Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 3.djvu/502

 478 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

The queen ordered her gates at Kofcam to be fhut. A little before the Ras mounted his mule, Ozoro Efther and her fcrvants took refuge with her mother the Iteghe; Gon- dar was like a town which had been taken by an enemy ; everyone that had arms in his hands did jufl whathepleafed.

Two very remarkable things were faid to have happened the night before Michael left the city. He had always pre- tended, that, before he undertook an expedition, a perfon, er fpirit, appeared -to him, who told him the iffue and con- fequence of the meafures he was then taking ; this he ima- gined to be St Michael the archangel, and he prefumed very much upon this intercourfe. In a council that night, where none but friends were prefent, he had told them that his fpirit had appeared fome nights before, and ordered him, in his retreat, to furprife the mountain of Wechne, and either Hay or carry with him to Tigre the princes fequeftered there. Nebrit Tecla, governor of Axum, with his two fons, (all concerned in the late king's murder) were, it is faid, itrong advifers of this meafure ; but Ras Michael, (probably fatiated with royal blood already) Kefla Yafous, and all the more worthy men of any confequence, acting on principle, abfolutely refufed to confent to it. It was upon this the paffage by Beleffen was fubftituted inflead of the attempt on Wechne, and it was determined to conceal it.

The next advice which, the Ras faid, this devil, or angel, gave him, was, that they mould fet fire to the town of Gon- dar, and burn it to the ground, otherwife his good fortune was to leave him there for ever ; and for this there was a great number of advocates, Michael feeming to lean that way himfelf. But, when it was reported to the king, that i young