deposed the Itchegue Za Woldo, and appointed Tecla Haimanout. A Waragna, called Alipius, was brought from Lasta, and hanged, after a trial in the public square. Yustos had been nominated to the dangerous dignity of Ras; but, in less than a year's time, he was deposed, and Elias preferred in his stead. Tecla-haimanout, who had been banished to Teherkin, as a son of Yasous the Great, was brought to Gondar a second time, and condemned to lose his hand. Georgis, Kasmati of Samen, was banished with his family to the Kolla; Retu promoted to his place, which he held only a few months, and was then stript of all his honours. The king took the dignity of Betwudet from Tesfa-Yasous, and gave it to one Telefanes.

The health of Bacuffa declined rapidly; but this he concealed with the utmost care for about two years, from all his nobility and people. He passed the rainy seasons in great retirement, shut up in the palace, and surrounded with the Galla guards. He died on the first day of Mascaram, after a short, but active, reign of nine years and three months*. Ashis mind was gloomy and tyrannical, owing to nature, his Galla education, and his early disappointments, his government was not more salutary than dreaded in a turbulent nation. His sanguinary courage broke the aristrocracy in pieces, which had long oppressed the country, but he introduced some dangerous precedents, which, however, have not been often imitated.

The queen concealed his death till she had formed her own party from Kuara, and gained an ascendant over the Galla guards. It is uncertain whether Bacuffa loved either her, or her son, with much affection. Those persons, who protected her afterwards, were all in low stations at his death. Welled le❜oul, her brother, was only Bajerund, or chamberlain; Waragna was a Shalaka, or captain of the Galla guards, and had not yet obtained the government of any province. The accounts given by the author of these travels about Welled Georgis do not seem confirmed by any thing but popular story. If the queen's name, Welleta Georgis,

* He was crowned, Ginbot 17, A. M. 7213, and died 1st Mascaram, 7223. Ethiop. calc; he reigned nine years, three months, and twenty days.

could be substituted for Welled Georgis, it would appear, that Bacuffa was not very nice in his discrimination of words. Welleta is a daughter, and Welled a son, in Geez, and the difference is as obvious as that between Joanna and John, in English. The manner in which the king is said to have discovered the merits of Waragna is not probable, particularly as it is said to have happened in Begemder. Waragna was a Galla of great merit; but he certainly came from Maitsha, or Damot, to Gondar, in the bodies of guards which the king collected from these regions.

YASOUS II. OR ADIAM SEGUED.

From 1729 to 1753.

Rebellion in the beginning of this Reign-King addicted to bunting-To building, and the Arts of PeaceAttacks Sennaar-Loses his Army-Takes Debra Samayat-Receives Baady, King of Sennaar, under his Protection.

BESIDES the queen, mother of Yasous, Bacuffa had several other wives, and children by them; none of whom, however, had any degree of interest, or many followers. Indeed, the temper of the king led him naturally to estrange himself from every intimate connection, that could pretend to any share with him in government. And this had gone so far, that he sent his wife, a favourite as she was, and his son Yasous, to the low, hot, and unwholesome province of Walkayt, the ordinary place to which state criminals were banished, in order that they might be under the eye of Ain Egzie, one of his confidential servants, and governor of that province. It is true this was done without any mark of disgust; and the queen returned immediately by his own command; but Yasous staid at Walkayt with Ain Egzie, till he was four

years old, without the king's having shewn any anxie

ty for his return.

り

The queen's first care was to call her relations to court *. Her brother, Welled de l'Oul, had been a favourite of the late king, and occupied, under him, a very considerable post in the palace. Geta, her second brother, was a man of slow parts, but esteemed a good soldier; being covetous, he was not a favour

In this account of the queen's relations, some difficulties occur, which are sufficiently perplexing. The 5th volume of the Abyssinian Annals gives a particular genealogy of the Iteghe, in four or five pages, before the history of Yasous. There can be no doubt of its authenticity, for many reasons; in particular, the modern date of the composition, and the certainty that it was written at the queen's desire, who surely knew her own kindred. As this genealogy differs in sundry respects from Mr Bruce's statement, it would appear he had omitted to consult this manuscript. The reader is here presented with an abstract of its con

tents.

The queen of Ethiopia, whose name will be long remembered as the patroness of Mr Bruce, was descended from Menas, the son of David III. in the following manner:

David had four sons; Claudius and Menas, who both ascended the throne; Ayto Jacob and Ayto Victor. David married his son Menas, when very young, to Selus-ayla, afterwards the Iteghe Adimas Mogass, daughter of the celebrated Robel Shum of Bora and Selawe. The record says, that this was expressly done as a reward for bringing the king into league with the Franks (Portuguese). By her Menas had a son, Victor, and a daughter, Theodora. Victor died very young, and greatly lamented, leaving only one child, Nasihit, a girl, by a daughter of the Shum, or governor of Bed.

Nasabit bore to Za-christos, son of Ras Sertza, son of Ras Amdo, three sons; Ayto Laeca Mariam, Ayto Severos, and Ayto Theodorus. Their country was Ganz.

Ayto Laeca Mariam had, by the daughter of Guebra-sion, Amba-ras of Samen and Waag, and Shum of Lasta and Zat, a girl, Keduste-Christos, who bore to a nobleman, of the name of

ite of the people, and less so of the king. The third was Eshte (pronounced, in that country, Shitti): he was amiable, liberal, affable, and brave, but rather given to indolence and pleasure, which alone hindered him from being a good statesman and general. He was a kind friend to strangers, a good master, and

Welke-za-selasse, a son, Esdras, and a daughter, Christosawit, the great-grandmother of the Iteghe.

Christosawit had seven children to Azage Damo, son of Azage Meceflito of Kuara and of Ambasenet in Tigre. 1st, Ozoro Julian, a daughter; 2d, Azage Dane, a son; 3d, Ozoro Sabel, a daughter; 4th, Kasmati Busiris; 5th, Shalaka Bendolaeus; 6th, Ras Nicholaus; and, 7th, Ayto Iscander, four sons.

From the two sisters, Ozoro Julian and Ozoro Sabel, springs the affinity between the queen and Gueta, Eusebius, Eshte, &c.; which, as stated in the Chronicle, may be arranged in the following order:

Ozoro Julian, to Ayto (1. Ozoro Mamet.

Waka-christos of Bula 2. Ozoro Encoi, or Welleta-kedusan. and Fatigar, bore 3. Kasmati Arkillidas.

Azage Dane had several S1. Kasmati Mammo.

sons;

2. Amaius, &c. &c.

1. Ayto Marcorius.

Ozoro Sabel, to one Ayto) 2. Kasmati Gueta.

Sultan, bore

3. Ozoro Mamet.

4. Ozoro Enculale, &c.

Ozoro Encoi, to Kasmati Menber, son of Ayto Teclahaimanout of Kuara-daga, bore

Ayto Marcorius, by one Ozoro
Birotawit, had

1. Ras Welled-leoul.

2. Welleta Georgis, or Berhan Mogass, the Queen.

1. Ayto Ayo.

2. Kasmati Eusebius.
3. Kasmati Eshte.

4. Palambaras Mammo.
And two daughters.

VOL. IV.