a voyage to abyssinia-第19章

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ittle　corn　that　we　had；　and　I；　after　we　had　sold　all　our　goods；　resolved　to　turn　physician；　and　was　soon　able　to　support　myself　by　my　practice。

I　was　once　consulted　by　a　man　troubled　with　asthma；　who　presented　me　with　two　alquieresthat　is；　about　twenty…eight　pounds　weightof　corn　and　a　sheep。　　The　advice　I　gave　him；　after　having　turned　over　my　books；　was　to　drink　goats'　urine　every　morning；　I　know　not　whether　he　found　any　benefit　by　following　my　prescription；　for　I　never　saw　him　after。

Being　under　a　necessity　of　obeying　our　acoba；　or　protector；　we　changed　our　place　of　abode　as　often　as　he　desired　it；　though　not　without　great　inconveniences；　from　the　excessive　heat　of　the　weather　and　the　faintness　which　our　strict　observation　of　the　fasts　and　austerities　of　Lent；　as　it　is　kept　in　this　country；　had　brought　upon　us。　　At　length；　wearied　with　removing　so　often；　and　finding　that　the　last　place　assigned　for　our　abode　was　always　the　worst；　we　agreed　that　I　should　go　to　our　sovereign　and　complain。

I　found　him　entirely　taken　up　with　the　imagination　of　a　prodigious　treasure；　affirmed　by　the　monks　to　be　hidden　under　a　mountain。　　He　was　told　that　his　predecessors　had　been　hindered　from　discovering　it　by　the　demon　that　guarded　it；　but　that　the　demon　was　now　at　a　great　distance　from　his　charge；　and　was　grown　blind　and　lame；　that　having　lost　his　son；　and　being　without　any　children　except　a　daughter　that　was　ugly　and　unhealthy；　he　was　under　great　affliction；　and　entirely　neglected　the　care　of　his　treasure；　that　if　he　should　come；　they　could　call　one　of　their　ancient　brothers　to　their　assistance；　who；　being　a　man　of　a　most　holy　life；　would　be　able　to　prevent　his　making　any　resistance。　　To　all　these　stories　the　prince　listened　with　unthinking　credulity。　　The　monks；　encouraged　by　this；　fell　to　the　business；　and　brought　a　man　above　a　hundred　years　old；　whom；　because　he　could　not　support　himself　on　horseback；　they　had　tied　on　the　beast；　and　covered　him　with　black　wool。　　He　was　followed　by　a　black　cow　（designed　for　a　sacrifice　to　the　demon　of　the　place）；　and　by　some　monks　that　carried　mead；　beer；　and　parched　corn；　to　complete　the　offering。

No　sooner　were　they　arrived　at　the　foot　of　the　mountain　than　every　one　began　to　work：　　bags　were　brought　from　all　parts　to　convey　away　the　millions　which　each　imagined　would　be　his　share。　　The　Xumo；　who　superintended　the　work；　would　not　allow　any　one　to　come　near　the　labourers；　but　stood　by；　attended　by　the　old　monk；　who　almost　sang　himself　to　death。　　At　length；　having　removed　a　vast　quantity　of　earth　and　stones；　they　discovered　some　holes　made　by　rats　or　moles；　at　sight　of　which　a　shout　of　joy　ran　through　the　whole　troop：　　the　cow　was　brought　and　sacrificed　immediately；　and　some　pieces　of　flesh　were　thrown　into　these　holes。　　Animated　now　with　assurance　of　success；　they　lose　no　time：　　every　one　redoubles　his　endeavours；　and　the　heat；　though　intolerable；　was　less　powerful　than　the　hopes　they　had　conceived。　　At　length　some；　not　so　patient　as　the　rest；　were　weary；　and　desisted。　　The　work　now　grew　more　difficult；　they　found　nothing　but　rock；　yet　continued　to　toil　on；　till　the　prince；　having　lost　all　temper；　began　to　inquire　with　some　passion　when　he　should　have　a　sight　of　this　treasure；　and　after　having　been　some　time　amused　with　many　promises　by　the　monks；　was　told　that　he　had　not　faith　enough　to　be　favoured　with　the　discovery。

All　this　I　saw　myself；　and　could　not　forbear　endeavouring　to　convince　our　protector　how　much　he　was　imposed　upon：　　he　was　not　long　before　he　was　satisfied　that　he　had　been　too　credulous；　for　all　those　that　had　so　industriously　searched　after　this　imaginary　wealth；　within　five　hours　left　the　work　in　despair；　and　I　continued　almost　alone　with　the　prince。

