a voyage to abyssinia-第4部分

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ver　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　my　intelligence　to　my　companion；　whom　I　had　left　at　Pate。

I　cannot；　however；　leave　this　country　without　giving　an　account　of　their　manner　of　blood…letting；　which　I　was　led　to　the　knowledge　of　by　a　violent　fever；　which　threatened　to　put　an　end　to　my　life　and　travels　together。　　The　distress　I　was　in　may　easily　be　imagined；　being　entirely　destitute　of　everything　necessary。　　I　had　resolved　to　let　myself　blood；　though　I　was　altogether　a　stranger　to　the　manner　of　doing　it；　and　had　no　lancet；　but　my　companions　hearing　of　a　surgeon　of　reputation　in　the　place；　went　and　brought　him。　　I　saw；　with　the　utmost　surprise；　an　old　Moor　enter　my　chamber；　with　a　kind　of　small　dagger；　all　over　rusty；　and　a　mallet　in　his　hand；　and　three　cups　of　horn　about　half　a　foot　long。　　I　started；　and　asked　what　he　wanted。　　He　told　me　to　bleed　me；　and　when　I　had　given　him　leave；　uncovering　my　side；　applied　one　of　his　horn　cups；　which　he　stopped　with　chewed　paper；　and　by　that　means　made　it　stick　fast；　in　the　same　manner　he　fixed　on　the　other　two；　and　fell　to　sharpening　his　instrument；　assuring　me　that　he　would　give　me　no　pain。　　He　then　took　off　his　cups；　and　gave　in　each　place　a　stroke　with　his　poignard；　which　was　followed　by　a　stream　of　blood。　　He　applied　his　cups　several　times；　and　every　time　struck　his　lancet　into　the　same　place；　having　drawn　away　a　large　quantity　of　blood；　he　healed　the　orifices　with　three　lumps　of　tallow。　　I　know　not　whether　to　attribute　my　cure　to　bleeding　or　my　fear；　but　I　had　from　that　time　no　return　of　my　fever。

When　I　came　to　Pate；　in　hopes　of　meeting　with　my　associate；　I　found　that　he　was　gone　to　Mombaza；　in　hopes　of　receiving　information。　　He　was　sooner　undeceived　than　I；　and　we　met　at　the　place　where　we　parted　in　a　few　days；　and　soon　afterwards　left　Pate　to　return　to　the　Indies；　and　in　nine…and…twenty　days　arrived　at　the　famous　fortress　of　Diou。　　We　were　told　at　this　place　that　Alfonso　Mendes；　patriarch　of　Aethiopia；　was　arrived　at　Goa　from　Lisbon。　　He　wrote　to　us　to　desire　that　we　would　wait　for　him　at　Diou；　in　order　to　embark　there　for　the　Red　Sea；　but　being　informed　by　us　that　no　opportunities　of　going　thither　were　to　be　expected　at　Diou；　it　was　at　length　determined　that　we　should　meet　at　Bazaim；　it　was　no　easy　matter　for　me　to　find　means　of　going　to　Bazaim。　　However；　after　a　very　uneasy　voyage；　in　which　we　were　often　in　danger　of　being　dashed　against　the　rocks；　or　thrown　upon　the　sands　by　the　rapidity　of　the　current；　and　suffered　the　utmost　distress　for　want　of　water；　I　landed　at　Daman；　a　place　about　twenty　leagues　distant　from　Bazaim。　　Here　I　hire　a　catre　and　four　boys　to　carry　me　to　Bazaim：　　these　catres　are　a　kind　of　travelling　couches；　in　which　you　may　either　lie　or　sit；　which　the　boys；　whose　business　is　the　same　with　that　of　chairmen　in　our　country；　support　upon　their　shoulders　by　two　poles；　and　carry　a　passenger　at　the　rate　of　eighteen　or　twenty　miles　a　day。　　Here　we　at　length　found　the　patriarch；　with　three　more　priests；　like　us；　designed　for　the　mission　of　Aethiopia。　　We　went　back　to　Daman；　and　from　thence　to　Diou；　where　we　arrived　in　a　short　time。



