Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, Volume 4 (of 5): In the years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772 and 1773Bruce, James
History
Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, Volume 4 (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
Kefla Yasous was immediately acquainted with the king's escape, and,
knowing the consequence of protracting time, renewed the engagement
with so much vigour, that he pushed the horse of Begemder to some
small distance back into the plain. Powussen, whose only view was to
take the king prisoner, and wrest the possession of his person, and
with that his authority from Ras Michael, was much disconcerted at
the unexpected way by which the king escaped; he after this halted a
little for council, then divided his troops, with one part of which he
resolved to go down the winding road, and with the other to pass at
the junction of the rivers, and enter the valley in that direction,
in order to overtake the king, and intercept him in his way to the
camp, in case any thing obstructed his passing the winding road. Kefla
Yasous took advantage of this movement, and with his horse made his
way to join the heavy-armed troops, and those who had joined the line,
standing closely and firmly where they were stationed.
The first person that appeared was Kefla Yasous, and the horse with
him, stretching out his hand, (his face being all besmeared with
blood, for he was wounded in his forehead) he cried as loud as he
could, Stand firm, the king is safe in the valley. He had scarce
faced about, and joined the line, when the enemy approached at a
brisk gallop. The Begemder horse were closer than usual, and deeper
than the front was broad; they resembled therefore an oblong square,
if they resembled any thing; but the truth is, they were all in
disorder, and their figure, never regular, changed every moment; the
right of their front (which was not equal to ours) was finally placed
against the road, being close by Guebra Mascal's post, whose men were
much increased in number; they received the discharge of his whole
musquetry in two vollies, so near that I scarce believe there was one
shot that did not take place on man or horse. A great cry from the
bank at the same time added to their panic, which was answered by the
king's troops, who immediately charged them as before, as they wheeled
half round to the left. They were pursued, for a small distance,
by some of the troops that had not engaged in the morning, and it
was easy to perceive their disorder was real, and that they were
not likely to rally. By this last discharge, Powussen was slightly
wounded, and his men were plainly seen hurrying him off the field. In
the very instant the rebels turned their backs, Kefla Yasous ordered
all the troops, horse and foot, to file off down the narrow road into
the valley, behind the heavy-armed horse, who kept their ground before
the road, and there to join the king.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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