediately, saying, "As you value your life, open not your mouth to man or woman, nor seem to take particular care about any thing, more than you did before; trust all in the hands of the Virgin Mary, and Guebra Menfus Kedus."
I needed no incitement to go to my tent, where I went immediately to bed. I cannot say but I had a ray of hope that Providence had begun the means which were to extricate me out of the difficulties of my present situation, better and sooner than I had before imagined; I therefore fell soon into a profound sleep, satisfied that I should be quickly called if any thing ailed the king. The lights were now all put out, and, except the cry of the guards going their rounds, very little noise in the camp, considering the vast number of people it contained, I was in a profound sleep when Francisco, a Greek servant of the Ras, a brave and veteran soldier, but given a little to drink, came bawling into my tent, "It is madness to sleep at this time." — "I am sure, said I, very calmly, I should be mad if I was not to sleep. Why, when would you have me to take rest? and what is the matter?" — "Get up, cries he, quickly, for we shall all be cut to pieces in a minute." — "Then hang me, said I, if I don't lie still, for if I have no longer to live, it is not worth while to dress." — "Fasil (continued he) has surprised the camp, and gives no quarter." — "Fasil! said I, impossible: but go to the guard commanded by Laeca Mariam, and if he has a horse ready saddled bring him to me."
On this Francisco catched up a lance and shield that were in my tent, for fear of danger in the way, and ran off. In a minute he returned to ask the word. "Geegue, said I, is the parole, (it signifies Owl.) A curse upon his father, says, he, (meaning the owl's father), and a curse upon their fathers who gave such unlucky words for the parole at night; no wonder misfortunes happen, says he, in Greek: he then returned to the guard under Laeca Mariam. In the mean time, surveying the camp around, I could not help doubting the truth of this alarm; for not a foul was stirring about Kefla Yasous's tent, and the light scarcely burning. On the other hand, however, there seemed several in the tent of the Ras, and people moving about it, though the Tigre guard around were quiet, who, I knew well, would have been alarmed by the motion of a mouse.
There was, however, still a light, and an unusual noise in the upper end of the camp to the N. E. Francisco now returned from the king's tent, and, without my speaking to him, said, in a great passion, "Those black fellows are all become mad; you don't keep them in any sort of order." "Has Laeca Mariam got ready a horse for me, said I; where is he?" — "When I delivered your orders, replied Francisco, to have a horse ready for you, he said there were fifty, but did not suppose you intended galloping to-night." Francisco continued, " I told him Fasil was in the camp; at which he laughed outright, said I was drunk, and wondered you had given me the parole with a curse upon its father; a great catch this word, to be sure, it will make me rich." "I am afraid, said I, friend, Laeca Mariam hath stated the truth; at least I never heard of an army cut to pieces so very quietly as ours is." While I was speaking, the flambeaux at the Ras's tent were all suddenly lighted, which was like wise done by Kefla Yasous, all the general officers, and lastly from the king's tent. This is a kind of torch, or flambeau, used by the janizary Aga, at Cairo and Constantinople, when he patroles the streets; in the night-time it is lighted, but the fire does not appear till you whirl it three or four times round your head, and then it bursts out into a bright flame. Michael had sixteen always on the guard, ever since the attempt upon his life by the Gurague. In a moment all the camp was lighted, and the people awakened, whilst, as nobody knew the reason, the tumult increased. Francisco, with great exultation, upon seeing the Ras's torches lighted, cried, "See who is drunk now; where are your jokes? this will be a fine night, and nobody is armed." "Sir, said I, you saw Laeca Mariam and his guard armed; so is every other guard in the camp as much as ever; and you may thank God you have my servant's lance and shield, so you are armed. I may drink coffee, though I very much fear there may be some embroil on foot, of which you may be yourself part of the occasion. Go, however, to the Ras's tent, and ask if he has any orders for me."
