a voyage to abyssinia-第3部分

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ese　coasts　are　remarkable　for　the　many　shipwrecks　the　Portuguese　have　suffered。　　The　sea　is　for　the　most　part　rough；　and　the　winds　tempestuous；　we　had　here　our　rigging　somewhat　damaged　by　a　storm　of　lightning；　which　when　we　had　repaired；　we　sailed　forward　to　Mosambique；　where　we　were　to　stay　some　time。　　When　we　came　near　that　coast；　and　began　to　rejoice　at　the　prospect　of　ease　and　refreshment；　we　were　on　the　sudden　alarmed　with　the　sight　of　a　squadron　of　ships；　of　what　nation　we　could　not　at　first　distinguish；　but　soon　discovered　that　they　were　three　English　and　three　Dutch；　and　were　preparing　to　attack　us。　　I　shall　not　trouble　the　reader　with　the　particulars　of　this　fight；　in　which；　though　the　English　commander　ran　himself　aground；　we　lost　three　of　our　ships；　and　with　great　difficulty　escaped　with　the　rest　into　the　port　of　Mosambique。

This　place　was　able　to　afford　us　little　consolation　in　our　uneasy　circumstances；　the　arrival　of　our　company　almost　caused　a　scarcity　of　provisions。　　The　heat　in　the　day　is　intolerable；　and　the　dews　in　the　night　so　unwholesome　that　it　is　almost　certain　death　to　go　out　with　one's　head　uncovered。　　Nothing　can　be　a　stronger　proof　of　the　malignant　quality　of　the　air　than　that　the　rust　will　immediately　corrode　both　the　iron　and　brass　if　they　are　not　carefully　covered　with　straw。　　We　stayed；　however；　in　this　place　from　the　latter　end　of　July　to　the　beginning　of　September；　when　having　provided　ourselves　with　other　vessels；　we　set　out　for　Cochim；　and　landed　there　after　a　very　hazardous　and　difficult　passage；　made　so　partly　by　the　currents　and　storms　which　separated　us　from　each　other；　and　partly　by　continual　apprehensions　of　the　English　and　Dutch；　who　were　cruising　for　us　in　the　Indian　seas。　　Here　the　viceroy　and　his　company　were　received　with　so　much　ceremony；　as　was　rather　troublesome　than　pleasing　to　us　who　were　fatigued　with　the　labours　of　the　passage；　and　having　stayed　here　some　time；　that　the　gentlemen　who　attended　the　viceroy　to　Goa　might　fit　out　their　vessels；　we　set　sail；　and　after　having　been　detained　some　time　at　sea；　by　calms　and　contrary　winds；　and　somewhat　harassed　by　the　English　and　Dutch；　who　were　now　increased　to　eleven　ships　of　war；　arrived　at　Goa；　on　Saturday；　the　16th　of　December；　and　the　viceroy　made　his　entry　with　great　magnificence。

I　lived　here　about　a　year；　and　completed　my　studies　in　divinity；　in　which　time　some　letters　were　received　from　the　fathers　in　Aethiopia；　with　an　account　that　Sultan　Segued；　Emperor　of　Abyssinia；　was　converted　to　the　Church　of　Rome；　that　many　of　his　subjects　had　followed　his　example；　and　that　there　was　a　great　want　of　missionaries　to　improve　these　prosperous　beginnings。　　Everybody　was　very　desirous　of　seconding　the　zeal　of　our　fathers；　and　of　sending　them　the　assistance　they　requested；　to　which　we　were　the　more　encouraged；　because　the　emperor's　letters　informed　our　provincial　that　we　might　easily　enter　his　dominions　by　the　way　of　Dancala；　but　unhappily；　the　secretary　wrote　Zeila　for　Dancala；　which　cost　two　of　our　fathers　their　lives。

We　were；　however；　notwithstanding　the　assurances　given　us　by　the　emperor；　sufficiently　apprised　of　the　danger　which　we　were　exposed　to　in　this　expedition；　whether　we　went　by　sea　or　land。　　By　sea；　we　foresaw　the　hazard　we　run　of　falling　into　the　hands　of　the　Turks；　amongst　whom　we　should　lose；　if　not　our　lives；　at　least　our　liberty；　and　be　for　ever　prevented　from　reaching　the　court　of　Aethiopia。　Upon　this　consideration　our　superiors　divided　the　eight　Jesuits　chosen　for　this　mission　into　two　companies。　　Four　they　sent　by　sea　and　four　by　land；　I　was　of　the　latter　number。　　The　four　first　were　the　more　fortunate；　who　though　they　were　detained　some　time　by　the　Turkish　bassa；　were　dismissed　at　the　request　of　the　emperor；　who　sent　him　a　zebra；　or　wild　ass；　a　creature　of　large　size　and　admirable　beauty。

