a voyage to abyssinia-第3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！


hich　he　swore　the　blood　of　the　Jesuits　should　repay。　　So　after　they　had　languished　for　some　time　in　prison　their　heads　were　struck　off。　A　fate　which　had　been　likewise　our　own；　had　not　God　reserved　us　for　longer　labours！

Having　provided　everything　necessary　for　our　journey；　such　as　Arabian　habits；　and　red　caps；　calicoes；　and　other　trifles　to　make　presents　of　to　the　inhabitants；　and　taking　leave　of　our　friends；　as　men　going　to　a　speedy　death；　for　we　were　not　insensible　of　the　dangers　we　were　likely　to　encounter；　amongst　horrid　deserts；　impassable　mountains；　and　barbarous　nations；　we　left　Goa　on　the　26th　day　of　January　in　the　year　1624；　in　a　Portuguese　galliot　that　was　ordered　to　set　us　ashore　at　Pate；　where　we　landed　without　any　disaster　in　eleven　days；　together　with　a　young　Abyssin；　whom　we　made　use　of　as　our　interpreter。　　While　we　stayed　here　we　were　given　to　understand　that　those　who　had　been　pleased　at　Goa　to　give　us　directions　in　relation　to　our　journey　had　done　nothing　but　tell　us　lies。　　That　the　people　were　savage；　that　they　had　indeed　begun　to　treat　with　the　Portuguese；　but　it　was　only　from　fear；　that　otherwise　they　were　a　barbarous　nation；　who　finding　themselves　too　much　crowded　in　their　own　country；　had　extended　themselves　to　the　sea…　shore；　that　they　ravished　the　country　and　laid　everything　waste　where　they　came；　that　they　were　man…eaters；　and　were　on　that　account　dreadful　in　all　those　parts。　　My　companion　and　I　being　undeceived　by　this　terrible　relation；　thought　it　would　be　the　highest　imprudence　to　expose　ourselves　both　together　to　a　death　almost　certain　and　unprofitable；　and　agreed　that　I　should　go　with　our　Abyssin　and　a　Portuguese　to　observe　the　country；　that　if　I　should　prove　so　happy　as　to　escape　being　killed　by　the　inhabitants；　and　to　discover　a　way；　I　should　either　return；　or　send　back　the　Abyssin　or　Portuguese。　Having　fixed　upon　this；　I　hired　a　little　bark　to　Jubo；　a　place　about　forty　leagues　distant　from　Pate；　on　board　which　I　put　some　provisions；　together　with　my　sacerdotal　vestments；　and　all　that　was　necessary　for　saying　mass：　　in　this　vessel　we　reached　the　coast；　which　we　found　inhabited　by　several　nations：　　each　nation　is　subject　to　its　own　king；　these　petty　monarchies　are　so　numerous；　that　I　counted　at　least　ten　in　less　than　four　leagues。



Chapter　II



The　author　lands：　　The　difficulty　of　his　journey。　　An　account　of　the　Galles；　and　of　the　author's　reception　at　the　king's　tent；　Their　manner　of　swearing；　and　of　letting　blood。　　The　author　returns　to　the　Indies；　and　finds　the　patriarch　of　Aethiopia。


On　this　coast　we　landed；　with　an　intention　of　travelling　on　foot　to　Jubo；　a　journey　of　much　greater　length　and　difficulty　than　we　imagined。　　We　durst　not　go　far　from　our　bark；　and　therefore　were　obliged　to　a　toilsome　march　along　the　windings　of　the　shore；　sometimes　clambering　up　rocks；　and　sometimes　wading　through　the　sands；　so　that　we　were　every　moment　in　the　utmost　danger　of　falling　from　the　one；　or　sinking　in　the　other。　　Our　lodging　was　either　in　the　rocks　or　on　the　sands；　and　even　that　incommoded　by　continual　apprehensions　of　being　devoured　by　lions　and　tigers。　　Amidst　all　these　calamities　our　provisions　failed　us；　we　had　little　hopes　of　a　supply；　for　we　found　neither　villages；　houses；　nor　any　trace　of　a　human　creature；　and　had　miserably　perished　by　thirst　and　hunger　had　we　not　met　with　some　fishermen's　boats；　who　exchanged　their　fish　for　tobacco。

