a voyage to abyssinia-第9章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ing；　and　flies　away。　　But　amongst　all　their　birds　there　is　none　more　remarkable　than　the　moroc；　or　honey…bird；　which　is　furnished　by　nature　with　a　peculiar　instinct　or　faculty　of　discovering　honey。　They　have　here　multitudes　of　bees　of　various　kinds；　some　are　tame；　like　ours；　and　form　their　combs　in　hives。　　Of　the　wild　ones；　some　place　their　honey　in　hollow　trees；　others　hide　it　in　holes　in　the　ground；　which　they　cover　so　carefully；　that　though　they　are　commonly　in　the　highway；　they　are　seldom　found；　unless　by　the　moroc's　help；　which；　when　he　has　discovered　any　honey；　repairs　immediately　to　the　road　side；　and　when　he　sees　a　traveller；　sings；　and　claps　his　wings；　making　many　motions　to　invite　him　to　follow　him；　and　when　he　perceives　him　coming；　flies　before　him　from　tree　to　tree；　till　he　comes　to　the　place　where　the　bees　have　stored　their　treasure；　and　then　begins　to　sing　melodiously。　　The　Abyssin　takes　the　honey；　without　failing　to　leave　part　of　it　for　the　bird；　to　reward　him　for　his　information。　　This　kind　of　honey　I　have　often　tasted；　and　do　not　find　that　it　differs　from　the　other　sorts　in　anything　but　colour；　it　is　somewhat　blacker。　　The　great　quantity　of　honey　that　is　gathered；　and　a　prodigious　number　of　cows　that　is　kept　here；　have　often　made　me　call　Abyssinia　a　land　of　honey　and　butter。



Chapter　III



The　manner　of　eating　in　Abyssinia；　their　dress；　their　hospitality；　and　traffic。


The　great　lords；　and　even　the　Emperor　himself；　maintain　their　tables　with　no　great　expense。　　The　vessels　they　make　use　of　are　black　earthenware；　which；　the　older　it　is；　they　set　a　greater　value　on。　Their　way　of　dressing　their　meat；　an　European；　till　he　hath　been　long　accustomed　to　it；　can　hardly　be　persuaded　to　like；　everything　they　eat　smells　strong　and　swims　with　butter。　　They　make　no　use　of　either　linen　or　plates。　　The　persons　of　rank　never　touch　what　they　eat；　but　have　their　meat　cut　by　their　pages；　and　put　into　their　mouths。　　When　they　feast　a　friend　they　kill　an　ox；　and　set　immediately　a　quarter　of　him　raw　upon　the　table　（for　their　most　elegant　treat　is　raw　beef　newly　killed）　with　pepper　and　salt；　the　gall　of　the　ox　serves　them　for　oil　and　vinegar；　some；　to　heighten　the　delicacy　of　the　entertainment；　add　a　kind　of　sauce；　which　they　call　manta；　made　of　what　they　take　out　of　the　guts　of　the　ox；　this　they　set　on　the　fire；　with　butter；　salt；　pepper；　and　onion。　　Raw　beef；　thus　relished；　is　their　nicest　dish；　and　is　eaten　by　them　with　the　same　appetite　and　pleasure　as　we　eat　the　best　partridges。　　They　have　often　done　me　the　favour　of　helping　me　to　some　of　this　sauce；　and　I　had　no　way　to　decline　eating　it　besides　telling　them　it　was　too　good　for　a　missionary。

The　common　drink　of　the　Abyssins　is　beer　and　mead；　which　they　drink　to　excess　when　they　visit　one　another；　nor　can　there　be　a　greater　offence　against　good　manners　than　to　let　the　guests　go　away　sober：　their　liquor　is　always　presented　by　a　servant；　who　drinks　first　himself；　and　then　gives　the　cup　to　the　company；　in　the　order　of　their　quality。

The　meaner　sort　of　people　here　dress　themselves　very　plain；　they　only　wear　drawers；　and　a　thick　garment　of　cotton；　that　covers　the　rest　of　their　bodies：　　the　people　of　quality；　especially　those　that　frequent　the　court；　run　into　the　contrary　extreme；　and　ruin　themselves　with　costly　habits。　　They　wear　all　sorts　of　silks；　and　particularly　the　fine　velvets　of　Turkey。

They　love　bright　and　glaring　colours；　and　dress　themselves　much　in　the　Turkish　manner；　except　that　their　clothes　are　wider；　and　their　drawers　cover　their　legs。　　Their　robes　are　always　full　of　gold　and　silver　embroidery。　　They　are　most　exact　about　their　hair；　which　is　long　and　twisted；　and　their　care　of　it　is　such　that　they　go　bare…　headed　whilst　they　are　young　for　fear　of　spoiling　it；　but　afterwards　wear　red　caps；　and　sometimes　turbans　after　the　Turkish　fashion。

