Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, Volume 2 (of 5): In the years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772 and 1773Bruce, James
History
Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, Volume 2 (of 5): In the years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772 and 1773
Bruce, James
Egypt -- Description and travel; Ethiopia -- Description and travel; Ethiopia -- History; Natural history -- Ethiopia; Nile River
The king upon this took from him the government of Gojam, and gave
it to a young nobleman whose name was Serca Christos, supposed to be
a friend and dependent upon the prince Facilidas. Serca Christos was
no sooner arrived in his government than he resolved to rebel, and
privately solicited the young prince Facilidas to take up arms and
make a common cause against the king his father, in favour of the
Alexandrian church. At the time that the young man departed to his
government, Socinios had earnestly recommended to him, and he had most
solemnly promised, to protect the Catholic religion in his province,
and seemingly for this purpose he had taken with him a Jesuit named
Francisco de Carvalho.
Another affair which the king particularly charged him with was, the
care of a caravan which once a-year came from Narea. This, besides many
other valuable articles for the merchant, brought 1000 wakeas of gold
as tribute to the king, equal to about 10,000 dollars, or crowns of
our money: its whole way was through barbarous and lawless nations of
Galla till they arrived at the Nile; then through Gafats and Gongas,
immediately after having passed it.
Serca Christos, in his march, was come to a settlement of those
last-mentioned savages, where Gafats, Agows, and Damots, all in peace,
pastured immense flocks of cattle together. There are no where, I
believe, in the world, cattle so beautiful as those of the Gafats, nor
in such numbers. Large plains, for many days journey, are filled so
full of these that they appear as one market.
Serca Christos halted here to give grass to his horses; and, while this
was doing, it entered into his young head, that making prize of the
cattle was of much greater consequence than protecting the caravan of
Narea. Assembling then his cavalry, he fell upon the poor Gafats and
Damots, who feared no harm; and, having soon put them all to flight, he
drove off their cattle in such numbers, that, at Dancaz, it was said,
above 100,000 had reached that market.
The king, much shocked at this violent robbery, ordered Serca Christos
to give up the cattle, and surrender himself as prisoner. This message
of the king he answered in terms of duty and obedience; but, in the
mean time, went to the prince, and proposed to him to declare himself
king and champion of the church of Alexandria. Facilidas received him
with sharp reproofs, and he returned home much discontented. However,
as he had now declared himself, he resolved to put the best face upon
the matter; and, in order to make it generally believed that the prince
and he understood each other, he sent him publicly word, “I have
done what your highness ordered me; come and take possession of your
kingdom.” Upon which the prince ordered his messenger to be put in
irons, and sent to Dancaz to the king his father.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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