a voyage to abyssinia-第8部分

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d　the　kernel　into　meal；　and　make　cakes　of　or　draw　an　oil　from　it　of　a　fine　scent　and　taste；　and　of　great　use　in　medicine；　so　that　what　is　reported　of　the　different　products　of　this　wonderful　tree　is　neither　false　nor　incredible。

It　is　time　we　should　come　now　to　the　relation　of　our　voyage。　　Having　happily　passed　the　straits　at　the　entrance　of　the　Red　Sea；　we　pursued　our　course；　keeping　as　near　the　shore　as　we　could；　without　any　farther　apprehensions　of　the　Turks。　　We　were；　however；　under　some　concern　that　we　were　entirely　ignorant　in　what　part　of　the　coast　to　find　Baylur；　a　port　where　we　proposed　landing；　and　so　little　known；　that　our　pilots；　who　had　made　many　voyages　in　this　sea；　could　give　us　no　account　of　it。　　We　were　in　hopes　of　information　from　the　fishermen；　but　found　that　as　soon　as　we　came　near　they　fled　from　us　in　the　greatest　consternation；　no　signals　of　peace　or　friendship　could　prevail　on　them　to　stay；　they　either　durst　not　trust　or　did　not　understand　us。　　We　plied　along　the　coast　in　this　uncertainty　two　days；　till　on　the　first　of　March　having　doubled　a　point　of　land；　which　came　out　a　great　way　into　the　sea；　we　found　ourselves　in　the　middle　of　a　fair　large　bay；　which　many　reasons　induced　us　to　think　was　Baylur；　that　we　might　be　farther　assured　we　sent　our　Abyssin　on　shore；　who　returning　next　morning　confirmed　our　opinion。　　It　would　not　be　easy　to　determine　whether　our　arrival　gave　us　greater　joy；　or　the　inhabitants　greater　apprehensions；　for　we　could　discern　a　continual　tumult　in　the　land；　and　took　notice　that　the　crews　of　some　barks　that　lay　in　the　harbour　were　unlading　with　all　possible　diligence；　to　prevent　the　cargo　from　falling　into　our　hands；　very　much　indeed　to　the　dissatisfaction　of　many　of　our　soldiers；　who　having　engaged　in　this　expedition；　with　no　other　view　than　of　filling　their　pockets；　were；　before　the　return　of　our　Abyssin；　for　treating　them　like　enemies；　and　taking　them　as　a　lawful　prize。　　We　were　willing　to　be　assured　of　a　good　reception　in　this　port；　the　patriarch　therefore　sent　me　to　treat　with　them。　　I　dressed　myself　like　a　merchant；　and　in　that　habit　received　the　four　captains　of　gelves　which　the　chec　sent　to　compliment　me；　and　ordered　to　stay　as　hostages；　whom　I　sent　back；　that　I　might　gain　upon　their　affections　by　the　confidence　I　placed　in　their　sincerity；　this　had　so　good　an　effect；　that　the　chec；　who　was　transported　with　the　account　the　officers　gave　of　the　civilities　they　had　been　treated　with；　came　in　an　hour　to　visit　me；　bringing　with　him　a　Portuguese；　whom　I　had　sent　ashore　as　a　security　for　his　return。　　He　informed　me　that　the　King　his　master　was　encamped　not　far　off；　and　that　a　chec　who　was　then　in　the　company　was　just　arrived　from　thence；　and　had　seen　the　Emperor　of　Aethiopia's　letters　in　our　favour；　I　was　then　convinced　that　we　might　land　without　scruple；　and　to　give　the　patriarch　notice　of　it　ordered　a　volley　of　our　muskets　to　be　fired；　which　was　answered　by　the　cannon　of　the　two　ships　that　lay　at　a　distance；　for　fear　of　giving　the　Moors　any　cause　of　suspicion　by　their　approach。　　The　chec　and　his　attendants；　though　I　had　given　them　notice　that　we　were　going　to　let　off　our　guns　in　honour　of　the　King　their　master；　could　not　forbear　trembling　at　the　fire　and　noise。　　They　left　us　soon　after；　and　next　morning　we　landed　our　baggage；　consisting　chiefly　of　the　patriarch's　library；　some　ornaments　for　the　church；　some　images；　and　some　pieces　of　calico；　which　were　of　the　same　use　as　money。　　Most　of　the　soldiers　and　sailors　were　desirous　of　going　with　us；　some　from　real　principles　of　piety；　and　a　desire　of　sharing　the　labours　and　merits　of　the　mission；　others　upon　motives　very　different；　the　hopes　of　raising　a　fortune。　　To　have　taken　all　who　offered　themselves　would　have　been　an　injury　to　the　owners　of　the　ships；　by　rendering　them　unable　to　continue　their　voyage；　we　therefore　accepted　only　of　a　few。



