4 o2 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



they introduced in the worfliip of the Nile, is a further 

 proof that they came from Canaan, where they imbibed 

 materialifm in place of the pure Sabcan worfliip of the 

 Shepherds, then the only religion of this part of Africa. 



The fourth is a nation bordering upon the . fouthcrn. 

 banks of the Nile near Damot. It calls itfelf Gafat, which 

 fignifies opprefled by violence,- torn, expelled, or chaccd a- 

 way by force. If we were to follow the idea ariiing mere- 

 ly from this name, we might be led to imagine, that thefe 

 were part of the tribes torn from Solomon's fon and fuccef- 

 for, Rehoboam. This, however, we cannot do confluent 

 with the faith to be kept by a hiflorian with his reader. 

 The evidence of the people themfelves, and the tradition of 

 the country, deny they ever were Jews, or ever concerned 

 with that colony, brought with Menilek and the queen of 

 Saba, which eilablifhed the Jewifh hierarchy. They declare, 

 that they are now Pagans, and ever were fo; that they are 

 partakers with their neighbours the Agows in the worfliip 

 of the river Nile, the extent or particulars of which I can- 

 not pretend to explain. — The fifth is a tribe, which, if we 

 were to pay any attention to fimilarity of names, we fliould 

 be apt to imagine we had. found here in Africa a part 

 of that great Gaulifli nation fo widely extended in Europe 

 and Afia. A comparifon of their languages, with what we 

 know exifls of , the former, cannot but be very curious. — 

 Thefe are the Galla, the moil confiderable of thefe nations, 

 fpecimens of whole language I have cited. This word, in.< 

 their own language, fignifies Shepherd*; they fay that for- 

 merly 



* Thefe people likewife call themfelves Agaazi, or Agagi, they have over-run the kingdom of 

 Congo fouth of the Line, and on the Atlantic Ocean, as the Galla have done that part of the king- 

 dom of Add and Abyflinia, on the Eaftan, or Indian Ocean. Purch. lib..ii. chap. 4. Seel. 8. 



