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
I then introduced his relation, Tecla Mariam, who stood with the
people behind; and, as he had on his monk's dress, Gusho at first did
not know him. He had been well informed, however, of his having saved
the king, and of the blow that he had received from him. He said every
thing in commendation of the young man, and his honourable action,
adding, that the preservation of kings was a gift of Providence
particularly reserved for the people of Amhara. He then ordered new
cloaths to be brought and put upon Tecla Mariam, who scrupled to take
off his cowl; on which Gusho violently tore it from his head, dashed
it on the floor, stamped twice on it with his foot, and then threw
it behind the back of the sofa. At parting, Gusho ordered him five
ounces of gold, a large present for one that loved money as Gusho did,
commanding him strictly to return to his duty and profession, and
ordering me to carry him to the king, and see him reinstated in his
office in the palace.
I then desired his permission to visit the sick, and left ipecacuanha
and bark with Antonio, (his Greek servant,) and directions how to
administer them. One of his nephews, (Ayto Aderesson) the young man
who had lost Gusho's horse, had the small-pox, upon which I warned
Gusho seriously of the danger to which he exposed all his army if that
disease broke out amongst them, and advised him to send his nephew
forthwith to the church of Mariam, under the care of the priests,
which he did accordingly.
The tent being cleared, he asked me if I had seen Welleta Selassé;
if I was with her when she died; and who was said to have poisoned
her, Ras Michael or herself, or if I had ever heard that it was
Ozoro Esther? I told him her friends had sent for me from the camp,
but missed me, not knowing I was at Koscam with Ayto Confu, who had
been wounded; but that I could have been of little service to her
if they had found me sooner: That she had scarce any signs of life
when I entered her room, and died soon after: That she confessed she
had taken arsenic herself, and named a black servant of hers, a
Mahometan, from whom she had bought it; and the reason was, her fears
that her grandfather, Ras Michael, whom she had always looked upon
as the murderer of her father, should force her when he returned to
Gondar. He seemed exceedingly attentive to all I said, and mused for a
couple of minutes after I had done speaking.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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