THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 19 



this can be truly faid ; but certainly it never was lefs true 

 than when faid of Abyflinians. There is fcarce a monk in 

 any lonely monaftery, (fuch as thofe in the hot and un- 

 wholefome valley of Waldubba), not a hermit of the many 

 tipon the mountains, not an old prieft who has lived any 

 time fequeftered from fociety, that does not pretend to pof- 

 fefs charms ofFenfive and defenfive, and feveral methods by 

 which he can, at will, look into futurity. The Moors are 

 all, to a man, perfuaded of this : their arms and necks are 

 loaded with amulets againll witchcraft. Their women 

 are believed to have all the mifchievous powers of faf- 

 cination ; and both fexes a hundred fecrets of divina- 

 tion. The Falafha are addided to this in Hill a greater 

 degree, if poffible. It is always believed by every indivi- 

 dual Abyilinian, that the number of hy^Euas the fmcU 

 of carrion brings into the city of Gondar every night, arc 

 the Falafha from the neighbouring mountains, transformed 

 by the efl'ccl and for the purpofes of inchantmcnt. Even the 

 Galla, a barbarous and ftranger nation, hoftile to the Abyf- 

 fmians, and diflTcring in language and religion. Hill agree 

 with them in a hearty belief of the poilibility of praaiifing 

 witchcraft, fo as to occafion ficknefs and death at a very 

 great diftance, to blaft the harvefts, poifon the waters, and 

 render people incapable of propagating their fpecies. 



Amano, king of Hadca, had one of thefe conjurers, who, 

 by his knowledge of futurity, was famous among all the 

 Mahometans of the low country. The king of Hadea him- 

 felf had gone no further than to determine to rebel ; but 

 whether he was to go up to fight with Amda Sion in 

 Shoa, or whether greater fuccefs would attend his expect- 

 ing him in Hadea, this was thought a doubt wholly with- 



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