In short, we soon after found that the cause of all this disturbance was, that some part of Tesfos's men had come to the back of the camp and attempted to recover the mules which had been taken from them; and they had succeeded in part, when they were discovered, pursued, and some of the mules retaken. At the fight of armed men running up and down the hill, an alarm spread that nobody knew the occasion of, till the Ras caused the mule-keeper to be bastinado'd in the morning. That day, the 26th, we received advice, that the Edjow Galla, and some other horse of the same district, had massacred all the people they met on their way to and from Gondar, and that a body of troops had marched into the town, which threatened to set it on fire if any more provisions were sent to the camp.
We were now without food or water; a great council was therefore held, in which it was agreed to decamp the 28th in the night, and return to Gondar on the 29th, in the morning. A present of fresh provisions had been sent to Ras Michael, and, in one of the baskets, a number of torches. A message was also delivered from Gusho, "That as he was informed the Ras intended travelling in the night, that therefore he had sent him store of torches, left he should mistake his way to Gondar by having burnt all he had by him in the last night's alarm about Fasil." He declared, moreover, in name of all the Confederates, that it was their resolution not to molest him in his march; that the whole kingdom was in alliance with them to save the effusion of blood, now absolutely unnecessary, and to meet and treat with him at Gondar.
Upon receipt of this message, with the torches, the Ras flew into a most furious passion. He called for Kefla Yasous and Guebra Mascal, and sharply upbraided them with having betrayed him to his enemies. He gave orders to the troops to refresh themselves, for he was that day resolved to try the fortune of another battle. To this, however, it was replied by all the principal officers, That the army was starving, therefore a refreshment at this time was out of the question, and that fighting was as much so; for Gusho, having sent to the Abuna and to the King, had solemnly excommunicated his whole army if any harm was offered to them in person or baggage, if they marched directly back to Gondar that night, as they had of their own accord, before intended; and that the army was resolved, therefore, as one man, to return; and, if the Ras did not agree to it, there was great fear they would disband in the night, and leave him in the hands of the enemy, without terms. The Ras was now obliged to make a virtue of necessity; and it was given in orders, that the army should be ready to decamp at eight in the evening, but nobody should strike their tent before that hour on pain of death. The old general was ashamed to be seen for the first time flying before his enemies.
It was plain to be read in everybody's countenance, that this resolution was agreeable to them all. I confess, however, that I thought the measure a very dangerous one, considering how much blood the king's army had so lately spilt, and the ordinary prejudices universally adopted in that country, allowing to every individual the right of retaliation. Before I struck my tent, I called Yasine to me and told him that Ayto Confu, being wounded and a prisoner, myself necessarily obliged to attend the king, and the event of that night's retreat unknown to any body, I thought he could do neither himself nor me any further service by staying where he was; that therefore, so long as the road to Azazo was open to him, he should march thro' Dembea, as if going to Fasil, then turn on the right behind the hills of Koscam, and make the best of his way to Ras el Feel, in which government he should maintain the strictest discipline, and be particularly careful of the intrigues of Abd el Jeleel, the former governor, whose application I should defeat if I had any interest, or if the king remained, both which I thought very improbable. I annexed, moreover, this condition, that on his part he should be active and unwearied in procuring information concerning the properest way of my attempting to reach Sennaar; I enjoined him also to be very circumstantial in all the advices which he sent to me at Gondar; that they should be written in Arabic, and sent directly to me by my black servant Soliman, who was with him, and told him that I myself should join him as soon as possible. Yasine, with tears in his eyes, protested against leaving me in the dangerous situation of that night; he said we should be all cut to pieces as soon as we were in the plain, and that there was not a man of the troops under him who would not rather die with me, than abandon me to be murdered by the hands of these faithless Christian dogs, who never were to be bound by oath or promise. He said, it would be incomparably safer, as they were all under my command, that I should put myself at their head, and continue my march to Ras el Feel, where, if I was once arrived, Ayto Confu's troops, being behind me at Tcherkin, (that is, between me and Gondar), I might, at my own leisure, solicit a safe conduct to Sennaar.
I confess this proposal at first struck me as extremely feasible; but receding on my solemn promise to the king, not to leave him without his direct permission, that Gusho had assured me of safety if I kept clofe to his person, that it would be a breach of trust to leave my Greek servant unprovided at Gondar, and that forsaking my instruments would have the effect of making my return through the desert imperfect,— I rejected this proposal, and dismissed Yasine, with orders to adhere inviolably to the instructions I had given him.
