a voyage to abyssinia-第6章

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　here　in　danger　of　losing　my　life　by　a　compliment　which　the　Portuguese　paid　the　prince　of　a　discharge　of　twelve　muskets；　one　being　unskilfully　charged　too　high；　flew　out　of　the　soldier's　hand；　and　falling　against　my　leg；　wounded　it　very　much；　we　had　no　surgeon　with　us；　so　that　all　I　could　do　was　to　bind　it　hard　with　some　cloth。　I　was　obliged　by　this　accident　to　make　use　of　the　Chec　Furt's　horse；　which　was　the　greatest　service　we　received　from　him　in　all　our　journey。

When　we　came　within　two　leagues　and　a　half　of　the　King's　court；　he　sent　some　messengers　with　his　compliments；　and　five　mules　for　the　chief　of　our　company。　　Our　road　lay　through　a　wood；　where　we　found　the　ground　covered　over　with　young　locusts；　a　plague　intolerably　afflictive　in　a　country　so　barren　of　itself。　　We　arrived　at　length　at　the　bank　of　a　small　river；　near　which　the　King　usually　keeps　his　residence；　and　found　his　palace　at　the　foot　of　a　little　mountain。　It　consisted　of　about　six　tents　and　twenty　cabins；　erected　amongst　some　thorns　and　wild　trees；　which　afforded　a　shelter　from　the　heat　of　the　weather。　　He　received　us　the　first　time　in　a　cabin　about　a　musket　shot　distant　from　the　rest；　furnished　out　with　a　throne　in　the　middle　built　of　clay　and　stones；　and　covered　with　tapestry　and　two　velvet　cushions。　　Over　against　him　stood　his　horse　with　his　saddle　and　other　furniture　hanging　by　him；　for　in　this　country；　the　master　and　his　horse　make　use　of　the　same　apartment；　nor　doth　the　King　in　this　respect　affect　more　grandeur　than　his　subjects。　　When　we　entered；　we　seated　ourselves　on　the　ground　with　our　legs　crossed；　in　imitation　of　the　rest；　whom　we　found　in　the　same　posture。　　After　we　had　waited　some　time；　the　King　came　in；　attended　by　his　domestics　and　his　officers。　　He　held　a　small　lance　in　his　hand；　and　was　dressed　in　a　silk　robe；　with　a　turban　on　his　head；　to　which　were　fastened　some　rings　of　very　neat　workmanship；　which　fell　down　upon　his　forehead。　　All　kept　silence　for　some　time；　and　the　King　told　us　by　his　interpreter　that　we　were　welcome　to　his　dominions；　that　he　had　been　informed　we　were　to　come　by　the　Emperor　his　father；　and　that　he　condoled　the　hardships　we　had　undergone　at　sea。　　He　desired　us　not　to　be　under　any　concern　at　finding　ourselves　in　a　country　so　distant　from　our　own；　for　those　dominions　were　ours；　and　he　and　the　Emperor　his　father　would　give　us　all　the　proofs　we　could　desire　of　the　sincerest　affection。　　We　returned　him　thanks　for　this　promise　of　his　favour；　and　after　a　short　conversation　went　away。　　Immediately　we　were　teazed　by　those　who　brought　us　the　mules；　and　demanded　to　be　paid　the　hire　of　them；　and　had　advice　given　us　at　the　same　time　that　we　should　get　a　present　ready　for　the　King。　　The　Chec　Furt；　who　was　extremely　ready　to　undertake　any　commission　of　this　kind；　would　needs　direct　us　in　the　affair；　and　told　us　that　our　gifts　ought　to　be　of　greater　value；　because　we　had　neglected　making　any　such　offer　at　our　first　audience；　contrary　to　the　custom　of　that　country。　　By　these　pretences　he　obliged　us　to　make　a　present　to　the　value　of　about　twenty　pounds；　with　which　he　seemed　to　be　pleased；　and　told　us　we　had　nothing　to　do　but　prepare　to　make　our　entry。



Chapter　VI



The　King　refuses　their　present。　　The　author's　boldness。　　The　present　is　afterwards　accepted。　　The　people　are　forbidden　to　sell　them　provisions。　　The　author　remonstrates　against　the　usage。　　The　King　redresses　it。