Chapter　III



The　author　embarks　with　the　patriarch；　narrowly　escapes　shipwreck　near　the　isle　of　Socotora；　enters　the　Arabian　Gulf；　and　the　Red　Sea。　Some　account　of　the　coast　of　the　Red　Sea。


The　patriarch　having　met　with　many　obstacles　and　disappointments　in　his　return　to　Abyssinia；　grew　impatient　of　being　so　long　absent　from　his　church。　　Lopo　Gomez　d'Abreu　had　made　him　an　offer　at　Bazaim　of　fitting　out　three　ships　at　his　own　expense；　provided　a　commission　could　be　procured　him　to　cruise　in　the　Red　Sea。　　This　proposal　was　accepted　by　the　patriarch；　and　a　commission　granted　by　the　viceroy。　While　we　were　at　Diou；　waiting　for　these　vessels；　we　received　advice　from　Aethiopia　that　the　emperor；　unwilling　to　expose　the　patriarch　to　any　hazard；　thought　Dagher；　a　port　in　the　mouth　of　the　Red　Sea；　belonging　to　a　prince　dependent　on　the　Abyssins；　a　place　of　the　greatest　security　to　land　at；　having　already　written　to　that　prince　to　give　him　safe　passage　through　his　dominions。　　We　met　here　with　new　delays；　the　fleet　that　was　to　transport　us　did　not　appear；　the　patriarch　lost　all　patience；　and　his　zeal　so　much　affected　the　commander　at　Diou；　that　he　undertook　to　equip　a　vessel　for　us；　and　pushed　the　work　forward　with　the　utmost　diligence。　　At　length；　the　long…expected　ships　entered　the　port；　we　were　overjoyed；　we　were　transported；　and　prepared　to　go　on　board。　　Many　persons　at　Diou；　seeing　the　vessels　so　well　fitted　out；　desired　leave　to　go　this　voyage　along　with　us；　imagining　they　had　an　excellent　opportunity　of　acquiring　both　wealth　and　honour。　　We　committed；　however；　one　great　error　in　setting　out；　for　having　equipped　our　ships　for　privateering；　and　taken　no　merchandise　on　board；　we　could　not　touch　at　any　of　the　ports　of　the　Red　Sea。　　The　patriarch；　impatient　to　be　gone；　took　leave　in　the　most　tender　manner　of　the　governor　and　his　other　friends；　recommended　our　voyage　to　the　Blessed　Virgin；　and　in　the　field；　before　we　went　on　shipboard；　made　a　short　exhortation；　so　moving　and　pathetic；　that　it　touched　the　hearts　of　all　who　heard　it。　In　the　evening　we　went　on　board；　and　early　the　next　morning　being　the　3rd　of　April；　1625；　we　set　sail。

After　some　days　we　discovered　about　noon　the　island　Socotora；　where　we　proposed　to　touch。　　The　sky　was　bright　and　the　wind　fair；　nor　had　we　the　least　apprehension　of　the　danger　into　which　we　were　falling；　but　with　the　utmost　carelessness　and　jollity　held　on　our　course。　　At　night；　when　our　sailors；　especially　the　Moors；　were　in　a　profound　sleep　（for　the　Mohammedans；　believing　everything　forewritten　in　the　decrees　of　God；　and　not　alterable　by　any　human　means；　resign　themselves　entirely　to　Providence）；　our　vessel　ran　aground　upon　a　sand　bank　at　the　entrance　of　the　harbour。　　We　got　her　off　with　the　utmost　difficulty；　and　nothing　but　a　miracle　could　have　preserved　us。　　We　ran　along　afterwards　by　the　side　of　the　island；　but　were　entertained　with　no　other　prospect　than　of　a　mountainous　country；　and　of　rocks　that　jutted　out　over　the　sea；　and　s