Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 3.djvu/512

 4 83 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

Galla atTchelga, a town upon the frontiers of Sennaar, being at variance with her huiband, upbraided him with being the perfon that, with his own hand, had afTaffinated the late lung Joas. This Galla was immediately feized and fent to Gondar, and was examined before the queen, where I was prefent. He, with very little hefitation, declared, That, on a night immediately after the battle of Azazo, he was fent for to Ras Michael, who gave him fome money and large pro- mifes, on condition that he would undertake to murder the king that night. The perfons prefent were Laeca Netcho, and his two fons, Nebrit Tecla and his two fons, Shalaka Becro relation to the prefent king, and Woldo Hawaryat a monk of Tigre. The prifoner faid, he was afraid, if he mould refufe, they would murder him for the fake of fecrecy. He •further faid, that they had given him fpirits to drink till he was intoxicated, and then delivered to him the keys of the apartments where Joas was confined, and they all went with him to the palace; they found the unfortunate king alone, walking in his apartment, very penfive, and, though at the late hour of twelve at night, dreffed in his ufual habit. Two of Laeca Netcho's fons attempted to put a cord round his neck, but the king, being young and ltrong, ihewed a difpo- fition to defend himfelf, and wrefled the cord out of the murderers hands ; upon which Zor Woldo (the name of the Galla) flruck him a violent blow with a bludgeon on the head, which felled him to the ground : The others 4:hen, with a'fhort cord, ftrangled him, the monk, Woldo Hawaryat, crying, difpatch him quickly ; after this they carried the body to the neighbouring church of St Raphael, where a grave, or rather hole, was ready, into which they jhrew it with the clothes juft as he was. The prifoner faid, That, when they were carrying the king's body out of the 2 palace