xii INTRODUCTION. 
resistance.” From the following description it is pretty 
evident that Purchas must have been in possession of this 
rare book from which the above account is taken; though 
he has not profited by the information it contains respect- 
ing the different sources of the Nile and the Zaire, « for 
the Portuguese,” says this chronicle, ‘‘ and the fathers of 
our society who traversed the whole empire of Upper 
Ethiopia, (which we call Presté Joao) have clearly proved 
that the Nile does not take its rise in this lake Zembré, 
and that those authors are mistaken who give it that 
source.” Purchas, however, seems to have no scruples 
about the truth of what amounts nearly to a physical im- 
possibility,—the flowing of two rivers in opposite direc- 
tions out of the same lake. ‘“ The Zaire,” says this 
quaint writer, “is of such force that no ship can get in 
against the current but neer to the shore; yea, it prevails 
against the ocean’s saltnesse threescore, and as some say, 
fourscore miles within the sea before his proud waves 
yeeld their full homage, and receive that salt temper in 
token of subjection. Such is the haughty spirit of that 
stream, overrunning the low countries as it passeth, and 
swollen with conceit of daily conquests and daily supplies, 
which, in armies of showers are, by the clouds, sent to 
his succour, runnes now in a furious rage, thinking even 
to swallow the ocean, which before he never saw, with 
1is mouth wide gaping eight and twentee miles, as Lopez 
affirmeth, in the opening ; but meeting with a more giant- 
like enemie which lies lurking under the cliffes to receive his 
assault, is presently swallowed in that wider wombe, yet 
so, as always being conquered, he never gives over, but 
in an eternall quarrel, with deepe and indented frownes in 
