a voyage to abyssinia-第20部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


e　camp　of　the　Portuguese；　and　affirmed　that　they　had　heard　the　report　of　their　cannons。

All　this　contributed　to　exasperate　the　inhabitants；　and　reduced　us　often　to　the　point　of　being　massacred。　　At　length　they　came　to　a　resolution　of　giving　us　up　to　the　Turks；　assuring　them　that　we　were　masters　of　a　vast　treasure；　in　hope　that　after　they　had　inflicted　all　kinds　of　tortures　on　us；　to　make　us　confess　where　we　had　hid　our　gold；　or　what　we　had　done　with　it；　they　would　at　length　kill　us　in　rage　for　the　disappointment。　　Nor　was　this　their　only　view；　for　they　believed　that　the　Turks　would；　by　killing　us；　kindle　such　an　irreconcilable　hatred　between　themselves　and　our　nation　as　would　make　it　necessary　for　them　to　keep　us　out　of　the　Red　Sea；　of　which　they　are　entirely　masters：　　so　that　their　determination　was　as　politic　as　cruel。　　Some　pretend　that　the　Turks　were　engaged　to　put　us　to　death　as　soon　as　we　were　in　their　power。



Chapter　XIII



The　author　relieves　the　patriarch　and　missionaries；　and　supports　them。　　He　escapes　several　snares　laid　for　him　by　the　viceroy　of　Tigre。　　They　put　themselves　under　the　protection　of　the　Prince　of　Bar。


Having　concluded　this　negotiation；　they　drove　us　out　of　our　houses；　and　robbed　us　of　everything　that　was　worth　carrying　away；　and；　not　content　with　that；　informed　some　banditti　that　were　then　in　those　parts　of　the　road　we　were　to　travel　through；　so　that　the　patriarch　and　some　missionaries　were　attacked　in　a　desert　by　these　rovers；　with　their　captain　at　their　head；　who　pillaged　his　library；　his　ornaments；　and　what　little　baggage　the　missionaries　had　left；　and　might　have　gone　away　without　resistance　or　interruption　had　they　satisfied　themselves　with　only　robbing；　but　when　they　began　to　fall　upon　the　missionaries　and　their　companions；　our　countrymen；　finding　that　their　lives　could　only　be　preserved　by　their　courage；　charged　their　enemies　with　such　vigour　that　they　killed　their　chief　and　forced　the　rest　to　a　precipitate　flight。　　But　these　rovers；　being　acquainted　with　the　country；　harassed　the　little　caravan　till　it　was　past　the　borders。

Our　fathers　then　imagined　they　had　nothing　more　to　fear；　but　too　soon　were　convinced　of　their　error；　for　they　found　the　whole　country　turned　against　them；　and　met　everywhere　new　enemies　to　contend　with　and　new　dangers　to　surmount。　　Being　not　far　distant　from　Fremona；　where　I　resided；　they　sent　to　me　for　succour。　　I　was　better　informed　of　the　distress　they　were　in　than　themselves；　having　been　told　that　a　numerous　body　of　Abyssins　had　posted　themselves　in　a　narrow　pass　with　an　intent　to　surround　and　destroy　them；　therefore；　without　long　deliberation；　I　assembled　my　friends；　both　Portuguese　and　Abyssins；　to　the　number　of　fourscore；　and　went　to　their　rescue；　carrying　with　me　provisions　and　refreshments；　of　which　I　knew　they　were　in　great　need。　　These　glorious　confessors　I　met　as　they　were　just　entering　the　pass　designed　for　the　place　of　their　destruction；　and　doubly　preserved　them　from　famine　and　the　sword。　　A　grateful　sense　of　their　deliverance　made　them　receive　me　as　a　guardian　angel。　　We　went　together　to　Fremona；　and　being　in　all　a　patriarch；　a　bishop；　eighteen　Jesuits；　and　four　hundred　Portuguese　whom　I　supplied　with　necessaries；　though　the　revenues　of　our　house　were　lost；　and　though　the　country　was　disaffected　to　us；　in　the　worst　season　of　the　year。　We　were　obliged　for　the　relief　of　the　poor　and　our　own　subsistence　to　sell　our　ornaments　and　chalices；　which　we　first　broke　in　pieces；　that　the　people　might　not　have　the　pleasure　of　ridiculing　our　mysteries　by　profaning　the　vessels　made　use　of　in　the　celebration　of　them；　for　they　now　would　gladly　treat　with　the　highest　indignities　what　they　had　a　year　before　looked　upon　with　veneration。

