a voyage to abyssinia-第18部分

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sign　the　third　part　of　his　territories　to　the　Portuguese。　　After　many　delays；　occasioned　by　the　great　distance　between　Portugal　and　Abyssinia；　and　some　unsuccessful　attempts；　King　John　the　Third；　having　made　Don　Stephen　de　Gama；　son　of　the　celebrated　Don　Vasco　de　Gama；　viceroy　of　the　Indies；　gave　him　orders　to　enter　the　Red　Sea　in　pursuit　of　the　Turkish　galleys；　and　to　fall　upon　them　wherever　he　found　them；　even　in　the　Port　of　Suez。　　The　viceroy；　in　obedience　to　the　king's　commands；　equipped　a　powerful　fleet；　went　on　board　himself；　and　cruised　about　the　coast　without　being　able　to　discover　the　Turkish　vessels。　　Enraged　to　find　that　with　this　great　preparation　he　should　be　able　to　effect　nothing；　he　landed　at　Mazna　four　hundred　Portuguese；　under　the　command　of　Don　Christopher　de　Gama；　his　brother。　　He　was　soon　joined　by　some　Abyssins；　who　had　not　yet　forgot　their　allegiance　to　their　sovereign；　and　in　his　march　up　the　country　was　met　by　the　Empress　Helena；　who　received　him　as　her　deliverer。　　At　first　nothing　was　able　to　stand　before　the　valour　of　the　Portuguese；　the　Moors　were　driven　from　one　mountain　to　another；　and　were　dislodged　even　from　those　places；　which　it　seemed　almost　impossible　to　approach；　even　unmolested　by　the　opposition　of　an　enemy。

These　successes　seemed　to　promise　a　more　happy　event　than　that　which　followed　them。　　It　was　now　winter；　a　season　in　which；　as　the　reader　hath　been　already　informed；　it　is　almost　impossible　to　travel　in　Aethiopia。　　The　Portuguese　unadvisedly　engaged　themselves　in　an　enterprise；　to　march　through　the　whole　country；　in　order　to　join　the　Emperor；　who　was　then　in　the　most　remote　part　of　his　dominions。　Mahomet；　who　was　in　possession　of　the　mountains；　being　informed　by　his　spies　that　the　Portuguese　were　but　four　hundred；　encamped　in　the　plain　of　Ballut；　and　sent　a　message　to　the　general　that　he　knew　the　Abyssins　had　imposed　on　the　King　of　Portugal；　which；　being　acquainted　with　their　treachery；　he　was　not　surprised　at；　and　that　in　compassion　of　the　commander's　youth；　he　would　give　him　and　his　men；　if　they　would　return；　free　passage；　and　furnish　them　with　necessaries；　that　he　might　consult　upon　the　matter；　and　depend　upon　his　word；　reminding　him；　however；　that　it　was　not　safe　to　refuse　his　offer。

The　general　presented　the　ambassador　with　a　rich　robe；　and　returned　this　gallant　answer：　　〃That　he　and　his　fellow…soldiers　were　come　with　an　intention　to　drive　Mahomet　out　of　these　countries；　which　he　had　wrongfully　usurped；　that　his　present　design　was；　instead　of　returning　back　the　way　he　came；　as　Mahomet　advised；　to　open　himself　a　passage　through　the　country　of　his　enemies；　that　Mahomet　should　rather　think　of　determining　whether　he　would　fight　or　yield　up　his　ill…gotten　territories；　than　of　prescribing　measures　to　him；　that　he　put　his　whole　confidence　in　the　omnipotence　of　God　and　the　justice　of　his　cause；　and　that　to　show　how　just　a　sense　he　had　of　Mahomet's　kindness；　he　took　the　liberty　of　presenting　him　with　a　looking…glass　and　a　pair　of　pincers。〃

This　answer；　and　the　present；　so　provoked　Mahomet；　who　was　at　dinner　when　he　received　it；　that　he　rose　from　table　immediately　to　march　against　the　Portuguese；　imagining　he　should　meet　with　no　resistance；　and　indeed；　any　man；　however　brave；　would　have　been　of　the　same　opinion；　for　his　forces　consisted　of　fifteen　thousand　foot；　beside　a　numerous　body　of　cavalry；　and　the　Portuguese　commander　had　but　three　hundred　and　fifty　men；　having　lost　eight　in　attacking　some　passes；　and　left　forty　at　Mazma；　to　maintain　an　open　intercourse　with　the　viceroy　of　the　Indies。　　This　little　troop　of　our　countrymen　were　upon　the　declivity　of　a　hill　near　a　wood；　above　them　stood　the　Abyssins；　who　resolved　to　remain　quiet　spectators　of　the　battle；　and　to　declare　themselves　on　that　side　which　should　be　favoured　with　victory。

