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
What would have happened to Kefla Yasous, had Fasil marched down to
Delakus either before or after the passage? Kefla Yasous would have
been cut off before Ras Michael had passed the Kelti; instead of
which, an unknown cause detained him, most infatuated-like, beating
his kettle-drums behind Boskon Abbo, while our army under the Ras
was swimming that dangerous river, and most of us passing the night,
naked, without tents, provision, or powder. Nor did he ever think of
presenting himself till we had warmed ourselves by an easy march in a
fine day, when we were every way his superiors, and Kefla Yasous in
his rear. From all these special marks of the favour of an over-ruling
Providence, I do believe stedfastly that God will not leave his work
half finished. “He it is who, governing the whole universe, has yet
reserved specially to himself the department of war; he it is who has
stiled himself the God of Battles.” The king was very much moved,
and, as I conceived, persuaded. He said, “O Yagoube, go but with me
to Tigrè, and I will do for you whatever you desire me.”--“You do,
Sir, said I, whatever I desire you, and more. I have told you my
reasons why that cannot be; let me stay here a few months, and wait
your return.” The king then advised me to live entirely at Koscam with
the Iteghé, without going out unless Fasil came to Gondar, and to
send him punctually word how I was treated. Upon this we parted with
inexpressible reluctance. He was a king worthy to reign over a better
people; my heart was deeply penetrated with those marks of favour and
condescension which I had uniformly received from him ever since I
entered his palace.
On the 5th of June, while Powussen, Adero, and the conspirators were
waiting his passage through Belessen, (that is to the S. W.) the king’s
army marched towards Koscam, over the mountain Debra Tzai towards
Walkayt, and the low, hot provinces of Abyssinia which lie to the N. E.
so that the distance between them increased every day in the greatest
proportion possible.
The queen ordered her gates at Koscam to be shut. A little before the
Ras mounted his mule, Ozoro Esther and her servants took refuge with
her mother the Iteghè; Gondar was like a town which had been taken by
an enemy; every one that had arms in his hands did just what he pleased.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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