Chapter　V



An　account　of　Dancali。　　The　conduct　of　Chec　Furt。　　The　author　wounded。　　They　arrive　at　the　court　of　the　King　of　Dancali。　　A　description　of　his　pavilion；　and　the　reception　they　met　with。


Our　goods　were　no　sooner　landed　than　we　were　surrounded　with　a　crowd　of　officers；　all　gaping　for　presents；　we　were　forced　to　gratify　their　avarice　by　opening　our　bales；　and　distributing　among　them　some　pieces　of　calico。　　What　we　gave　to　the　chec　might　be　worth　about　a　pistole；　and　the　rest　in　proportion。

The　kingdom　of　Dancali；　to　which　this　belongs；　is　barren；　and　thinly　peopled；　the　king　is　tributary　to　the　Emperor　of　Abyssinia；　and　very　faithful　to　his　sovereign。　　The　emperor　had　not　only　written　to　him；　but　had　sent　a　Moor　and　Portuguese　as　his　ambassadors；　to　secure　us　a　kind　reception；　these　in　their　way　to　this　prince　had　come　through　the　countries　of　Chumo…Salamay　and　Senaa；　the　utmost　confines　of　Abyssinia；　and　had　carried　thither　the　emperor's　orders　concerning　our　passage。

On　Ascension　Day　we　left　Baylur；　having　procured　some　camels　and　asses　to　carry　our　baggage。　　The　first　day's　march　was　not　above　a　league；　and　the　others　not　much　longer。　　Our　guides　performed　their　office　very　ill；　being　influenced；　as　we　imagined；　by　the　Chec　Furt；　an　officer；　whom；　though　unwilling；　we　were　forced　to　take　with　us。　This　man；　who　might　have　brought　us　to　the　king　in　three　days；　led　us　out　of　the　way　through　horrid　deserts　destitute　of　water；　or　where　what　we　found　was　so　foul；　nauseous；　and　offensive；　that　it　excited　a　loathing　and　aversion　which　nothing　but　extreme　necessity　could　have　overcome。

Having　travelled　some　days；　we　were　met　by　the　King's　brother；　to　whom；　by　the　advice　of　Chec　Furt；　whose　intent　in　following　us　was　to　squeeze　all　he　could　from　us；　we　presented　some　pieces　of　Chinese　workmanship；　such　as　cases　of　boxes；　a　standish；　and　some　earthenware；　together　with　several　pieces　of　painted　calico；　which　were　so　much　more　agreeable；　that　he　desired　some　other　pieces　instead　of　our　Chinese　curiosities；　we　willingly　made　the　exchange。　Yet　some　time　afterwards　he　asked　again　for　those　Chinese　goods　which　he　had　returned　us；　nor　was　it　in　our　power　to　refuse　them。　　I　was　here　in　danger　of　losing　my　life　by　a　compliment　which　the　Portuguese　paid　the　prince　of　a　discharge　of　twelve　muskets；　one　being　unskilfully　charged　too　high；　flew　out　of　the　soldier's　hand；　and　falling　against　my　leg；　wounded　it　very　much；　we　had　no　surgeon　with　us；　so　that　all　I　could　do　was　to　bind　it　hard　with　some　cloth。　I　was　obliged　by　this　accident　to　make　use　of　the　Chec　Furt's　horse；　which　was　the　greatest　service　we　received　from　him　in　all　our　journey。

When　we　came　within　two　leagues　and　a　half　of　the　King's　court；　he　sent　some　messengers　with　his　compliments；　and　five　mules　for　the　chief　of　our　company。　　Our　road　lay　through　a　wood；　where　we　found　the　ground　covered　over　with　young　locusts；　a　plague　intolerably　afflictive　in　a　country　so　barren　of　itself。　　We　arrived　at　length　at　the　bank　of　a　small　river；　near　which　the　King　usually　keeps　his　residence；　and　found　his　palace　at　the　foot　of　a　little　mountain。　It　consisted　of　about　six　tents　and　twenty　cabins；　erected　amongst　some　thorns　and　wild　trees；　which　afforded　a　shelter　from　the　heat　of　the　weather。　　He　received　us　the　first　time　in