Mahomet　began　the　attack　with　only　ten　horsemen；　against　whom　as　many　Portuguese　were　detached；　who　fired　with　so　much　exactness；　that　nine　of　the　Moors　fell；　and　the　tenth　with　great　difficulty　made　his　escape。　　This　omen　of　good　fortune　gave　the　soldiers　great　encouragement；　the　action　grew　hot；　and　they　came　at　length　to　a　general　battle；　but　the　Moors；　dismayed　by　the　advantages　our　men　had　obtained　at　first；　were　half　defeated　before　the　fight。　　The　great　fire　of　our　muskets　and　artillery　broke　them　immediately。　Mahomet　preserved　his　own　life　not　without　difficulty；　but　did　not　lose　his　capacity　with　the　battle：　　he　had　still　a　great　number　of　troops　remaining；　which　he　rallied；　and　entrenched　himself　at　Membret；　a　place　naturally　strong；　with　an　intention　to　pass　the　winter　there；　and　wait　for　succours。

The　Portuguese；　who　were　more　desirous　of　glory　than　wealth；　did　not　encumber　themselves　with　plunder；　but　with　the　utmost　expedition　pursued　their　enemies；　in　hopes　of　cutting　them　entirely　off。　　This　expectation　was　too　sanguine：　　they　found　them　encamped　in　a　place　naturally　almost　inaccessible；　and　so　well　fortified；　that　it　would　be　no　less　than　extreme　rashness　to　attack　them。　　They　therefore　entrenched　themselves　on　a　hill　over　against　the　enemy's　camp；　and　though　victorious；　were　under　great　disadvantages。　　They　saw　new　troops　arrive　every　day　at　the　enemy's　camp；　and　their　small　number　grew　less　continually；　their　friends　at　Mazna　could　not　join　them；　they　knew　not　how　to　procure　provisions；　and　could　put　no　confidence　in　the　Abyssins；　yet　recollecting　the　great　things　achieved　by　their　countrymen；　and　depending　on　the　Divine　protection；　they　made　no　doubt　of　surmounting　all　difficulties。

Mahomet　on　his　part　was　not　idle；　he　solicited　the　assistance　of　the　Mahometan　princes；　pressed　them　with　all　the　motives　of　religion；　and　obtained　a　reinforcement　of　two　thousand　musketeers　from　the　Arabs；　and　a　train　of　artillery　from　the　Turks。　　Animated　with　these　succours；　he　marched　out　of　his　trenches　to　enter　those　of　the　Portuguese；　who　received　him　with　the　utmost　bravery；　destroyed　prodigious　numbers　of　his　men；　and　made　many　sallies　with　great　vigour；　but　losing　every　day　some　of　their　small　troops；　and　most　of　their　officers　being　killed；　it　was　easy　to　surround　and　force　them。

Their　general　had　already　one　arm　broken；　and　his　knee　shattered　with　a　musket…shot；　which　made　him　unable　to　repair　to　all　those　places　where　his　presence　was　necessary　to　animate　his　soldiers。　Valour　was　at　length　forced　to　submit　to　superiority　of　numbers；　the　enemy　entered　the　camp　and　put　all　to　the　sword。　　The　general　with　ten　more　escaped　the　slaughter；　and　by　means　of　their　horses　retreated　to　a　wood；　where　they　were　soon　discovered　by　a　detachment　sent　in　search　of　them；　and　brought　to　Mahomet；　who　was　overjoyed　to　see　his　most　formidable　enemy　in　his　power；　and　ordered　him　to　take　care　of　his　uncle　and　nephew；　who　were　wounded；　telling　him　he　should　answer　for　their　lives；　and；　upon　their　death；　taxed　him　with　hastening　it。　　The　brave　Portuguese　made　no　excuses；　but　told　him　he　came　thither　to　destroy　Mahometans；　and　not　to　save　them。　　Mahomet；　enraged　at　this　language；　ordered　a　stone　to　be　put　on　his　head；　and　exposed　this　great　man　to　the　insults　and　reproaches　of　the　whole　army。　　After　this　they　inflicted　various　kinds　of　tortures　on　him；　which　h