Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, Volume 2 (of 5): In the years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772 and 1773 — John Shaqi
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 next place the king came to was Haggara, where he staid eight
days, and celebrated there the feast of the Cross; surrounding his
camp with palisades, as if he was to stay there a considerable time.
Here he made his soldiers deposit all their plunder, leaving it under
the care of a weak guard, and marched out with sound of trumpet, as
if he was going upon some expedition. There was a large body of troops
in ambush, and the Moors, concealed in woods, and hiding-places,
attacked the intrenchment as soon as the king was gone, and had forced
the palisades, when they were every where surrounded by the parties
left behind, and were all cut to pieces, excepting the old men and
women, whose noses and lips the king ordered to be cut off, by way of
retaliation, and then dismissed them. Great store of bows, good arms
and cloathing, were taken here, lately brought from Arabia for the use
of the confederates.
The king now turned his face homewards, marched off in seven days to
Begul in the Sahara, and thence sent a message to the governor of Ifat,
commanding him to send to him all those Christians who had apostatized
from their faith in his or his brother’s time; with notice, that, if
he did not comply, he would put him and all his family to death, and
give his command to another family. The king ordered these apostates,
when delivered, to be severely whipped, and, fettering them with heavy
irons, imprisoned them.
From Begul the army marched to Waz, thence to Gett, and from Gett to
Harla, still laying waste the country. From Harla they marched five
days to Delhoya, being determined to make a severe example of this
place, because the inhabitants had killed the governor the king had
left with them, and, making large fires for the purpose, had burnt and
tormented the Christians residing there. He came, therefore, upon this
town, and surrounded it in the night; and, after putting men, women,
and children to the sword, he razed it to the ground.
From Delhoya he proceeded to Degwa, from thence to Warga, which he
treated in the same manner as Delhoya, and then entered the province
of Dawaro, where he understood that Hydar, governor of that province,
with Saber-eddin, and a very valuable convoy coming to him, under their
conduct, from Shoa, were intercepted by Hydar’s people, and their
guard cut to pieces. Instead, therefore, of proceeding to Shoa, as
his intention was, he encamped at Bahalla, and there kept the feast
of Christmas, laying the whole province, by parties, under military
execution; and hearing there that Joseph, governor of Serca, was in
understanding with those of Dawaro, he put him in prison, carrying
off all his horses, asses, mules, and a prodigious quantity of other
cattle, which he drove before him, and ended his expedition by his
entry into Shoa.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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