Imagining　no　time　more　proper　to　make　the　proposal　I　was　sent　with　than　while　his　passion　was　still　hot　against　the　monks；　I　presented　him　with　two　ounces　of　gold　and　two　plates　of　silver；　with　some　other　things　of　small　value；　and　was　so　successful　that　he　gratified　me　in　all　my　requests；　and　gave　us　leave　to　return　to　Adicora；　where　we　were　so　fortunate　to　find　our　huts　yet　uninjured　and　entire。

About　this　time　the　fathers　who　had　stayed　behind　at　Fremona　arrived　with　the　new　viceroy；　and　an　officer　fierce　in　the　defence　of　his　own　religion；　who　had　particular　orders　to　deliver　all　the　Jesuits　up　to　the　Turks；　except　me；　whom　the　Emperor　was　resolved　to　have　in　his　own　hands；　alive　or　dead。　　We　had　received　some　notice　of　this　resolution　from　our　friends　at　court；　and　were　likewise　informed　that　the　Emperor；　their　master；　had　been　persuaded　that　my　design　was　to　procure　assistance　from　the　Indies；　and　that　I　should　certainly　return　at　the　head　of　an　army。　　The　patriarch's　advice　upon　this　emergency　was　that　I　should　retire　into　the　woods；　and　by　some　other　road　join　the　nine　Jesuits　who　were　gone　towards　Mazna。　I　could　think　of　no　better　expedient；　and　therefore　went　away　in　the　night　between　the　23rd　and　24th　of　April　with　my　comrade；　an　old　man；　very　infirm　and　very　timorous。　　We　crossed　woods　never　crossed；　I　believe；　by　any　before：　　the　darkness　of　the　night　and　the　thickness　of　the　shade　spread　a　kind　of　horror　round　us；　our　gloomy　journey　was　still　more　incommoded　by　the　brambles　and　thorns；　which　tore　our　hands；　amidst　all　these　difficulties　I　applied　myself　to　the　Almighty；　praying　him　to　preserve　us　from　those　dangers　which　we　endeavoured　to　avoid；　and　to　deliver　us　from　those　to　which　our　flight　exposed　us。　　Thus　we　travelled　all　night；　till　eight　next　morning；　without　taking　either　rest　or　food；　then；　imagining　ourselves　secure；　we　made　us　some　cakes　of　barley…meal　and　water；　which　we　thought　a　feast。

We　had　a　dispute　with　our　guides；　who　though　they　had　bargained　to　conduct　us　for　an　ounce　of　gold；　yet　when　they　saw　us　so　entangled　in　the　intricacies　of　the　wood　that　we　could　not　possibly　get　out　without　their　direction；　demanded　seven　ounces　of　gold；　a　mule；　and　a　little　tent　which　we　had；　after　a　long　dispute　we　were　forced　to　come　to　their　terms。　　We　continued　to　travel　all　night；　and　to　hide　ourselves　in　the　woods　all　day：　　and　here　it　was　that　we　met　the　three　hundred　elephants　I　spoke　of　before。　　We　made　long　marches；　travelling　without　any　halt　from　four　in　the　afternoon　to　eight　in　the　morning。

Arriving　at　a　valley　where　travellers　seldom　escape　being　plundered；　we　were　obliged　to　double　our　pace；　and　were　so　happy　as　to　pass　it　without　meeting　with　any　misfortune；　except　that　we　heard　a　bird　sing　on　our　left　handa　certain　presage　among　these　people　of　some　great　calamity　at　hand。　　As　there　is　no　reasoning　them　out　of　superstition；　I　knew　no　way　of　encouraging　them　to　go　forward　but　what　I　had　already　made　use　of　on　the　same　occasion；　assuring　them　that　I　heard　one　at　the　same　time　on　the　right。　　They　were　happily　so　credulous　as　to　take　my　word；　and　we　went　on　till　we　came　to　a　well；　where　we　stayed　awhile　to　refresh　ourselves。　　Setting　out　again　in　the　evening；　we　passed　so　near　a　village　where　these　robbers　had　retreated　that　the　dogs　barked　after　us。　　Next　morning　we　joined　the　fathers；　who　waited　for　us。　　After　we　had　rested　ourselves　some　time　in　that　mountain；　we　resolved　to　separate　and　go　two　and　two；　to　seek　for　a　more　convenient　place　where　we　might　hide　ourselves。　　We　had　not　gone　far　before　we　were　surrounded　by　a　troop　of　robbers；　with　whom；　by　the　interest　of　some　of　the　natives　who　had　joined　themselves　to　our　caravan；　we　came　to　a　composition；　giving　them　part　of　our　goods　to　permit　us　to　carry　away　the　rest；　and　after　this　troublesome　adventure　arrived　at　a　place　something　more　commodious　than　that　which　we　had　quitted；　where　we　met　with　bread；　but　of　so　pernicious　a　quality　that；　after　having　ate　it；　we　were　intoxicated　to　so　great　a　degree　that　one　of　my　friends；　seeing　me　so　disordered；　congratulated　my　good　fortune　of　having　met　with　such　good　wine；　and　was　surprised　when　I　gave　him　an　account　of　the　whole　affair。　　He　then　offered　me　some　curdled　milk；　very　sour；　with　barley…meal；　which　we　boiled；　and　thought　it　the　best　entertainment　we　had　met　with　a　long　time。



