Some Hold That This Country Is Washed By
The Nikpha, Or Coagulated Sea, Which Is Liable To Prodigious Storms; By
Which, When Mariners Are Surprised, They Are Reduced To Such Extremity,
That, Not Being Able To Get Out, They Are Miserably Starved To Death, After
Expending All Their Provisions[24].
From Cinrog, it is three days journey to Gingala, where there are above a
thousand Jews.
From thence, in seven days, one may sail to Coulan, where
there are none of our nation. It is twelve days journey to Zabid, where
there are some Jews; and in eight days more, you get to the opposite coast,
where there are very high mountains, inhabited by multitudes of Israelites,
who are not under the yoke of the Gentiles, but have great cities and
strong fortresses of their own.
They descend from thence in parties into the flat countries of Abyssinia,
whence they return with their plunder into the mountains, where they are
secure against pursuit. Many of these Jews travel for the purposes of trade
into Persia and Egypt[25].
From thence, it is twenty days journey to Asvan[26], through the deserts of
Saba, on the Phison, which river comes from the country of Chus, in the
dominions of Shah-Abasch, or the king of Abyssinia. Part of the inhabitants
of this country live like beasts, going entirely naked, and feeding only on
the grass and herbs that grow by the river side, and propagate with their
sisters and nearest relations, without shame or scruple.
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