Though I Have Carefully Inquired, I Could
Never Learn How This People Came Into Abyssinia, And Wherefore They Have
Never Descended From Their Mountain To Mix With The Other Inhabitants Of
The Country.
The young king received a friendly entertainment from these
Jews, who acknowledged him as their sovereign, and defended him against
the king of Zeyla, who was unable to force his way up the mountain, and
had to retire.
About this time we arrived at Massua, which put the Moors
in great fear, and inspired new courage into the hearts of the
Abyssinians, insomuch that the young king left the mountain of the Jews
and took up his quarters with his adherents in other mountains towards
the sea coast and nearer to Massua, whence he wrote many pitiful and
imploring letters for assistance, to which favourable answers were
returned giving him hopes of succour. We proceeded on our expedition to
Suez; and being returned again to Massua, it was ordained to send an
auxiliary force of 500 men under a captain, which was accordingly done
and we set sail on our way back to India. Since that time, I have not
learnt any intelligence whatever respecting the affairs of
Ethiopia[282].
[Footnote 282: The circumstances and fate of this Portuguese expedition
into Abyssinia will be found in the next chapter of this work. - E.]
The Abyssinians are naturally ceremonious men, and full of points of
honour. Their only weapons are darts, in which they figure to themselves
the lance with which our Saviour was wounded, and the cross on which he
died, though some wear short swords. They are very expert horsemen, but
badly apparelled; and are much given to lying and theft. Among them
riches are not computed by money, but by the possession of cattle and
camels, yet gold is much valued. In their own country they are dastardly
cowards, but in other countries valiant; insomuch that in India they say
that a good Lascarin, or what we call a soldier, must be an
Abyssinian; and they are so much esteemed in Ballagayat, Cambaya,
Bengal, and other places, that they are always made captains and
principal officers in the army. Their clothing is vile and poor. They
wear linen shirts, and the great personages have a kind of upper garment
called Beden. The vulgar people are almost quite naked. They eat
bollemus and raw flesh; or if held to the fire, it is so little done
that the blood runs from it. In the whole land there are no cities or
towns, so that they live in the field under tents and pavilions like the
Arabs[283]. They pride themselves on believing that the queen of Sheba
was of their country, alleging that she took shipping at Massua,
though others say at Swakem, carrying with her jewels of great value
when she went to Jerusalem to visit Solomon, making him great gifts, and
returned with child by him.
[Footnote 283: The word used here in the edition of Purchas is
Alarbes. - E.]
It is alleged in the history of Abyssinia, that when one of the Soldans
of Babylon in Egypt made war many years ago upon their emperor, he
gathered a multitude of people and turned the course of the Nile, so
that it might not run into Egypt[284]. The Soldan, amazed at this vast
enterprize, which he believed would entirely ruin the land of Egypt,
sent ambassadors with great gifts, and made peace with the emperor,
giving a privilege to the Abyssinians to pass through his country
without paying tribute, when on their way to visit the holy sepulchre at
Jerusalem, and the shrine of St Catharine on Mount Sinai. Some learned
Moors whom I conversed with while in the Red Sea confirmed the truth of
this relation.
[Footnote 284: According to Bermudez, this attempt was begun by Ale
Beale, predecessor to Onadinguel or Atine-tingil. - Astl.]
SECTION V.
Continuation of the Journal of De Castro from Massua to Swakem.
We set sail at sun-rising on the 19th of February from the bay which is
half a league beyond Massua and half a league from the land. This day
was very close and rainy, and numbering our fleet I found 64 rowing
vessels; that is 3 galliots, eight small gallies, and 35 foists[285]. By
night our north-west wind lulled, and it blew a little from the west. In
the second watch it came on to rain; and in the middle of the morning
watch we weighed anchor and rowed along shore till morning, during which
time it rained hard. By evening of the 20th we were as far as the
extreme point of the range of islands on the north side, about 14
leagues from Massua. The coast from Massua hither stretched N.N.W. and
S.S.E. for these 14 leagues, and in some of the islands which lay to
seaward we knew that there were cattle and water, with some few poor
dwellings. The distance from these islands to the African coast might be
about four leagues. The islands in this range having cattle and water
are Harate, Dohull, and Damanill, which are all low and surrounded
with shoals and flats. All the first watch of the night, having the wind
fair at east, we sailed N.N.W. At the beginning of the second watch we
came suddenly to certain very white spots, which threw out flames like
lightning. Wondering at this strange event, we took in our sails
believing we were upon some banks or shoals; but on casting the lead I
found 26 fathoms. As this great novelty to us made no impression on the
native pilots, and being in deep water, we made sail again. On the 21st
at day light, we saw off to seawards a low island of which the Moorish
pilot had been afraid in the night. At day light on the 22nd we again
set sail, and at noon my pilot took the altitude of the sun, and found
our latitude 18 deg.
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