Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 3.djvu/422

 3 oS TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

camped from Bure that very day the meffenger came away, advancing northward towards Gondar, but with what in- tention he could not fay ; and this was well known to be in- telligence that might be flrictly and certainly relied upon.

On the 15th, the king decamped early in the morning,, and, as prince George had faid the night before, led the van in peiibn ; a flattering mark of confidence that Ras Michael had put in him now for the firft time, of which the king was very fenfible. The Ras, however, had given him a dry nurfe*, as it is called, in Billetana Gueta Welleta Michael, an old and approved officer, trained to war from his infancy, and furrounded with the moil tried of the troops of Tigre. The king halted at the river Gomara, but advanced that fame night to the paffage where the Nile comes out of the lake Tzana, and refumes again the appearance of a river.

The king remained the 15th and 1 6th encamped upon the Nile. Several things that mould have given umbrage,, and begot fufpicion, happened while they were in this fitua- tion. Aylo, governor of Gojam,had been fummoned to af- iift Ras Michael when Powuffen and Gufho iliould march- to join him with their forces of Begemder and Amhara,and. his mother Ozoro Welleta Ifrael, then at Gondar, had pro- mifed he mould not fail. This lady was younger fifter to Ozoro Efther; both were daughters of the Iteghe. She was as beautiful as Ozoro Efther, but very much her inferior in- behaviour, character, and conduct : fhe had refufed the old' Ras, who afked her in marriage before he was called frorm

Tigre


 * JMaguzetv.