But　such　was　either　the　hatred　or　avarice　of　this　man；　that　instead　of　doing　us　the　good　offices　he　pretended；　he　advised　the　King　to　refuse　our　present；　that　he　might　draw　from　us　something　more　valuable。　　When　I　attended　the　King　in　order　to　deliver　the　presents；　after　I　had　excused　the　smallness　of　them；　as　being；　though　unworthy　his　acceptance；　the　largest　that　our　profession　of　poverty；　and　distance　from　our　country；　allowed　us　to　make；　he　examined　them　one　by　one　with　a　dissatisfied　look；　and　told　me　that　however　he　might　be　pleased　with　our　good　attentions；　he　thought　our　present　such　as　could　not　be　offered　to　a　king　without　affronting　him；　and　made　me　a　sign　with　his　hand　to　withdraw；　and　take　back　what　I　had　brought。　　I　obeyed；　telling　him　that　perhaps　he　might　send　for　it　again　without　having　so　much。　　The　Chec　Furt；　who　had　been　the　occasion　of　all　this；　coming　to　us　afterwards；　blamed　us　exceedingly　for　having　offered　so　little；　and　being　told　by　us　that　the　present　was　picked　out　by　himself；　that　we　had　nothing　better　to　give；　and　that　what　we　had　left　would　scarce　defray　the　expenses　of　our　journey；　he　pressed　us　at　least　to　add　something；　but　could　prevail　no　farther　than　to　persuade　us　to　repeat　our　former　offer；　which　the　King　was　now　pleased　to　accept；　though　with　no　kinder　countenance　than　before。

Here　we　spent　our　time　and　our　provisions；　without　being　able　to　procure　any　more。　　The　country　indeed　affords　goats　and　honey；　but　nobody　would　sell　us　any；　the　King；　as　I　was　secretly　informed；　having　strictly　prohibited　it；　with　a　view　of　forcing　all　we　had　from　us。　　The　patriarch　sent　me　to　expostulate　the　matter　with　the　King；　which　I　did　in　very　warm　terms；　telling　him　that　we　were　assured　by　the　Emperor　of　a　reception　in　this　country　far　different　from　what　we　met　with；　which　assurances　he　had　confirmed　by　his　promise　and　the　civilities　we　were　entertained　with　at　our　first　arrival；　but　that　instead　of　friends　who　would　compassionate　our　miseries；　and　supply　our　necessities；　we　found　ourselves　in　the　midst　of　mortal　enemies　that　wanted　to　destroy　us。

The　King；　who　affected　to　appear　ignorant　of　the　whole　affair；　demanded　an　account　of　the　injuries　I　complained　of；　and　told　me　that　if　any　of　his　subjects　should　dare　to　attempt　our　lives；　it　should　cost　him　his　own。　　We　were　not；　replied　I；　in　danger　of　being　stabbed　or　poisoned；　but　are　doomed　to　a　more　lingering　and　painful　death　by　that　prohibition　which　obliges　your　subjects　to　deny　us　the　necessaries　of　life；　if　it　be　Your　Highness's　pleasure　that　we　die　here；　we　entreat　that　we　may　at　least　be　despatched　quickly；　and　not　condemned　to　longer　torments。　　The　King；　startled　at　this　discourse；　denied　that　he　had　given　any　such　orders；　and　was　very　importunate　to　know　the　author　of　our　intelligence；　but　finding　me　determined　not　to　discover　him；　he　sent　me　away　with　a　promise　that　for　the　future　we　should　be　furnished　with　everything　we　wanted；　and　indeed　that　same　day　we　bought　three　goats　for　about　a　crown；　and　some　honey；　and　found　ourselves　better　treated　than　before。



Chapter　VII



They　obtain　leave；　with　some　difficulty；　to　depart　from　Dancali。　The　difficulties　of　their　march。　　A　broil　with　the　Moors。　　They　arrive　at　the　plain　of　salt。


This　usage；　with　some　differences　we　had　with　a　Moor；　made　us　very　desirous　of　leaving　this　country；　but　we　were　still　put　off　with　one　pretence　or　other　whenever　we　asked　leave　to　depart。　　Tired　with　these　delays；　I　applied　myself　to　his　favourite　minister；　with　a　promise　of　a　large　present　if　he　could　obtain　us　an　audience　of　leave；　he　came　to　us　at　night　to　agree　upon　the　reward；　and　soon　accomplished　all　we　desired；　both　getting　us　a　permission　to　go　out　of　the　kingdom；　and　procuring　us　camels　to　carry　our　baggage；　and　that　of　the　Abyssinian　ambassadors　who　were　ordered　to　accompany　us。

We　set　out　from　the　kingdom　of　Dancali　on　the　15th　of　June；　having　taken　our　leave　of　the　King；　who　after　many　excuses　for　everything　that　had　happened；　dismissed　us　with　a　present　of　a　cow；　and　some　provisions；　desiring　us　to　tell　the　Emperor　of　Aethiopia　his　father　that　we　had　met　with　kind　treatment　in　his　territories；　a　request　which　we　did　not　at　that　time　think　it　convenient　to　deny。

