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.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 19 of 149
Words from 5039 to 5317
of 41322