As　for　us；　who　were　to　go　by　Zeila；　we　had　still　greater　difficulties　to　struggle　with：　　we　were　entirely　strangers　to　the　ways　we　were　to　take；　to　the　manners；　and　even　to　the　names　of　the　nations　through　which　we　were　to　pass。　　Our　chief　desire　was　to　discover　some　new　road　by　which　we　might　avoid　having　anything　to　do　with　the　Turks。　　Among　great　numbers　whom　we　consulted　on　this　occasion；　we　were　informed　by　some　that　we　might　go　through　Melinda。　These　men　painted　that　hideous　wilderness　in　charming　colours；　told　us　that　we　should　find　a　country　watered　with　navigable　rivers；　and　inhabited　by　a　people　that　would　either　inform　us　of　the　way；　or　accompany　us　in　it。　　These　reports　charmed　us；　because　they　flattered　our　desires；　but　our　superiors　finding　nothing　in　all　this　talk　that　could　be　depended　on；　were　in　suspense　what　directions　to　give　us；　till　my　companion　and　I　upon　this　reflection；　that　since　all　the　ways　were　equally　new　to　us；　we　had　nothing　to　do　but　to　resign　ourselves　to　the　Providence　of　God；　asked　and　obtained　the　permission　of　our　superiors　to　attempt　the　road　through　Melinda。　　So　of　we　who　went　by　land；　two　took　the　way　of　Zeila；　and　my　companion　and　I　that　of　Melinda。

Those　who　were　appointed　for　Zeila　embarked　in　a　vessel　that　was　going　to　Caxume；　where　they　were　well　received　by　the　king；　and　accommodated　with　a　ship　to　carry　them　to　Zeila；　they　were　there　treated　by　the　check　with　the　same　civility　which　they　had　met　with　at　Caxume。　　But　the　king　being　informed　of　their　arrival；　ordered　them　to　be　conveyed　to　his　court　at　Auxa；　to　which　place　they　were　scarce　come　before　they　were　thrown　by　the　king's　command　into　a　dark　and　dismal　dungeon；　where　there　is　hardly　any　sort　of　cruelty　that　was　not　exercised　upon　them。　　The　Emperor　of　Abyssinia　endeavoured　by　large　offers　to　obtain　their　liberty；　but　his　kind　offices　had　no　other　effect　than　to　heighten　the　rage　of　the　king　of　Zeila。　　This　prince；　besides　his　ill　will　to　Sultan　Segued；　which　was　kept　up　by　some　malcontents　among　the　Abyssin　nobility；　who；　provoked　at　the　conversion　of　their　master；　were　plotting　a　revolt；　entertained　an　inveterate　hatred　against　the　Portuguese　for　the　death　of　his　grandfather；　who　had　been　killed　many　years　before；　which　he　swore　the　blood　of　the　Jesuits　should　repay。　　So　after　they　had　languished　for　some　time　in　prison　their　heads　were　struck　off。　A　fate　which　had　been　likewise　our　own；　had　not　God　reserved　us　for　longer　labours！

Having　provided　everything　necessary　for　our　journey；　such　as　Arabian　habits；　and　red　caps；　calicoes；　and　other　trifles　to　make　presents　of　to　the　inhabitants；　and　taking　leave　of　our　friends；　as　men　going　to　a　speedy　death；　for　we　were　not　insensible　of　the　dangers　we　were　likely　to　encounter；　amongst　horrid　deserts；　impassable　mountains；　and　barbarous　nations；　we　left　Goa　on　the　26th　day　of　January　in　the　year　1624；　in　a　Portuguese　galliot　that　was　ordered　to　set　us　ashore　at　Pate；　where　we　landed　without　any　disaster　in　eleven　days；　together　with　a　young　Abyssin；　whom　we　made　use　of　as　our　interpreter。　　While　we　stayed　here　we　were　given　to　understand　that　those　who　had　been　pleased　at　Goa　to　give　us　directions　in　relation　to　our　journey　had　done　nothing　but　tell　us　lies。　　That　the　people　were　savage；　that　they　had　indeed　begun　to　treat　with　the　Portuguese；　but　it　was　only　from　fear；　t