As for the king himself, his countenance was not changed, nor did he say to me one word that day in confidence, whether he did or did not intend to return to Gondar.
As no body knew what conditions were made, or whether any were really made at all, fear kept the common soldiers under obedience till it was night. The first who began to file off, it being near dark, were the women, who carried the mills, jars, and the heavy burdens; thefe were in great numbers. Soon after, the soldiers were in motion, and the Ras and the King's tents were struck just as it was night; darkness freed the whole army from obedience to orders, and a confusion, never to be forgot or described, presently followed, every body making the best of their way to get safe down the hill. At first setting out I kept close by the king; but, without treading upon, or riding over a number of people, I could not keep my place. I was now, for the first time, on one of the strong black horses that came last from Sennaar, given me by the king, and he was so impatient and fretful at being pressed on by the crowd of men and beasts, that there was no keeping him within any fort of bounds. The descent of the hill had become very slippery, and men, horses, and mules were rolling promiscuously over one another.
I resolved to try for myself some other way that might be less thronged. I went to the place where Woodage Asahel descended when he was (hot by Sebastos; but the ground there was more uneven, and fully as much crowded. I then crossed the road to the eastward, where the Ras's tent stood, and where Kefla Yasous's two nephews had gone round to dislodge Ayto Tesfos: there was a considerable number of people even here, but it was not a croud, and they were mostly women. I determined to attempt it, and got into a small slanting road, which I hoped would conduct me to the bed of the torrent; but I found, upon going half way down the hill, that, in place of a road, it had been a hollow made by a torrent, which ended on a precipice, and below, and on each side of this, the hill was exceedingly steep, the small distance I could see.
In Abyssinia, the camp-ovens for making their bread are in form of two tea-saucers joined bottom to bottom, and are something less than three feet in diameter, being made of a light, beautiful potter's ware, which, although red when first made, turns to a glossy black colour after being greased with butter. This being placed upright, a fire of charcoal is put under the bottom-part; the bread, made like pancakes, is pasted all within the side of the upper cavity, or bowl, over which is laid a cover of the same form or shape. It is in form of a broad wheel, and a woman carries one of these upon her back for baking bread in the camp. It happened that, just as I was deliberating whether to proceed or return, a woman had rolled one of these down the hill on purpose, or let it fall by chance: whichever was the case, it came bounding, and just past behind my horse. Whether it touched him or not I cannot tell; but it determined him, without further deliberation, to spurn all controul of his rider. On the first leap that he made it was with the utmost difficulty I avoided going over his head; I will not pretend to say what followed. I was deprived of all sense or reflection, till stumbling often, and sliding down upon his haunches oftener, I found myself at the bottom of the hill perfectly stupified with fear, but safe and sound in body, though my saddle was lying upon the horse's neck.
Soon after, I saw a fire lighted on the top of the hill above where Ras Michael's tent stood, and I did not doubt but that it was the work of some traitor, as a signal to the rebels that we were now in the plain in the greatest confusion. I made all haste therefore to go rouid and join the king, passed Deg-Ohha incumbered with carcases of men and beasts, from which, as we11 as from the bottom of the hill, a terrible stench arose, which must soon have forced us out of the camp if we had not resolved, of our own accord, to remove. A little further in the opening to the river Mariam, I found myself in the middle of about twenty persons, three or four of whom were upon mules, in long clean white clothes, as if in peace, the rest apparently soldiers; this was Engedan's brother, Aylo, whom I was passing without recollecting him, when he cried. Where do you come from, Yagoube? this is not a night for white men like you to be alone; come with me, and I will carry you to your friend Engedan. My horse, replied I, found a new way for itself down the hill, and I confess I would rather be alone than with so much company: our colour by this light seems to be pretty much the same. Remember me to Engedan, I am seeking to join the king.
