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
Amda Sion, therefore, had scarcely retired from the destruction of
Talab, when the king of Adel (become now desperate by being so long a
spectator of the ruin of his kingdom) marched hastily to meet him, with
much less precaution than his own situation, and the character of his
enemy, required. Amda Sion, whose whole wish was to bring the Moors to
an engagement as often as occasion presented, left off his plundering
upon the first news that the king of Adel had taken the field, and,
allowing him to choose the ground on which he was to fight, the next
day he marched against him, having (as sure of victory) first detached
bodies of horse to intercept those of the Moors that should fly when
defeated; For no general was more provident than this king for the
destruction of his enemy. He then led his troops against the king of
Adel, and, spurring his horse, was already in the midst of the Moorish
army before the most active of his soldiers had time to follow him. The
Abyssinians, as usual, threw themselves like madmen upon the Moors,
at the sight of the king’s danger. The king of Adel was defeated with
little resistance: that unfortunate prince himself was slain upon the
spot, and the greatest part of his army destroyed (after they thought
themselves safe) by the ambushes of fresh horse the king had placed in
their rear before the battle.
The three children of the king of Adel, and his brother, who had all
been in the engagement, seeing the great inferiority of their troops,
and terrified at the approaching fate of their country, loading
themselves with the most valuable of their effects, (which, in token
of humility, they carried upon their heads, shoulders, and in their
hands,) came with these presents before the king, who was sitting armed
at the door of his tent, and, without further apology, or assurance
given, threw themselves, as is the custom of Abyssinia, at his feet,
with their foreheads in the dust, intreating pardon for what had
hitherto been done amiss; submitting to him as his subjects, professing
their readiness to obey all his commands, provided only that he would
proceed no further, nor waste and destroy their country, but spare what
still remained, which was, for the most part, the property of Arabian
merchants who had done him no injury.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account