a voyage to abyssinia-第14部分

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　and　delivered　them　with　many　more　to　Peter　Leon。

I　imagined　the　reader　would　not　be　displeased　to　be　informed　who　this　man　was；　whose　precious　remains　were　searched　for　by　a　viceroy　of　Tigre；　at　the　command　of　the　Emperor　himself。　　The　commission　was　directed　to　me；　nor　did　I　ever　receive　one　that　was　more　welcome　on　many　accounts。　　I　had　contracted　an　intimate　friendship　with　the　Count　de　Vidigueira；　viceroy　of　the　Indies；　and　had　been　desired　by　him；　when　I　took　my　leave　of　him；　upon　going　to　Melinda；　to　inform　myself　where　his　relation　was　buried；　and　to　send　him　some　of　his　relics。

The　viceroy；　son…in…law　to　the　Emperor；　with　whom　I　was　joined　in　the　commission；　gave　me　many　distinguishing　proofs　of　his　affection　to　me；　and　of　his　zeal　for　the　Catholic　religion。　　It　was　a　journey　of　fifteen　days　through　part　of　the　country　possessed　by　the　Galles；　which　made　it　necessary　to　take　troops　with　us　for　our　security；　yet；　notwithstanding　this　precaution；　the　hazard　of　the　expedition　appeared　so　great；　that　our　friends　bid　us　farewell　with　tears；　and　looked　upon　us　as　destined　to　unavoidable　destruction。　　The　viceroy　had　given　orders　to　some　troops　to　join　us　on　the　road；　so　that　our　little　army　grew　stronger　as　we　advanced。　　There　is　no　making　long　marches　in　this　country；　an　army　here　is　a　great　city　well　peopled　and　under　exact　government：　　they　take　their　wives　and　children　with　them；　and　the　camp　hath　its　streets；　its　market　places；　its　churches；　courts　of　justice；　judges；　and　civil　officers。

Before　they　set　forward；　they　advertise　the　governors　of　provinces　through　which　they　are　to　pass；　that　they　may　take　care　to　furnish　what　is　necessary　for　the　subsistence　of　the　troops。　　These　governors　give　notice　to　the　adjacent　places　that　the　army　is　to　march　that　way　on　such　a　day；　and　that　they　are　assessed　such　a　quantity　of　bread；　beer；　and　cows。　　The　peasants　are　very　exact　in　supplying　their　quota；　being　obliged　to　pay　double　the　value　in　case　of　failure；　and　very　often　when　they　have　produced　their　full　share；　they　are　told　that　they　have　been　deficient；　and　condemned　to　buy　their　peace　with　a　large　fine。

When　the　providore　has　received　these　contributions；　he　divides　them　according　to　the　number　of　persons；　and　the　want　they　are　in：　　the　proportion　they　observe　in　this　distribution　is　twenty　pots　of　beer；　ten　of　mead；　and　one　cow　to　a　hundred　loaves。　　The　chief　officers　and　persons　of　note　carry　their　own　provisions　with　them；　which　I　did　too；　though　I　afterwards　found　the　precaution　unnecessary；　for　I　had　often　two　or　three　cows　more　than　I　wanted；　which　I　bestowed　on　those　whose　allowance　fell　short。

The　Abyssins　are　not　only　obliged　to　maintain　the　troops　in　their　march；　but　to　repair　the　roads；　to　clear　them；　especially　in　the　forests；　of　brambles　and　thorns；　and　by　all　means　possible　to　facilitate　the　passage　of　the　army。　　They　are；　by　long　custom；　extremely　ready　at　encamping。　　As　soon　as　they　come　to　a　place　they　think　convenient　to　halt　at；　the　officer　that　commands　the　vanguard　marks　out　with　his　pike　the　place　for　the　King's　or　viceroy's　tent：　every　one　knows　his　rank；　and　how　much　ground　he　shall　take　up；　so　the　camp　is　formed　in　an　instant。



Chapter　VII



They　discover　the　relics。　　Their　apprehension　of　the　Galles。　　The　author　converts　a　criminal；　and　procures　his　pardon。


