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.
