a voyage to abyssinia-第18部分

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gdom　of　Tigre；　very　remote　from　the　Nile；　and　on　Namera；　which　is　indeed　not　far　distant；　but　where　there　never　falls　snow　sufficient　to　wet　the　foot　of　the　mountain　when　it　is　melted。

To　the　immense　labours　and　fatigues　of　the　Portuguese　mankind　is　indebted　for　the　knowledge　of　the　real　cause　of　these　inundations　so　great　and　so　regular。　　Their　observations　inform　us　that　Abyssinia；　where　the　Nile　rises　and　waters　vast　tracts　of　land；　is　full　of　mountains；　and　in　its　natural　situation　much　higher　than　Egypt；　that　all　the　winter；　from　June　to　September；　no　day　is　without　rain；　that　the　Nile　receives　in　its　course　all　the　rivers；　brooks；　and　torrents　which　fall　from　those　mountains；　these　necessarily　swell　it　above　the　banks；　and　fill　the　plains　of　Egypt　with　the　inundation。　　This　comes　regularly　about　the　month　of　July；　or　three　weeks　after　the　beginning　of　a　rainy　season　in　Aethiopia。　　The　different　degrees　of　this　flood　are　such　certain　indications　of　the　fruitfulness　or　sterility　of　the　ensuing　year；　that　it　is　publicly　proclaimed　in　Cairo　how　much　the　water　hath　gained　each　night。　　This　is　all　I　have　to　inform　the　reader　of　concerning　the　Nile；　which　the　Egyptians　adored　as　the　deity；　in　whose　choice　it　was　to　bless　them　with　abundance；　or　deprive　them　of　the　necessaries　of　life。



Chapter　XI



The　author　discovers　a　passage　over　the　Nile。　　Is　sent　into　the　province　of　Ligonus；　which　he　gives　a　description　of。　　His　success　in　his　mission。　　The　stratagem　of　the　monks　to　encourage　the　soldiers。　　The　author　narrowly　escapes　being　burned。


When　I　was　to　cross　this　river　at　Boad；　I　durst　not　venture　myself　on　the　floats　I　have　already　spoken　of；　but　went　up　higher　in　hopes　of　finding　a　more　commodious　passage。　　I　had　with　me　three　or　four　men　that　were　reduced　to　the　same　difficulty　with　myself。　　In　one　part　seeing　people　on　the　other　side；　and　remarking　that　the　water　was　shallow；　and　that　the　rocks　and　trees　which　grew　very　thick　there　contributed　to　facilitate　the　attempt；　I　leaped　from　one　rock　to　another；　till　I　reached　the　opposite　bank；　to　the　great　amazement　of　the　natives　themselves；　who　never　had　tried　that　way；　my　four　companions　followed　me　with　the　same　success：　　and　it　hath　been　called　since　the　passage　of　Father　Jerome。

That　province　of　the　kingdom　of　Damot；　which　I　was　assigned　to　by　my　superior；　is　called　Ligonus；　and　is　perhaps　one　of　the　most　beautiful　and　agreeable　places　in　the　world；　the　air　is　healthful　and　temperate；　and　all　the　mountains；　which　are　not　very　high；　shaded　with　cedars。　　They　sow　and　reap　here　in　every　season；　the　ground　is　always　producing；　and　the　fruits　ripen　throughout　the　year；　so　great；　so　charming　is　the　variety；　that　the　whole　region　seems　a　garden　laid　out　and　cultivated　only　to　please。　　I　doubt　whether　even　the　imagination　of　a　painter　has　yet　conceived　a　landscape　as　beautiful　as　I　have　seen。　　The　forests　have　nothing　uncouth　or　savage；　and　seem　only　planted　for　shade　and　coolness。　Among　a　prodigious　number　of　trees　which　fill　them；　there　is　one　kind　which　I　have　seen　in　no　other　place；　and　to　which　we　have　none　that　bears　any　resemblance。　　This　tree；　which　the　natives　call　ensete；　is　wonderfully　useful；　its　leaves；　which　are　so　large　as　to　cover　a　man；　make　hangings　for　rooms；　and　serve　the　inhabitants　instead　of　linen　for　their　tables　and　carpets。　　They　grind　the　branches　and　the　thick　parts　of　the　leaves；　and　when　they　are　mingled　with　milk；　find　them　a　delicious　food。　　The　trunk　and　the　roots　are　even　more　nourishing　than　the　leaves　or　branches；　and　the　meaner　people；　when　they　go　a　journey；　make　no　provision　of　any　other　victuals。　　The　word　ensete　signifies　the　tree　against　hunger；　or　the　poor's　tree；　though　the　most　wealthy　often　eat　of　it。　　If　it　be　cut　down　within　half　a　foot　of　the　ground　and　several　incisions　made　in　the　stump；　each　will　put　out　a　new　sprout；　which；　if　transplanted；　will　take　root　and　grow　to　a　tree。　　The　Abyssins　report　that　this　tree　when　it　is　cut　down　groans　like　a　man；　and；　on　this　account；　call　cutting　down　an　ensete　killing　it。　　On　the　top　grows　a　bunch　of　five　or　six　figs；　of　a　taste　not　very　agreeable；　which　they　set　in　the　ground　to　produce　more　trees。

