a voyage to abyssinia-第26部分

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ed；　six　hundred　religious；　placing　themselves　at　the　head　of　their　men；　marched　towards　the　Catholic　army　with　the　stones　of　the　altars　upon　their　heads；　assuring　their　credulous　followers　that　the　Emperor's　troops　would　immediately　at　the　sight　of　those　stones　fall　into　disorder　and　turn　their　backs；　but；　as　they　were　some　of　the　first　that　fell；　their　death　had　a　great　influence　upon　the　people　to　undeceive　them；　and　make　them　return　to　the　truth。　　Many　were　converted　after　the　battle；　and　when　they　had　embraced　the　Catholic　faith；　adhered　to　that　with　the　same　constancy　and　firmness　with　which　they　had　before　persisted　in　their　errors。

The　Emperor　had　sent　a　viceroy　into　this　province；　whose　firm　attachment　to　the　Roman　Church；　as　well　as　great　abilities　in　military　affairs；　made　him　a　person　very　capable　of　executing　the　orders　of　the　Emperor；　and　of　suppressing　any　insurrection　that　might　be　raised；　to　prevent　those　alterations　in　religion　which　they　were　designed　to　promote：　　a　farther　view　in　the　choice　of　so　warlike　a　deputy　was　that　a　stop　might　be　put　to　the　inroads　of　the　Galles；　who　had　killed　one　viceroy；　and　in　a　little　time　after　killed　this。

It　was　our　custom　to　meet　together　every　year　about　Christmas；　not　only　that　we　might　comfort　and　entertain　each　other；　but　likewise　that　we　might　relate　the　progress　and　success　of　our　missions；　and　concert　all　measures　that　might　farther　the　conversion　of　the　inhabitants。　　This　year　our　place　of　meeting　was　the　Emperor's　camp；　where　the　patriarch　and　superior　of　the　missions　were。　　I　left　the　place　of　my　abode；　and　took　in　my　way　four　fathers；　that　resided　at　the　distance　of　two　days'　journey；　so　that　the　company；　without　reckoning　our　attendants；　was　five。　　There　happened　nothing　remarkable　to　us　till　the　last　night　of　our　journey；　when　taking　up　our　lodging　at　a　place　belonging　to　the　Empress；　a　declared　enemy　to　all　Catholics；　and　in　particular　to　the　missionaries；　we　met　with　a　kind　reception　in　appearance；　and　were　lodged　in　a　large　stone　house　covered　with　wood　and　straw；　which　had　stood　uninhabited　so　long；　that　great　numbers　of　red　ants　had　taken　possession　of　it；　these；　as　soon　as　we　were　laid　down；　attacked　us　on　all　sides；　and　tormented　us　so　incessantly　that　we　were　obliged　to　call　up　our　domestics。　Having　burnt　a　prodigious　number　of　these　troublesome　animals；　we　tried　to　compose　ourselves　again；　but　had　scarce　closed　our　eyes　before　we　were　awakened　by　the　fire　that　had　seized　our　lodging。　Our　servants；　who　were　fortunately　not　all　gone　to　bed；　perceived　the　fire　as　soon　as　it　began；　and　informed　me；　who　lay　nearest　the　door。　　I　immediately　alarmed　all　the　rest；　and　nothing　was　thought　of　but　how　to　save　ourselves　and　the　little　goods　we　had；　when；　to　our　great　astonishment；　we　found　one　of　the　doors　barricaded　in　such　a　manner　that　we　could　not　open　it。　　Nothing　now　could　have　prevented　our　perishing　in　the　flames　had　not　those　who　kindled　them　omitted　to　fasten　that　door　near　which　I　was　lodged。　　We　were　no　longer　in　doubt　that　the　inhabitants　of　the　town　had　laid　a　train；　and　set　fire　to　a　neighbouring　house；　in　order　to　consume　us；　their　measures　were　so　well　laid；　that　the　house　was　in　ashes　in　an　instant；　and　three　of　our　beds　were　burnt　which　the　violence　of　the　flame　would　not　allow　us　to　carry　away。　　We　spent　the　rest　of　the　night　in　the　most　dismal　apprehensions；　and　found　next　morning　that　we　had　justly　charged　the　inhabitants　with　the　design　of　destroying　us；　for　the　place　was　entirely　abandoned；　and　those　that　were　conscious　of　the　crime　had　fled　from　the　punishment。　　We　continued　our　journey；　and　came　to　Gorgora；　where　we　found　the　fathers　met；　and　the　Emperor　with　them。