Amidst　all　these　perplexities　the　viceroy　did　not　fail　to　visit　us；　and　make　us　great　offers　of　service　in　expectation　of　a　large　present。　　We　were　in　a　situation　in　which　it　was　very　difficult　to　act　properly；　we　knew　too　well　the　ill　intentions　of　the　viceroy；　but　durst　not　complain；　or　give　him　any　reason　to　imagine　that　we　knew　them。　　We　longed　to　retreat　out　of　his　power；　or　at　least　to　send　one　of　our　company　to　the　Indies　with　an　account　of　persecution　we　suffered；　and　could　without　his　leave　neither　do　one　nor　the　other。

When　it　was　determined　that　one　should　be　sent　to　the　Indies；　I　was　at　first　singled　out　for　the　journey；　and　it　was　intended　that　I　should　represent　at　Goa；　at　Rome；　and　at　Madrid　the　distresses　and　necessities　of　the　mission　of　Aethiopia；　but　the　fathers　reflecting　afterwards　that　I　best　understood　the　Abyssinian　language；　and　was　most　acquainted　with　the　customs　of　the　country；　altered　their　opinions；　and；　continuing　me　in　Aethiopia　either　to　perish　with　them　or　preserve　them；　deputed　four　other　Jesuits；　who　in　a　short　time　set　out　on　their　way　to　the　Indies。

About　this　time　I　was　sent　for　to　the　viceroy's　camp　to　confess　a　criminal；　who；　though　falsely；　was　believed　a　Catholic；　to　whom；　after　a　proper　exhortation；　I　was　going　to　pronounce　the　form　of　absolution；　when　those　that　waited　to　execute　him　told　him　aloud　that　if　he　expected　to　save　his　life　by　professing　himself　a　Catholic；　he　would　find　himself　deceived；　and　that　he　had　nothing　to　do　but　prepare　himself　for　death。　　The　unhappy　criminal　had　no　sooner　heard　this　than；　rising　up；　he　declared　his　resolution　to　die　in　the　religion　of　his　country；　and　being　delivered　up　to　his　prosecutors　was　immediately　dispatched　with　their　lances。

The　chief　reason　of　calling　me　was　not　that　I　might　hear　this　confession：　　the　viceroy　had　another　design　of　seizing　my　person；　expecting　that　either　the　Jesuits　or　Portuguese　would　buy　my　liberty　with　a　large　ransom；　or　that　he　might　exchange　me　for　his　father；　who　was　kept　prisoner　by　a　revolted　prince。　　That　prince　would　have　been　no　loser　by　the　exchange；　for　so　much　was　I　hated　by　the　Abyssinian　monks　that　they　would　have　thought　no　expense　too　great　to　have　gotten　me　into　their　hands；　that　they　might　have　glutted　their　revenge　by　putting　me　to　the　most　painful　death　they　could　have　invented。　　Happily　I　found　means　to　retire　out　of　this　dangerous　place；　and　was　followed　by　the　viceroy　almost　to　Fremona；　who；　being　disappointed；　desired　me　either　to　visit　him　at　his　camp；　or　appoint　a　place　where　we　might　confer。　　I　made　many　excuses；　but　at　length　agreed　to　meet　him　at　a　place　near　Fremona；　bringing　each　of　us　only　three　companions。　　I　did　not　doubt　but　he　would　bring　more；　and　so　he　did；　but　found　that　I　was　upon　my　guard；　and　that　my　company　increased　in　proportion　to　his。　　My　friends　were　resolute　Portuguese；　who　were　determined　to　give　him　no　quarter　if　he　made　any　attempt　upon　my　liberty。　　Finding　himself　once　more　countermined；　he　returned　ashamed　to　his　camp；　where　a　month　after；　being　accused　of　a　confederacy　in　the　revolt　of　that　prince　who　kept　his　father　prisoner；　he　was　arrested；　and　carried　in　chains　to　the　Emperor。