I　stayed　two　months　in　the　province　of　Ligonus；　and　during　that　time　procured　a　church　to　be　built　of　hewn　stone；　roofed　and　wainscoted　with　cedar；　which　is　the　most　considerable　in　the　whole　country。　　My　continual　employment　was　the　duties　of　the　mission；　which　I　was　always　practising　in　some　part　of　the　province；　not　indeed　with　any　extraordinary　success　at　first；　for　I　found　the　people　inflexibly　obstinate　in　their　opinions；　even　to　so　great　a　degree；　that　when　I　first　published　the　Emperor's　edict　requiring　all　his　subjects　to　renounce　their　errors；　and　unite　themselves　to　the　Roman　Church；　there　were　some　monks　who；　to　the　number　of　sixty；　chose　rather　to　die　by　throwing　themselves　headlong　from　a　precipice　than　obey　their　sovereign's　commands：　　and　in　a　battle　fought　between　these　people　that　adhered　to　the　religion　of　their　ancestors；　and　the　troops　of　Sultan　Segued；　six　hundred　religious；　placing　themselves　at　the　head　of　their　men；　marched　towards　the　Catholic　army　with　the　stones　of　the　altars　upon　their　heads；　assuring　their　credulous　followers　that　the　Emperor's　troops　would　immediately　at　the　sight　of　those　stones　fall　into　disorder　and　turn　their　backs；　but；　as　they　were　some　of　the　first　that　fell；　their　death　had　a　great　influence　upon　the　people　to　undeceive　them；　and　make　them　return　to　the　truth。　　Many　were　converted　after　the　battle；　and　when　they　had　embraced　the　Catholic　faith；　adhered　to　that　with　the　same　constancy　and　firmness　with　which　they　had　before　persisted　in　their　errors。

The　Emperor　had　sent　a　viceroy　into　this　province；　whose　firm　attachment　to　the　Roman　Church；　as　well　as　great　abilities　in　military　affairs；　made　him　a　person　very　capable　of　executing　the　orders　of　the　Emperor；　and　of　suppressing　any　insurrection　that　might　be　raised；　to　prevent　those　alterations　in　religion　which　they　were　designed　to　promote：　　a　farther　view　in　the　choice　of　so　warlike　a　deputy　was　that　a　stop　might　be　put　to　the　inroads　of　the　Galles；　who　had　killed　one　viceroy；　and　in　a　little　time　after　killed　this。