Chapter　XII



The　author　is　sent　into　Tigre。　　Is　in　danger　of　being　poisoned　by　the　breath　of　a　serpent。　　Is　stung　by　a　serpent。　　Is　almost　killed　by　eating　anchoy。　　The　people　conspire　against　the　missionaries；　and　distress　them。


My　superiors　intended　to　send　me　into　the　farthest　parts　of　the　empire；　but　the　Emperor　over…ruled　that　design；　and　remanded　me　to　Tigre；　where　I　had　resided　before。　　I　passed　in　my　journey　by　Ganete　Ilhos；　a　palace　newly　built；　and　made　agreeable　by　beautiful　gardens；　and　had　the　honour　of　paying　my　respects　to　the　Emperor；　who　had　retired　thither；　and　receiving　from　him　a　large　present　for　the　finishing　of　a　hospital；　which　had　been　begun　in　the　kingdom　of　Tigre。　　After　having　returned　him　thanks；　I　continued　my　way；　and　in　crossing　a　desert　two　days'　journey　over；　was　in　great　danger　of　my　life；　for；　as　I　lay　on　the　ground；　I　perceived　myself　seized　with　a　pain　which　forced　me　to　rise；　and　saw　about　four　yards　from　me　one　of　those　serpents　that　dart　their　poison　at　a　distance；　although　I　rose　before　he　came　very　near　me；　I　yet　felt　the　effects　of　his　poisonous　breath；　and；　if　I　had　lain　a　little　longer；　had　certainly　died；　I　had　recourse　to　bezoar；　a　sovereign　remedy　against　these　poisons；　which　I　always　carried　about　me。　　These　serpents　are　not　long；　but　have　a　body　short　and　thick；　and　their　bellies　speckled　with　brown；　black；　and　yellow；　they　have　a　wide　mouth；　with　which　they　draw　in　a　great　quantity　of　air；　and；　having　retained　it　some　time；　eject　it　with　such　force　that　they　kill　at　four　yards'　distance。　　I　only　escaped　by　being　somewhat　farther　from　him。　　This　danger；　however；　was　not　much　to　be　regarded　in　comparison　of　another　which　my　negligence　brought　me　into。　　As　I　was　picking　up　a　skin　that　lay　upon　the　ground；　I　was　stung　by　a　serpent　that　left　his　sting　in　my　finger；　I　at　least　picked　an　extraneous　substance　about　the　bigness　of　a　hair　out　of　the　wound；　which　I　imagined　was　the　sting。　　This　slight　wound　I　took　little　notice　of；　till　my　arm　grew　inflamed　all　over；　in　a　short　time　the　poison　infected　my　blood；　and　I　felt　the　most　terrible　convulsions；　which　were　interpreted　as　certain　signs　that　my　death　was　near　and　inevitable。　I　received　now　no　benefit　from　bezoar；　the　horn　of　the　unicorn；　or　any　of　the　usual　antidotes；　but　found　myself　obliged　to　make　use　of　an　extraordinary　remedy；　which　I　submitted　to　with　extreme　reluctance。　　This　submission　and　obedience　brought　the　blessing　of　Heaven　upon　me；　nevertheless；　I　continued　indisposed　a　long　time；　and　had　many　symptoms　which　made　me　fear　that　all　the　danger　was　not　yet　over。　　I　then　took　cloves　of　garlic；　though　with　a　great　aversion；　both　from　the　taste　and　smell。　　I　was　in　this　condition　a　whole　month；　always　in　pain；　and　taking　medicines　the　most　nauseous　in　the　world。　　At　length　youth　and　a　happy　constitution　surmounted　the　malignity；　and　I　recovered　my　former　health。

I　continued　two　years　at　my　residence　in　Tigre；　entirely　taken　up　with　the　duties　of　the　missionpreaching；　confessing；　baptising　and　enjoyed　a　longer　quiet　and　repose　than　I　had　ever　done　since　I　left　Portugal。　　During　this　time　one　of　our　fathers；　being　always　sick　and　of　a　constitution　which　the　air　of　Abyssinia　was　very　hurtful　to；　obtained　a　permission　from　our　superiors　to　return　to　the　Indies；　I　was　willing　to　accompany　him　through　part　of　his　way；　and　went　with　him　over　a　desert；　at　no　great　distance　from　my　residence；　where　I　found　many　trees　loaded　with　a　kind　of　fruit；　called　by　the