The　ladies'　dress　is　yet　more　magnificent　and　expensive；　their　robes　are　as　large　as　those　of　the　religious；　of　the　order　of　St。　Bernard。　They　have　various　ways　of　dressing　their　heads；　and　spare　no　expense　in　ear…rings；　necklaces；　or　anything　that　may　contribute　to　set　them　off　to　advantage。　　They　are　not　much　reserved　or　confined；　and　have　so　much　liberty　in　visiting　one　another　that　their　husbands　often　suffer　by　it；　but　for　this　evil　there　is　no　remedy；　especially　when　a　man　marries　a　princess；　or　one　of　the　royal　family。　　Besides　their　clothes；　the　Abyssins　have　no　movables　or　furniture　of　much　value；　or　doth　their　manner　of　living　admit　of　them。

One　custom　of　this　country　deserves　to　be　remarked：　　when　a　stranger　comes　to　a　village；　or　to　the　camp；　the　people　are　obliged　to　entertain　him　and　his　company　according　to　his　rank。　　As　soon　as　he　enters　a　house　（for　they　have　no　inns　in　this　nation）；　the　master　informs　his　neighbours　that　he　hath　a　guest；　immediately　they　bring　in　bread　and　all　kinds　of　provisions；　and　there　is　great　care　taken　to　provide　enough；　because；　if　the　guest　complains；　the　town　is　obliged　to　pay　double　the　value　of　what　they　ought　to　have　furnished。　　This　practice　is　so　well　established　that　a　stranger　goes　into　a　house　of　one　he　never　saw　with　the　same　familiarity　and　assurance　of　welcome　as　into　that　of　an　intimate　friend　or　near　relation；　a　custom　very　convenient；　but　which　gives　encouragement　to　great　numbers　of　vagabonds　throughout　the　kingdom。

There　is　no　money　in　Abyssinia；　except　in　the　eastern　provinces；　where　they　have　iron　coin：　　but　in　the　chief　provinces　all　commerce　is　managed　by　exchange。　　Their　chief　trade　consists　in　provisions；　cows；　sheep；　goats；　fowls；　pepper；　and　gold；　which　is　weighed　out　to　the　purchaser；　and　principally　in　salt；　which　is　properly　the　money　of　this　country。

When　the　Abyssins　are　engaged　in　a　law…suit；　the　two　parties　make　choice　of　a　judge；　and　plead　their　own　cause　before　him；　and　if　they　cannot　agree　in　their　choice；　the　governor　of　the　place　appoints　them　one；　from　whom　there　lies　an　appeal　to　the　viceroy　and　to　the　Emperor　himself。　　All　causes　are　determined　on　the　spot；　no　writings　are　produced。　　The　judge　sits　down　on　the　ground　in　the　midst　of　the　high　road；　where　all　that　please　may　be　present：　　the　two　persons　concerned　stand　before　him；　with　their　friends　about　them；　who　serve　as　their　attorneys。　　The　plaintiff　speaks　first；　the　defendant　answers　him；　each　is　permitted　to　rejoin　three　or　four　times；　then　silence　is　commanded；　and　the　judge　takes　the　opinions　of　those　that　are　about　him。　　If　the　evidence　be　deemed　sufficient；　he　pronounces　sentence；　which　in　some　cases　is　decisive　and　without　appeal。　　He　then　takes　the　criminal　into　custody　till　he　hath　made　satisfaction；　but　if　it　be　a　crime　punishable　with　death　he　is　delivered　over　to　the　prosecutor；　who　may　put　him　to　death　at　his　own　discretion。