It　was　our　custom　to　meet　together　every　year　about　Christmas；　not　only　that　we　might　comfort　and　entertain　each　other；　but　likewise　that　we　might　relate　the　progress　and　success　of　our　missions；　and　concert　all　measures　that　might　farther　the　conversion　of　the　inhabitants。　　This　year　our　place　of　meeting　was　the　Emperor's　camp；　where　the　patriarch　and　superior　of　the　missions　were。　　I　left　the　place　of　my　abode；　and　took　in　my　way　four　fathers；　that　resided　at　the　distance　of　two　days'　journey；　so　that　the　company；　without　reckoning　our　attendants；　was　five。　　There　happened　nothing　remarkable　to　us　till　the　last　night　of　our　journey；　when　taking　up　our　lodging　at　a　place　belonging　to　the　Empress；　a　declared　enemy　to　all　Catholics；　and　in　particular　to　the　missionaries；　we　met　with　a　kind　reception　in　appearance；　and　were　lodged　in　a　large　stone　house　covered　with　wood　and　straw；　which　had　stood　uninhabited　so　long；　that　great　numbers　of　red　ants　had　taken　possession　of　it；　these；　as　soon　as　we　were　laid　down；　attacked　us　on　all　sides；　and　tormented　us　so　incessantly　that　we　were　obliged　to　call　up　our　domestics。　Having　burnt　a　prodigious　number　of　these　troublesome　animals；　we　tried　to　compose　ourselves　again；　but　had　scarce　closed　our　eyes　before　we　were　awakened　by　the　fire　that　had　seized　our　lodging。　Our　servants；　who　were　fortunately　not　all　gone　to　bed；　perceived　the　fire　as　soon　as　it　began；　and　informed　me；　who　lay　nearest　the　door。　　I　immediately　alarmed　all　the　rest；　and　nothing　was　thought　of　but　how　to　save　ourselves　and　the　little　goods　we　had；　when；　to　our　great　astonishment；　we　found　one　of　the　doors　barricaded　in　such　a　manner　that　we　could　not　open　it。　　Nothing　now　could　have　prevented　our　perishing　in　the　flames　had　not　those　who　kindled　them　omitted　to　fasten　that　door　near　which　I　was　lodged。　　We　were　no　longer　in　doubt　that　the　inhabitants　of　the　town　had　laid　a　train；　and　set　fire　to　a　neighbouring　house；　in　order　to　consume　us；　their　measures　were　so　well　laid；　that　the　house　was　in　ashes　in　an　instant；　and　three　of　our　beds　were　burnt　which　the　violence　of　the　flame　would　not　allow　us　to　carry　away。　　We　spent　the　rest　of　the　night　in　the　most　dismal　apprehensions；　and　found　next　morning　that　we　had　justly　charged　the　inhabitants　with　the　design　of　destroying　us；　for　the　place　was　entirely　abandoned；　and　those　that　were　conscious　of　the　crime　had　fled　from　the　punishment。　　We　continued　our　journey；　and　came　to　Gorgora；　where　we　found　the　fathers　met；　and　the　Emperor　with　them。



Chapter　XII



The　author　is　sent　into　Tigre。　　Is　in　danger　of　being　poisoned　by　the　breath　of　a　serpent。　　Is　stung　by　a　serpent。　　Is　almost　killed　by　eating　anchoy。　　The　people　conspire　against　the　missionaries；　and　distress　them。


My　superiors　intended　to　send　me　into　the　farthest　parts　of　the　empire；　but　the　Emperor　over…ruled　that　design；　and　remanded　me　to　Tigre；　where　I　had　resided　before。　　I　passed　in　my　journey　by　Ganete　Ilhos；　a　palace　newly　built；　and　made　agreeable　by　beautiful　gardens；　and　had　the　honour　of　paying　my　respects　to　the　Emperor；　who　had　retired　thither；　and　receiving　from　him　a　large　present　for　the　finishing　of　a　hospital；　which　had　been　begun　in　the　kingdom　of　Tigre。　　After　having　returned　him　thanks；　I　continued　my　way；　and　in　crossing　a　desert　two　days'　journey　over；　was　in　great　danger　of　my　life；　for；　as　I　lay　on　the　ground；　I　perceived　myself　seized　with　a　pain　which　forced　me　to　rise；　and　saw　about　four　yards　from　me　one　of　those　serpents　that　dart　their　poison　at　a　distance；　although　I　rose　before　he　came　very　near　me；　I　yet　felt　the　effects　of　his　poisonous　breath；　and；　if　I　had　lain　a　little　longer；　had　certainly　died；　I　had　recourse　to　bezoar；　a　sovereign　remedy　against　these　poisons；　which　I　always　carried　about　me。　　These　serpents　are　not　long；　but　have　a　body　short　and　thick；　and　their　bellies　speckled　with　brown；　black；　and　yellow；　they　have　a　wide　mouth；　with　which　they　draw　in　a　great　quantity　of　air；　and；　havi