We　took　with　us　an　old　Moor；　so　enfeebled　with　age　that　they　were　forced　to　carry　him：　　he　had　seen；　as　I　have　said；　the　sufferings　and　death　of　Don　Christopher　de　Gama；　and　a　Christian；　who　had　often　heard　all　those　passages　related　to　his　father；　and　knew　the　place　where　the　uncle　and　nephew　of　Mahomet　were　buried；　and　where　they　interred　one　quarter　of　the　Portuguese　martyr。　　We　often　examined　these　two　men；　and　always　apart；　they　agreed　in　every　circumstance　of　their　relations；　and　confirmed　us　in　our　belief　of　them　by　leading　us　to　the　place　where　we　took　up　the　uncle　and　nephew　of　Mahomet；　as　they　had　described。　　With　no　small　labour　we　removed　the　heap　of　stones　which　the　Moors；　according　to　their　custom；　had　thrown　upon　the　body；　and　discovered　the　treasure　we　came　in　search　of。　　Not　many　paces　off　was　the　fountain　where　they　had　thrown　his　head；　with　a　dead　dog；　to　raise　a　greater　aversion　in　the　Moors。　　I　gathered　the　teeth　and　the　lower　jaw。　　No　words　can　express　the　ecstasies　I　was　transported　with　at　seeing　the　relics　of　so　great　a　man；　and　reflecting　that　it　had　pleased　God　to　make　me　the　instrument　of　their　preservation；　so　that　one　day；　if　our　holy　father　the　Pope　shall　be　so　pleased；　they　may　receive　the　veneration　of　the　faithful。　　All　burst　into　tears　at　the　sight。　　We　indulged　a　melancholy　pleasure　in　reflecting　what　that　great　man　had　achieved　for　the　deliverance　of　Abyssinia；　from　the　yoke　and　tyranny　of　the　Moors；　the　voyages　he　had　undertaken；　the　battles　he　had　fought；　the　victories　he　had　won；　and　the　cruel　and　tragical　death　he　had　suffered。　　Our　first　moments　were　so　entirely　taken　up　with　these　reflections　that　we　were　incapable　of　considering　the　danger　we　were　in　of　being　immediately　surrounded　by　the　Galles；　but　as　soon　as　we　awoke　to　that　thought；　we　contrived　to　retreat　as　fast　as　we　could。　Our　expedition；　however；　was　not　so　great　but　we　saw　them　on　the　top　of　a　mountain　ready　to　pour　down　upon　us。　　The　viceroy　attended　us　closely　with　his　little　army；　but　had　been　probably　not　much　more　secure　than　we；　his　force　consisting　only　of　foot；　and　the　Galles　entirely　of　horse；　a　service　at　which　they　are　very　expert。　　Our　apprehensions　at　last　proved　to　be　needless；　for　the　troops　we　saw　were　of　a　nation　at　that　time　in　alliance　with　the　Abyssins。

Not　caring；　after　this　alarm；　to　stay　longer　here；　we　set　out　on　our　march　back；　and　in　our　return　passed　through　a　village　where　two　men；　who　had　murdered　a　domestic　of　the　viceroy；　lay　under　an　arrest。　　As　they　had　been　taken　in　the　fact；　the　law　of　the　country　allowed　that　they　might　have　been　executed　the　same　hour；　but　the　viceroy　having　ordered　that　their　death　should　be　deferred　till　his　return；　delivered　them　to　the　relations　of　the　dead；　to　be　disposed　of　as　they　should　think　proper。　　They　made　great　rejoicings　all　the　night；　on　account　of　having　it　in　their　power　to　revenge　their　relation；　and　the　unhappy　criminals　had　the　mortification　of　standing　by　to　behold　this　jollity；　and　the　preparations　made　for　their　execution。

The　Abyssins　have　three　different　ways　of　putting　a　criminal　to　death：　　one　way　is　to　bury　him　to　the　neck；　to　lay　a　heap　of　brambles　upon　his　head；　and　to　cover　the　whole　with　a　great　stone；　another　is　to　beat　him　to　death　with　cudgels；　a　third；　and　the　most　usual；　is　to　stab　him　with　their　lances。　　The　nearest　relation　gives　the　first　thrust；　and　is　followed　by　all　the　rest　according　to　their　degrees　of　kindred；　and　they　to　whom　it　does　not　happen　to　strike　while　the　offender　is　alive；　dip　the　points　of　their　lances　in　his　blood　to　show　that　they　partake　in　the　revenge。　　It　frequently　happens　that　the　relations　of　the　criminal　are　for　taking　the　like　vengeance　for　his　death；　and　sometimes　pursue　this　resolution　so　far　that　all　those　who　had　any　share　in　the　prosecution　lose　their　lives。