The　time　now　approaching　in　which　we　were　to　be　delivered　to　the　Turks；　we　had　none　but　God　to　apply　to　for　relief：　　all　the　measures　we　could　think　of　were　equally　dangerous。　　Resolving；　nevertheless；　to　seek　some　retreat　where　we　might　hide　ourselves　either　all　together　or　separately；　we　determined　at　last　to　put　ourselves　under　the　protection　of　the　Prince　John　Akay；　who　had　defended　himself　a　long　time　in　the　province　of　Bar　against　the　power　of　Abyssinia。

After　I　had　concluded　a　treaty　with　this　prince；　the　patriarch　and　all　the　fathers　put　themselves　into　his　hands；　and　being　received　with　all　imaginable　kindness　and　civility；　were　conducted　with　a　guard　to　Adicota；　a　rock　excessively　steep；　about　nine　miles　from　his　place　of　residence。　　The　event　was　not　agreeable　to　the　happy　beginning　of　our　negotiation；　for　we　soon　began　to　find　that　our　habitation　was　not　likely　to　be　very　pleasant。　　We　were　surrounded　with　Mahometans；　or　Christians　who　were　inveterate　enemies　to　the　Catholic　faith；　and　were　obliged　to　act　with　the　utmost　caution。　Notwithstanding　these　inconveniences　we　were　pleased　with　the　present　tranquillity　we　enjoyed；　and　lived　contentedly　on　lentils　and　a　little　corn　that　we　had；　and　I；　after　we　had　sold　all　our　goods；　resolved　to　turn　physician；　and　was　soon　able　to　support　myself　by　my　practice。

I　was　once　consulted　by　a　man　troubled　with　asthma；　who　presented　me　with　two　alquieresthat　is；　about　twenty…eight　pounds　weightof　corn　and　a　sheep。　　The　advice　I　gave　him；　after　having　turned　over　my　books；　was　to　drink　goats'　urine　every　morning；　I　know　not　whether　he　found　any　benefit　by　following　my　prescription；　for　I　never　saw　him　after。

Being　under　a　necessity　of　obeying　our　acoba；　or　protector；　we　changed　our　place　of　abode　as　often　as　he　desired　it；　though　not　without　great　inconveniences；　from　the　excessive　heat　of　the　weather　and　the　faintness　which　our　strict　observation　of　the　fasts　and　austerities　of　Lent；　as　it　is　kept　in　this　country；　had　brought　upon　us。　　At　length；　wearied　with　removing　so　often；　and　finding　that　the　last　place　assigned　for　our　abode　was　always　the　worst；　we　agreed　that　I　should　go　to　our　sovereign　and　complain。

I　found　him　entirely　taken　up　with　the　imagination　of　a　prodigious　treasure；　affirmed　by　the　monks　to　be　hidden　under　a　mountain。　　He　was　told　that　his　predecessors　had　been　hindered　from　discovering　it　by　the　demon　that　guarded　it；　but　that　the　demon　was　now　at　a　great　distance　from　his　charge；　and　was　grown　blind　and　lame；　that　having　lost　his　son；　and　being　without　any　children　except　a　daughter　that　was　ugly　and　unhealthy；　he　was　under　great　affliction；　and　entirely　neglected　the　care　of　his　treasure；　that　if　he　should　come；　they　could　call　one　of　their　ancient　brothers　to　their　assistance；　who；　being　a　man　of　a　most　holy　life；　would　be　able　to　prevent　his　making　any　resistance。　　To　all　these　stories　the　prince　listened　with　unthinking　credulity。　　The　monks；　encouraged　by　this；　fell　to　the　business；　and　brought　a　man　above　a　hundred　years　old；　whom；　because　he　could　not　support　himself　on　horseback；　they　had　tied　on　the　beast；　and　covered　him　with　black　wool。　　He　was　followed　by　a　black　cow　（designed　for　a　sacrifice　to　the　demon　of　the　place）；　and　by　some　monks　that　carried　mead；　beer；　and　parched　corn；　to　complete