452 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER
wards mid- night, when, whether from this caufe, or, as they alledged, that they found a more favourable ford, all the Tigre infantry, and many mules lightly loaded, paffed with lei's difficulty than any of the reft had done, and with them feveral loads of flour ; luckily alfo my two tents and mules, to my great confolarion, came fafely over when it was near morning. Still the army continued to pafs, and thofe that could fwim feemed bed off. 1 was in the great- efl diflrefs for the good Ammonios, my lieutenant, who was miffing, and did not join us till late in the morning, having been all night bufy in feeking Ayto Aylo, the queen's cham- berlain, and Tecia Mariam, who were his great companions, drowned probably at the firft attempt to pafs, as they were never after heard of.
The greater! part of the foot, however, crofTed in the night ; and many were of opinion that we had miftakeri the paffiage altogether, by going too high, and being in too great a hafte ; the banks, indeed, were fo deep, it was very? plain that this could never have been an accuflomed ford for cavalry. Before day-light the van and the center had. all joined the king; the number, I believe, that had perilled was never diftinctly known, for thofe that were miffing were thought to have remained on the other fide with Kefla Ya- fous, at leaf! for that day. Kefla Yafous, indeed, with the rear and all the baggage of the army, had remained on the other fide, and, with very few tents pitched, waited the dawiv. of the morning.
It happened that the priefls of the church of Mariamr Net, in the confufion, had been left unheeded, chained armr %p arm, in. the rear with Kefla Yafous, and they had began
interceding