I　being　informed　that　these　two　men　were　to　die；　wrote　to　the　viceroy　for　his　permission　to　exhort　them；　before　they　entered　into　eternity；　to　unite　themselves　to　the　Church。　　My　request　being　granted；　I　applied　myself　to　the　men；　and　found　one　of　them　so　obstinate　that　he　would　not　even　afford　me　a　hearing；　and　died　in　his　error。　　The　other　I　found　more　flexible；　and　wrought　upon　him　so　far　that　he　came　to　my　tent　to　be　instructed。　　After　my　care　of　his　eternal　welfare　had　met　with　such　success；　I　could　not　forbear　attempting　something　for　his　temporal；　and　by　my　endeavours　matters　were　so　accommodated　that　the　relations　were　willing　to　grant　his　life　on　condition　he　paid　a　certain　number　of　cows；　or　the　value。　Their　first　demand　was　of　a　thousand；　he　offered　them　five；　they　at　last　were　satisfied　with　twelve；　provided　they　were　paid　upon　the　spot。　　The　Abyssins　are　extremely　charitable；　and　the　women；　on　such　occasions；　will　give　even　their　necklaces　and　pendants；　so　that；　with　what　I　gave　myself；　I　collected　in　the　camp　enough　to　pay　the　fine；　and　all　parties　were　content。



Chapter　VIII



The　viceroy　is　offended　by　his　wife。　　He　complains　to　the　Emperor；　but　without　redress。　　He　meditates　a　revolt；　raises　an　army；　and　makes　an　attempt　to　seize　upon　the　author。


We　continued　our　march；　and　the　viceroy　having　been　advertised　that　some　troops　had　appeared　in　a　hostile　manner　on　the　frontiers；　went　against　them。　　I　parted　from　him；　and　arrived　at　Fremona；　where　the　Portuguese　expected　me　with　great　impatience。　　I　reposited　the　bones　of　Don　Christopher　de　Gama　in　a　decent　place；　and　sent　them　the　May　following　to　the　viceroy　of　the　Indies；　together　with　his　arms；　which　had　been　presented　me　by　a　gentleman　of　Abyssinia；　and　a　picture　of　the　Virgin　Mary；　which　that　gallant　Portuguese　always　carried　about　him。

The　viceroy；　during　all　the　time　he　was　engaged　in　this　expedition；　heard　very　provoking　accounts　of　the　bad　conduct　of　his　wife；　and　complained　of　it　to　the　Emperor；　entreating　him　either　to　punish　his　daughter　himself；　or　to　permit　him　to　deliver　her　over　to　justice；　that；　if　she　was　falsely　accused；　she　might　have　an　opportunity　of　putting　her　own　honour　and　her　husband's　out　of　dispute。　　The　Emperor　took　little　notice　of　his　son…in…law's　remonstrances；　and；　the　truth　is；　the　viceroy　was　somewhat　more　nice　in　that　matter　than　the　people　of　rank　in　this　country　generally　are。　　There　are　laws；　it　is　true；　against　adultery；　but　they　seem　to　have　been　only　for　the　meaner　people；　and　the　women　of　quality；　especially　the　ouzoros；　or　ladies　of　the　blood　royal；　are　so　much　above　them；　that　their　husbands　have　not　even　the　liberty　of　complaining；　and　certainly　to　support　injuries　of　this　kind　without　complaining　requires　a　degree　of　patience　which　few　men　can　boast　of。　　The　viceroy's　virtue　was　not　proof　against　this　temptation。　　He　fell　into　a　deep　melancholy；　and　resolved　to　be　revenged　on　his　father…in…law。　　He　knew　the　present　temper　of　the　people；　that　those　of　the　greatest　interest　and　power　were　by　no　means　pleased　wi