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 was in great fear of the consequences, as they were about thirteen
or fourteen in number; nor did we know how many more of their
companions might be below, or in the town, or of what party they were,
nor whether resistance on our part was lawful. We three had no arms
but a short knife at our girdle, nor had the king any, so that we were
in the greatest fear that, if their humour of breaking the glasses
had continued when they came near the king, he would strike one of
them, and we should be all massacred: We all three therefore got up
and stood before the king, who made a gentle motion with his hand,
as if to say, "Stay a little, or, have patience." At this instant,
Tensa Christos, (a man of considerable authority in Gondar, who was
understood by Gusho to be trusted with the care of the town, though he
had no name or post, for there was yet no form of government settled,)
hearing the Galla had plundered houses, and gone into the palace,
followed them as fast as possible, with about a hundred stout young
men belonging to Gondar, well-armed. The Galla soon saw there was a
more serious occupation awaiting them, and ran out to the great hall
of the king's chamber, called Aderasha, when one of these soldiers
of Gondar shut the door of the room where the king sat. The Galla
at first made a shew of resistance; but two of them being very much
wounded, and seeing themselves in a house where they did not know
their way, and all assistance from their comrades impossible, they
surrendered their arms; they then were tied two and two, and sent in
this manner down to Gusho's camp, who immediately ordered two of them
to be hanged, and the rest to be whipt and dismissed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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