Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, Volume 3 (of 5): In the years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772 and 1773Bruce, James
History
Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, Volume 3 (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 13th, by day-break, Netcho, Fit-Auraris to Ras Michael, passed in
great haste below the town towards Foggora. The king had made a forced
march from Tedda, and was that night to encamp at a house of Gusho’s,
near Lamguè. This was great expedition, and sufficiently marked the
eagerness with which it was undertaken. The effects of the approach of
the army were soon seen. Every one hid what was best in his house, or
fled to the mountains with it. Emfras in a few hours was left quite
empty: Ras Michael, advancing at the head of an army, spread as much
terror as would the approach of the day of judgment. It was then
----Destruction in a monarch’s voice
Cried havock, and let slip the dogs of war.
For, strict and just as he was in time of peace, or in preserving the
police, the security of the ways, and the poor from the tyranny of the
rich, he was most licentious and cruel the moment he took the field,
especially if that country which he entered had ever shewn the least
tincture of enmity against him.
About 11 o’clock in the morning the king’s Fit-Auraris passed. He was
a near relation of Ayamico, one of the chiefs of the Agows who was a
relation of the king, as I have before mentioned, and slain by Fasil
at the battle of Banja. With him I had contracted a great degree
of friendship; he had about 50 horse and 200 foot: as he passed at
several places he made proclamation in name of the king, That nobody
should leave their houses, but remain quiet in them without fear, and
that every house found empty should be burnt. He sent a servant as
he passed, telling me the king was that night to lie at Lamgué, and
desiring me to send him what spirits I could spare, which I accordingly
did, upon his providing a man who could protect the houses adjoining
mine from the robbery and the violence of which the inhabitants were in
hourly fear.
About the close of the evening we heard the king’s kettle-drums.
Forty-five of these instruments constantly go before him, beating all
the way while he is on his march. The Mahometan town near the water
was plundered in a minute; but the inhabitants had long before removed
every thing valuable. Twenty different parties of stragglers came up
the hill to do the same by Emfras. Some of the inhabitants were known,
others not so, but their houses had nothing in them; at last these
plunderers all united in mine, demanding meat and drink, and all sort
of accommodation. Our friend, left with us by the Fit-Auraris, resisted
as much as one man could do with sticks and whips, and it was a scuffle
till mid-night; at last, having cleared ourselves of them, luckily
without their setting fire to the town, we remained quiet for the rest
of the night.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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