They　have　here　a　particular　way　of　punishing　adultery；　a　woman　convicted　of　that　crime　is　condemned　to　forfeit　all　her　fortune；　is　turned　out　of　her　husband's　house；　in　a　mean　dress；　and　is　forbid　ever　to　enter　it　again；　she　has　only　a　needle　given　her　to　get　her　living　with。　　Sometimes　her　head　is　shaved；　except　one　lock　of　hair；　which　is　left　her；　and　even　that　depends　on　the　will　of　her　husband；　who　has　it　likewise　in　his　choice　whether　he　will　receive　her　again　or　not；　if　he　resolves　never　to　admit　her　they　are　both　at　liberty　to　marry　whom　they　will。　　There　is　another　custom　amongst　them　yet　more　extraordinary；　which　is；　that　the　wife　is　punished　whenever　the　husband　proves　false　to　the　marriage　contract；　this　punishment　indeed　extends　no　farther　than　a　pecuniary　mulct；　and　what　seems　more　equitable；　the　husband　is　obliged　to　pay　a　sum　of　money　to　his　wife。　　When　the　husband　prosecutes　his　wife's　gallant；　if　he　can　produce　any　proofs　of　a　criminal　conversation；　he　recovers　for　damages　forty　cows；　forty　horses；　and　forty　suits　of　clothes；　and　the　same　number　of　other　things。　　If　the　gallant　be　unable　to　pay　him；　he　is　committed　to　prison；　and　continues　there　during　the　husband's　pleasure；　who；　if　he　sets　him　at　liberty　before　the　whole　fine　be　paid；　obliges　him　to　take　an　oath　that　he　is　going　to　procure　the　rest；　that　he　may　be　able　to　make　full　satisfaction。　Then　the　criminal　orders　meat　and　drink　to　be　brought　out；　they　eat　and　drink　together；　he　asks　a　formal　pardon；　which　is　not　granted　at　first；　however；　the　husband　forgives　first　one　part　of　the　debt；　and　then　another；　till　at　length　the　whole　is　remitted。

A　husband　that　doth　not　like　his　wife　may　easily　find　means　to　make　the　marriage　void；　and；　what　is　worse；　may　dismiss　the　second　wife　with　less　difficulty　than　he　took　her；　and　return　to　the　first；　so　that　marriages　in　this　country　are　only　for　a　term　of　years；　and　last　no　longer　than　both　parties　are　pleased　with　each　other；　which　is　one　instance　how　far　distant　these　people　are　from　the　purity　of　the　primitive　believers；　which　they　pretend　to　have　preserved　with　so　great　strictness。　　The　marriages　are　in　short　no　more　than　bargains；　made　with　this　proviso；　that　when　any　discontent　shall　arise　on　either　side；　they　may　separate；　and　marry　whom　they　please；　each　taking　back　what　they　brought　with　them。



Chapter　IV



An　account　of　the　religion　of　the　Abyssins。


Yet　though　there　is　a　great　difference　between　our　manners；　customs；　civil　government；　and　those　of　the　Abyssins；　there　is　yet　a　much　greater　in　points　of　faith；　for　so　many　errors　have　been　introduced　and　ingrafted　into　their　religion；　by　their　ignorance；　their　separation　from　the　Catholic　Church；　and　their　intercourse　with　Jews；　Pagans；　and　Mohammedans；　that　their　present　religion　is　nothing　but　a　kind　of　confused　miscellany　of　Jewish　and　Mohammedan　superstitions；　with　which　they　have　corrupted　those　remnants　of　Christianity　which　they　still　retain。

They　have；　however；　preserved　the　belief　of　our　principal　mysteries；　they　celebrate　with　a　great　deal　of　piety　the　passion　of　our　Lord；　they　reverence　the　cross；　they　pay　a　great　devotion　to　the　Blessed　Virgin；　the　angels；　and　the　saints；　they　observe　the　festivals；　and　pay　a　strict　regard　to　the　Sunday。　　Every　month　they　commemorate　the　assumption　of　the　Virgin　Mary；　and　are　of　opinion　that　no　Christians　beside　themselves　have　a　true　sense　of　the　greatness　of　the　mother　of　God；　or　pay　her　the　honours　that　are　due　to　her。　　There　are　some　tribes　amongst　them　（for　they　are　distinguished　like　the　Jews　by　their　tribes）；　among　whom　the　crime　of　swearing　by　the　name　of　the　Virgin　is　punished　with　forfeiture　of　goods　and　even　with　loss　of　life；　they　are　equally　scrupulous　of　swearing　by　St。　George。　　Every　week　they　keep　a　feast　to　the　honour　of　the　apostles　and　angels；　they　come　to　mass　with　great　devotion；　and　love　to　hear　the　word　of　God。　　They　receive　the　sacrament　often；　but　do　not　always　prepare　themselves　by　confession。　　Their　charity　to　the　poor　may　be　said　to　exceed　the　proper　bounds　that　prudence　ought　to　set　it；　for　it　contributes　to　encourage　great　numbers　of　beggars；　which　are　a　great　annoyance　to　the　whole　kingdom；　and　as　I　have　often　said；　afford　more　exercise　to　a　Christian's　patience　than　his　charity；　for　their　insolence　is　such；　that　they　will　refuse　what　is　offered　them　if　it　be　not　so　much　as　they　think　proper　to　ask。

Though　the　Abyssins　have　not　many　images；　they　have　great　numbers　of　pictures；　a