Through　all　these　fatigues　we　at　length　came　to　Jubo；　a　kingdom　of　considerable　extent；　situated　almost　under　the　line；　and　tributary　to　the　Portuguese；　who　carry　on　a　trade　here　for　ivory　and　other　commodities。　　This　region　so　abounds　with　elephants；　that　though　the　teeth　of　the　male　only　are　valuable；　they　load　several　ships　with　ivory　every　year。　　All　this　coast　is　much　infested　with　ravenous　beasts；　monkeys；　and　serpents；　of　which　last　here　are　some　seven　feet　in　length；　and　thicker　than　an　ordinary　man；　in　the　head　of　this　serpent　is　found　a　stone　about　the　bigness　of　an　egg；　resembling　bezoar；　and　of　great　efficacy；　as　it　is　said；　against　all　kinds　of　poison。　　I　stayed　here　some　time　to　inform　myself　whether　I　might；　by　pursuing　this　road；　reach　Abyssinia；　and　could　get　no　other　intelligence　but　that　two　thousand　Galles　（the　same　people　who　inhabited　Melinda）　had　encamped　about　three　leagues　from　Jubo；　that　they　had　been　induced　to　fix　in　that　place　by　the　plenty　of　provisions　they　found　there。　　These　Galles　lay　everything　where　they　come　in　ruin；　putting　all　to　the　sword　without　distinction　of　age　or　sex；　which　barbarities；　though　their　numbers　are　not　great；　have　spread　the　terror　of　them　over　all　the　country。　　They　choose　a　king；　whom　they　call　Lubo：　　every　eighth　year　they　carry　their　wives　with　them；　and　expose　their　children　without　any　tenderness　in　the　woods；　it　being　prohibited；　on　pain　of　death；　to　take　any　care　of　those　which　are　born　in　the　camp。　　This　is　their　way　of　living　when　they　are　in　arms；　but　afterwards　when　they　settle　at　home　they　breed　up　their　children。　　They　feed　upon　raw　cow's　flesh；　when　they　kill　a　cow；　they　keep　the　blood　to　rub　their　bodies　with；　and　wear　the　guts　about　their　necks　for　ornaments；　which　they　afterwards　give　to　their　wives。

Several　of　these　Galles　came　to　see　me；　and　as　it　seemed　they　had　never　beheld　a　white　man　before；　they　gazed　on　me　with　amazement；　so　strong　was　their　curiosity　that　they　even　pulled　off　my　shoes　and　stockings；　that　they　might　be　satisfied　whether　all　my　body　was　of　the　same　colour　with　my　face。　　I　could　remark；　that　after　they　had　observed　me　some　time；　they　discovered　some　aversion　from　a　white；　however；　seeing　me　pull　out　my　handkerchief；　they　asked　me　for　it　with　a　great　deal　of　eagerness；　I　cut　it　into　several　pieces　that　I　might　satisfy　them　all；　and　distributed　it　amongst　them；　they　bound　them　about　their　heads；　but　gave　me　to　understand　that　they　should　have　liked　them　better　if　they　had　been　red：　　after　this　we　were　seldom　without　their　company；　which　gave　occasion　to　an　accident；　which　though　it　seemed　to　threaten　some　danger　at　first；　turned　afterwards　to　our　advantage。

