Many
Women And Children Were Made Prisoners, And Much Plunder Was Taken.
The
queen and her retinue went up to the mountain, expressing great
admiration of the Portuguese prowess, as the fortress had always been
deemed impregnable by the Ethiopians.
The patriarch purified a mosque,
which he dedicated to the blessed virgin, and in which mass was
celebrated to the great joy both of the Portuguese and Abyssinians.
Placing a garrison of Abyssinians in this place under a native officer,
the army marched on into the country of a rebel named Jarse, who now
submitted to the queen and brought his men to her service, thinking
nothing could withstand men who had conquered nature, so highly did they
esteem the conquest of the mountain Canete. The king of Zeyla came on
now with his army, covering the plains and mountains with his numbers,
and exulting in the hopes of an easy victory over so small a number of
men. Don Christopher encamped in good order near a mountain in full
sight of the enemy. Palm Sunday and Monday were spent in skirmishing,
with nearly equal loss on both sides, but the Portuguese had so far the
advantage as to compel the enemy to retreat to their camp. Don
Christopher found it necessary to remove his camp, being in want of some
necessaries, particularly water; and on the king of Zeyla observing the
Portuguese in motion from his position on the high grounds, he came down
and surrounded the Portuguese in the plain, who marched in good order,
keeping off the enemy by continual discharges of their artillery and
small arms.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 579 of 809
Words from 157972 to 158241
of 221361
