The Shot Of The Portuguese Soon Constrained The Moors
To Make A Precipitate Flight, After Losing A Great Number Of Men, And
The Mountain Was Completely Reduced.
Great numbers of horses and mules
were found in this place, which was inhabited by about 800 Jews in six
or seven villages, who were reduced to obedience.
According to
tradition, these Jews, and many others who are dispersed over Ethiopia
and Nubia, are descended from some part of the dispersion of the ten
tribes. The Jew who acted as guide to the Portuguese on this occasion,
was so astonished at their valour that he was converted and baptised,
and by common consent was appointed governor of this mountain. Before
this it had the name of Caloa, but was ever afterwards known by the
name of the Jews mountain.
On the second day after the return of Don Christopher to the army, the
king of Zeyla began to shew himself more bold than usual, trusting to
the great reinforcement of Turkish musqueteers he had procured from
Zabid. The youth and inexperience of Don Christopher allowed his valour
to transport him far beyond the bounds of prudence. He ought to have
retired to some strong position on the mountains, till joined by the
emperor with the military power of Abyssinia, as it was impossible for
him to contend against such great superiority, now that the king of
Zeyla had so strong a body of musqueteers: But he never permitted
himself to consider of these circumstances, till too late.
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