Whatever　we　had　suffered　hitherto；　was　nothing　to　the　difficulties　we　were　now　entering　upon；　and　which　God　had　decreed　us　to　undergo　for　the　sake　of　Jesus　Christ。　　Our　way　now　lay　through　a　region　scarce　passable；　and　full　of　serpents；　which　were　continually　creeping　between　our　legs；　we　might　have　avoided　them　in　the　day；　but　being　obliged；　that　we　might　avoid　the　excessive　heats；　to　take　long　marches　in　the　night；　we　were　every　moment　treading　upon　them。　Nothing　but　a　signal　interposition　of　Providence　could　have　preserved　us　from　being　bitten　by　them；　or　perishing　either　by　weariness　or　thirst；　for　sometimes　we　were　a　long　time　without　water；　and　had　nothing　to　support　our　strength　in　this　fatigue　but　a　little　honey；　and　a　small　piece　of　cows'　flesh　dried　in　the　sun。　Thus　we　travelled　on　for　many　days；　scarce　allowing　ourselves　any　rest；　till　we　came　to　a　channel　or　hollow　worn　in　the　mountains　by　the　winter　torrents；　here　we　found　some　coolness；　and　good　water；　a　blessing　we　enjoyed　for　three　days；　down　this　channel　all　the　winter　runs　a　great　river　which　is　dried　up　in　the　heats；　or　to　speak　more　properly；　hides　itself　under　ground。　　We　walked　along　its　side；　sometimes　seven　or　eight　leagues　without　seeing　any　water；　and　then　we　found　it　rising　out　of　the　ground；　at　which　places　we　never　failed　to　drink　as　much　as　we　could；　and　fill　our　bottles。

In　our　march；　there　fell　out　an　unlucky　accident；　which；　however；　did　not　prove　of　the　bad　consequence　it　might　have　done。　　The　master　of　our　camels　was　an　old　Mohammedan；　who　had　conceived　an　opinion　that　it　was　an　act　of　merit　to　do　us　all　the　mischief　he　could；　and　in　pursuance　of　his　notion；　made　it　his　chief　employment　to　steal　everything　he　could　lay　hold　on；　his　piety　even　transported　him　so　far；　that　one　morning　he　stole　and　hid　the　cords　of　our　tents。　　The　patriarch　who　saw　him　at　the　work　charged　him　with　it；　and　upon　his　denial；　showed　him　the　end　of　the　cord　hanging　from　under　the　saddle　of　one　of　his　camels。　　Upon　this　we　went　to　seize　them；　but　were　opposed　by　him　and　the　rest　of　the　drivers；　who　set　themselves　in　a　posture　of　opposition　with　their　daggers。　　Our　soldiers　had　recourse　to　their　muskets；　and　four　of　them　putting　the　mouths　of　their　pieces　to　the　heads　of　some　of　the　most　obstinate　and　turbulent；　struck　them　with　such　a　terror；　that　all　the　clamour　was　stilled　in　an　instant；　none　received　any　hurt　but　the　Moor　who　had　been　the　occasion　of　the　tumult。　　He　was　knocked　down　by　one　of　our　soldiers；　who　had　cut　his　throat　but　that　the　fathers　prevented　it：　　he　then　restored　the　cords；　and　was　more　tractable　ever　after。　　In　all　my　dealings　with　the　Moors；　I　have　always　discovered　in　them　an　ill…　natured　cowardice；　which　makes　them　insupportably　insolent　if　you　show　them　the　least　respect；　and　easily　reduced　to　reasonable　terms　when　you　treat　them　with　a　high　hand。

After　a　march　of　some　days　we　came　to　an　opening　between　the　mountains；　the　only　passage　out　of　Dancali　into　Abyssinia。　　Heaven　seems　to　have　made　this　place　on　purpose　for　the　repose　of　weary　travellers；　who　here　exchange　the　tortures　of　parching　thirst；　burning　sands；　and　a　sultry　climate；　for　the　pleasures　of　shady　trees；　the　refreshment　of　a　clear　stream；　and　the　luxury　of　a　cooling　breeze。　　We　arrived　at　this　happy　place　about　noon；　and　the　next　day　at　evening　left　those　fanning　winds；　and　woods　flourishing　with　unfading　verdure；　for　the　dismal　barrenness　of　the　vast　uninhabitable　plains；　from　which　Abyssinia　is　supplied　with　salt。　These　plains　are　surrounded　with　high　mountains；　continually　covered　with　thick　clouds　which　the　s