Their mode of life certainly struck me, because I
involuntarily associate with the name "missionary" those men who at
first went out into the world, without support, to diffuse the
doctrines of Christ, taking nothing with them but a pilgrim's staff.
Before concluding my description of Oromia, I must remark that this
neighbourhood is considered to be the birth-place of Zoroaster, who
is said to have lived 5,500 years before the birth of Christ, and
was the founder of the sect of Magi, or fire-worshippers.
On the 1st of August, I rode ten hours to the village of Kutschie,
which lies near the Lake Oromia; we seldom caught sight of the lake,
although we were always very near to it all day. We passed through
large, fertile villages, which would have presented a charming
prospect if they had not been situated between barren and naked
hills and mountains.
I had not enjoyed so pleasant a day during the whole journey from
Mosul, or from Baghdad. My guide was a remarkably good fellow, very
attentive to me, and provided everything carefully when we reached
Kutschie; he took me to a very cleanly peasant's cottage, among some
excellent people; they immediately laid down a nice carpet for me on
a small terrace, brought me a basin of water to wash, and a quantity
of large black mulberries on a lacquered plate. Afterwards I had
some strong soup with meat, fat, sour milk, and good bread, all in
clean vessels; but what was better than all, the people retired as
soon as they had set the food before me, and did not stare at me as
if I was a strange animal. When I offered to pay these good people,
they would not take anything; I had no opportunity of rewarding them
until the following morning, when I took two men of the family as
guard across the mountains, and gave them twice as much as they are
generally paid; they thanked me, with touching cordiality, and
wished me safety and good fortune on my journey.
2nd August. It occupied three hours to pass the most dangerous part
of these desolate mountains. My two armed men would not, indeed,
have afforded me much protection against a band of robbers, although
they were the means of making the journey less terrible than it
would have been if I had gone with my old guide alone. We met
several large caravans, but all going towards Oromia.
When we had crossed the mountains, the two men left us. We entered
into enormous valleys, which seemed to have been forgotten by
nature, and deserted by man. In my opinion, we were not in any
degree out of the danger, and I was right; for, as we were passing
three ruined cottages in this barren valley, several fellows rushed
out upon us, laid hold of our horses' reins, and commenced rummaging
my luggage.
