On One
Side Of This Mountain There Is A Road Of Difficult Ascent To Near The
Top; But At The Last Part Of The Ascent People Have To Be Drawn Up And
Let Down On Planks By Means Of Ropes.
While in this helpless condition, the queen got notice that Don Stefano
de Gama was in the Red Sea, and sent the Baharnagash to him, desiring
his assistance against the tyrant, who had overrun the country,
destroyed many ancient churches, and carried off numbers of priests and
monks into slavery.
The embassador was favourably listened to; and it
was resolved by the governor-general, in a council of his officers, to
grant the assistance required. Accordingly Don Christopher de Gama,
brother to the governor-general, was named to the command on this
occasion, who was landed with 400 men and eight field-pieces, with many
firelocks and abundance of ammunition. He was accompanied by Don Juan
Bermudez, Patriarch of Ethiopia, whose presence was much desired by the
Abyssinian emperor, on purpose to introduce the ceremonies of the Roman
church.
Don Christopher de Gama and his men set out on their march from Arkiko
under the guidance of the Baharnagash for the interior of Abyssinia, and
the men endured incredible fatigue from the excessive heat, though they
rested by day and marched only in the night. A whole week was spent in
passing over a rugged mountain, whence they descended into a very
pleasant flat country, watered by many rivulets, through which they
marched for two days to the city of Barua, the metropolis or residence
of the Baharnagash.
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