Immediately after, I got into the crowd: though they were now in the plain, they still kept in a line close to the foot of the mountain, as in fear of the enemy's horse. I passed on at as brisk a walk as my horse could go; nor was I so tender of those who were before me in the plain as I had been on the side of the hill. Among those that were still in the crowd, that had not got yet down the hill, I heard the Abuna's servant saying they had lost their mules, and denouncing excommunication and curses against those who had stolen his baggage. I could not refrain from a fit of laughter at the stupidity of that priest, to think any man of such a nation would pay attention to his anathemas in such a scene. Soon after, however, I overtook the Abuna himself, with Ozoro Altash. He asked me in Arabic, and in a very mournful tone of voice, what I thought they were going to do? I answered, in the same language, "Pray for them, father, for they know not what to do." Ozoro Altash now told me the king was a great way before them, with Ras Michael, and advised me to stay and accompany her. As she spoke this confidently, and it was part of the advice Gusho had given me if I missed the king, I was deliberating what course I should pursue, when a great noise of horse and men was heard on the side of the plain, and presently the Abuna and Ozoro Altash were surrounded by a large body of horsemen, whose cries and language I did not understand, and whom therefore I took for Galla, As I found my horse strong and willing, and being alone, and unincumbered with baggage, I thought it was better to keep free, and not trust to who those strangers might be. I therefore got out of the line of the troops towards the plain, spurred my horse, and arrived at the body of cavalry where the king was.
As I had a white turban upon my head, (having shaved the fore part of it after the blow I had received from the stone) I was employed taking this off before I presented myself to the king, when somebody said out loud, Ozoro Esther is taken prisoner. Ras Michael answered. That is impossible; Ozoro Esther is here. It is Ozoro Altasa and the Abuna, said I, from behind; I came just now from them. By whom are they taken? says the king. By the Galla, I believe, answered I; at least by men whose language I did not understand, though indeed I took no time to consider, but they are close in our rear, and I suppose they will be here presently. Here! says the Ras, what will they do here? It must be Powussen, and the troops of Lasta, to recover his mother-in-law, that she may not go to Gondar; and it is the Tcheratz Agow language that Yagoube has taken for Galla. It is so, says another horseman; the people of Lasta have carried her off, but without hurting any body. This I thought a good sign, and that they were under orders, for a bloodier or more cruel race was not in the army, the Galla not excepted; and they had met with their deserts, and had suffered considerably in the course of this short campaign.
The whole road was now as smooth as a carpet; and we had scarce done speaking when Ras Michael's mule fell flat on the ground, and threw him upon his face in a small puddle of water. He was quickly lifted up unhurt, and set upon his mule again. We passed the Mogetch, and at about 200 yards from the bridge, upon ground equally plain as the former, the mule fell again, and threw the Ras another time in the dirt, on which a general murmur and groan was heard from all his attendants, for every body interpreted this as an omen that his power and fortune were gone from him for ever. Another mule was speedily brought, but he refused to mount it, and we passed on by the Mahometan town, and up to Confu's house, by Aylo Meidan. I could not, however, help reflecting how justly the Ras was now punished for the murder of the singers in that very spot, when he returned from Mariam-Ohha and entered Gondar. The king went directly to the palace, the Ras to his own house, and, by the secretary's advice, I went with him to that of the Abuna, where I left my Greek servants with my gold chain, and some trifles I wanted to preserve, together with my instruments. I then dressed myself in the habit of peace, and returned to the palace, where, remembering the advice of Gusho, I resolved to expect my fate with the king. Upon seeing me with the fore part of my head shaven, and remembering the cause, as his first mark of favour he ordered me to cover my head, a thing otherwise not permitted in the king's presence to any of his household.
The king's servants brought me a bull's hide for my bed; and although many a night I have wanted rest upon less dangerous occasions, I scarcely ever slept more soundly, till I heard the cracking of the whips of the Serach Mastery, about five o'clock in the morning of the 29th. He performs this function much louder than a French postilier upon finishing a post, it being the signal for the king to rise. There was, indeed, no occasion for this custom, now there was no court, nor judgment of causes civil or criminal. The palace was quite deserted; even the king's slaves, of both sexes, (fearing to be carried off to Begemder and Amhara) had hid themselves among the monks, and in the houses of private friends, so that the king was left with very few attendants.