As　these　people　were　continually　teasing　us；　our　Portuguese　one　day　threatened　in　jest　to　kill　one　of　them。　　The　black　ran　in　the　utmost　dread　to　seek　his　comrades；　and　we　were　in　one　moment　almost　covered　with　Galles；　we　thought　it　the　most　proper　course　to　decline　the　first　impulse　of　their　fury；　and　retired　into　our　house。　　Our　retreat　inspired　them　with　courage；　they　redoubled　their　cries；　and　posted　themselves　on　an　eminence　near　at　hand　that　overlooked　us；　there　they　insulted　us　by　brandishing　their　lances　and　daggers。　　We　were　fortunately　not　above　a　stone's　cast　from　the　sea；　and　could　therefore　have　retreated　to　our　bark　had　we　found　ourselves　reduced　to　extremities。　　This　made　us　not　very　solicitous　about　their　menaces；　but　finding　that　they　continued　to　hover　about　our　habitation；　and　being　wearied　with　their　clamours；　we　thought　it　might　be　a　good　expedient　to　fright　them　away　by　firing　four　muskets　towards　them；　in　such　a　manner　that　they　might　hear　the　bullets　hiss　about　two　feet　over　their　heads。　　This　had　the　effect　we　wished；　the　noise　and　fire　of　our　arms　struck　them　with　so　much　terror　that　they　fell　upon　the　ground；　and　durst　not　for　some　time　so　much　as　lift　up　their　heads。　　They　forgot　immediately　their　natural　temper；　their　ferocity　and　haughtiness　were　softened　into　mildness　and　submission；　they　asked　pardon　for　their　insolence；　and　we　were　ever　after　good　friends。

After　our　reconciliation　we　visited　each　other　frequently；　and　had　some　conversation　about　the　journey　I　had　undertaken；　and　the　desire　I　had　of　finding　a　new　passage　into　Aethiopia。　　It　was　necessary　on　this　account　to　consult　their　lubo　or　king：　　I　found　him　in　a　straw　hut　something　larger　than　those　of　his　subjects；　surrounded　by　his　courtiers；　who　had　each　a　stick　in　his　hand；　which　is　longer　or　shorter　according　to　the　quality　of　the　person　admitted　into　the　king's　presence。　　The　ceremony　made　use　of　at　the　reception　of　a　stranger　is　somewhat　unusual；　as　soon　as　he　enters；　all　the　courtiers　strike　him　with　their　cudgels　till　he　goes　back　to　the　door；　the　amity　then　subsisting　between　us　did　not　secure　me　from　this　uncouth　reception；　which　they　told　me；　upon　my　demanding　the　reason　of　it；　was　to　show　those　whom　they　treated　with　that　they　were　the　bravest　people　in　the　world；　and　that　all　other　nations　ought　to　bow　down　before　them。　　I　could　not　help　reflecting　on　this　occasion　how　imprudently　I　had　trusted　my　life　in　the　hands　of　men　unacquainted　with　compassion　of　civility；　but　recollecting　at　the　same　time　that　the　intent　of　my　journey　was　such　as　might　give　me　hopes　of　the　divine　protection；　I　banished　all　thoughts　but　those　of　finding　a　way　into　Aethiopia。　　In　this　strait　it　occurred　to　me　that　these　people；　however　barbarous；　have　some　oath　which　they　keep　with　an　inviolable　strictness；　the　best　precaution；　therefore；　that　I　could　use　would　be　to　bind　them　by　this　oath　to　be　true　to　their　engagements。　　The　manner　of　their　swearing　is　this：　　they　set　a　sheep　in　the　midst　of　them；　and　rub　it　over　with　butter；　the　heads　of　families　who　are　the　chief　in　the　nation　lay　their　hands　upon　the　head　of　the　sheep；　and　swear　to　observe　their　promise。　　This　oath　（which　they　never　violate）　they　explain　thus：　　the　sheep　is　the　mother　of　them　who　swear；　the　butter　betokens　the　love　between　the　mother　and　the　children；　and　an　oath　taken　on　a　mother's　head　is　sacred。　　Upon　the　security　of　this　oath；　I　made　them　acquainted　with　my　intention；　an　intention；　they　told　me；　it　was　impossible　to　put　in　execution。　　From　the　moment　I　left　them　they　said　they　could　give　me　no　assurance　of　either　life　or　liberty；　that　they　were　perfectly　informed　both　of　the　roads　and　inhabitants；　that　there　were　no　fewer　than　nine　nations　between　us　and　Abyssinia；　who　were　always　embroiled　amongst　themselves；　or　at　war　with　the　Abyssins；　and　enjoyed　no　security　even　in　their　own　territories。　　We　were　now　convinced　that　our　enterprise　was　impracticable；　and　that　to　hazard　ourselves　amidst　so　many　insurmountable　difficulties　would　be　to　tempt　Providence；　despairing；　therefore；　that　I　should　ever　come　this　way　to　Abyssinia；　I　resolved　to　return　back　with