Chapter　XIV



They　are　betrayed　into　the　hands　of　the　Turks；　are　detained　awhile　at　Mazna；　are　threatened　by　the　Bassa　of　Suaquem。　　They　agree　for　their　ransom；　and　are　part　of　them　dismissed。


Some　time　after；　we　received　news　that　we　should　prepare　ourselves　to　serve　the　Turksa　message　which　filled　us　with　surprise；　it　having　never　been　known　that　one　of　these　lords　had　ever　abandoned　any　whom　he　had　taken　under　his　protection；　and　it　is；　on　the　contrary；　one　of　the　highest　points　of　honour　amongst　them　to　risk　their　fortunes　and　their　lives　in　the　defence　of　their　dependants　who　have　implored　their　protection。　　But　neither　law　nor　justice　was　of　any　advantage　to　us；　and　the　customs　of　the　country　were　doomed　to　be　broken　when　they　would　have　contributed　to　our　security。

We　were　obliged　to　march　in　the　extremity　of　the　hot　season；　and　had　certainly　perished　by　the　fatigue　had　we　not　entered　the　woods；　which　shaded　us　from　the　scorching　sun。　　The　day　before　our　arrival　at　the　place　where　we　were　to　be　delivered　to　the　Turks；　we　met　with　five　elephants；　that　pursued　us；　and　if　they　could　have　come　to　us　would　have　prevented　the　miseries　we　afterwards　endured；　but　God　had　decreed　otherwise。

On　the　morrow　we　came　to　the　banks　of　a　river；　where　we　found　fourscore　Turks　that　waited　for　us；　armed　with　muskets。　　They　let　us　rest　awhile；　and　then　put　us　into　the　hands　of　our　new　masters；　who；　setting　us　upon　camels；　conducted　us　to　Mazna。　　Their　commander；　seeming　to　be　touched　with　our　misfortunes；　treated　us　with　much　gentleness　and　humanity；　he　offered　us　coffee；　which　we　drank；　but　with　little　relish。　　We　came　next　day　to　Mazna；　in　so　wretched　a　condition　that　we　were　not　surprised　at　being　hooted　by　the　boys；　but　thought　ourselves　well　used　that　they　threw　no　stones　at　us。

As　soon　as　we　were　brought　hither；　all　we　had　was　taken　from　us；　and　we　were　carried　to　the　governor；　who　is　placed　there　by　the　Bassa　of　Suaquem。　　Having　been　told　by　the　Abyssins　that　we　had　carried　all　the　gold　out　of　Aethiopia；　they　searched　us　with　great　exactness；　but　found　nothing　except　two　chalices；　and　some　relics　of　so　little　value　that　we　redeemed　them　for　six　sequins。　　As　I　had　given　them　my　chalice　upon　their　first　demand；　they　did　not　search　me；　but　gave　us　to　understand　that　they　expected　to　find　something　of　greater　value；　which　either　we　must　have　hidden　or　the　Abyssins　must　have　imposed　on　them。　　They　left　us　the　rest　of　the　day　at　a　gentleman's　house；　who　was　our　friend；　from　whence　the　next　day　they　fetched　us　to　transport　us　to　the　island；　where　they　put　us　into　a　kind　of　prison；　with　a　view　of　terrifying　us　into　a　confession　of　the　place　where　we　had　hid　our　gold；　in　which；　however；　they　found　themselves　deceived。

But　I　had　here　another　affair　upon　my　hands　which　was　near　costing　me　dear。　　My　servant　had　been　taken　from　me　and　left　at　Mazna；　to　be　sold　to　the　Arabs。　　Being　advertised　by　him　of　the　danger　he　was　in；　I　laid　claim　to　him；　without　knowing　the　difficulties　which　this　way　of　proceeding　would　bring　upon　me。　　The　governor　sent　me　word　that　my　servant　should　be　restored　to　me　upon　payment　of　sixty　piastres；　and　b