Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 3.djvu/511

 THESOURCE OF THE NILE. 487

to place a fon of Aylo, Joas's brother, a mere infant, upon the throne. All thofe that were in fear of Michael, and it was very general at that time, cried out againft an infant king at fuch a critical period ; but, old as that princefs was, the defire of reigning had again returned.

Upon the return of the Iteghe that night to Kofcam, Sa- nuda held a council of the principal officers that had re- mained at Gondar, and fixed upon one Welleta Girgis, a young man of about 24 years of age, who had, indeed, been reputed Yafous's fon, but his low life and manners had procured him fafety and liberty by the contempt they had raifed in Ras Michael. His mother, indeed, was of a noble origin, but fo reduced in fortune as to have been obliged to gain her livelihood by carrying jars of water for hire. The mother fwore this fon was begot by Yafous, and as that prince was known not to have been very nice in his choice of mif- trefies, or limited in their number, it was, perhaps, as likely to be true as not, that Welleta Girgis was his fon. He took the name of Socinios. On the morning after, the new king came to Kofcam, attended by Sanuda and his party, with guards, and all the enfigns of royalty. He threw himfelf at the Iteghe's feet, and begged her forgiven- nefs if he had vindicated the rights of his birth, without her leave or participation ; he declared his refolution to govern entirely by her advice, and begged her to grant his requeft and come to Gondar, and again take pollemon of her place as Iteghe, or regent of the kingdom.

It was about the 10th of Auguft that an accident happen- ed, which it was generally thought would have determined Eafil to come to Gondar. A common woman, wife of a

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