Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 4.djvu/254

 got out of the line of the troops towards the plain, spurred my horse, and arrived at the body of cavalry where the king was.

As I had a white turban upon my head, (having shaved the fore part of it after the blow I had received from the stone) I was employed taking this off before I presented myself to the king, when somebody said out loud, Ozoro Esther is taken prisoner. Ras Michael answered. That is impossible; Ozoro Esther is here. It is Ozoro Altasa and the Abuna, said I, from behind; I came just now from them. By whom are they taken? says the king. By the Galla, I believe, answered I; at least by men whose language I did not understand, though indeed I took no time to consider, but they are close in our rear, and I suppose they will be here presently. Here! says the Ras, what will they do here? It must be Powussen, and the troops of Lasta, to recover his mother-in-law, that she may not go to Gondar; and it is the Tcheratz Agow language that Yagoube has taken for Galla. It is so, says another horseman; the people of Lasta have carried her off, but without hurting any body. This I thought a good sign, and that they were under orders, for a bloodier or more cruel race was not in the army, the Galla not excepted; and they had met with their deserts, and had suffered considerably in the course of this short campaign.

The whole road was now as smooth as a carpet; and we had scarce done speaking when Ras Michael's mule fell flat on the ground, and threw him upon his face in a small puddle of water. He was quickly lifted up unhurt, and set upon his mule again. We passed the Mogetch, and at about