THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 131 



been long accullomed to go to the feveral kingdoms of the 

 Eaft upon mercantile commifTions for the king and for 

 his nobles. He had been at Cairo, Jerufalem, Ormus, Ifpa- 

 han, and in the Eail hidies on the coaft of Malabar ; both 

 in places conquered by the Portuguefe, and in thofe that 

 yet held out under their native Pagan princes. He was 

 one of thofe fadors which, as I have already faid, are em- 

 ployed by the king and great men in Abyllinia to fell or bar- 

 ter, in the places above mentioned, fuch part of their re- 

 venue as are paid them in kind. 



These men are chiefly Greeks, or Armenians, but the 

 :preference is always given to the latter. Both nations pay 

 caratch, or capitation, to the Grand Signior, (whofe fub- 

 jeds they are) and both have, in confcquencc, pafsports, pro- 

 teaions, and liberty to trade wherever they plcafe through- 

 'out the empire, without being liable to thofe infuks and 

 •extortions from the Turkilh officers that other ilrangers arc. 



The Armenians, of all the people in the Eaft, are thofe 

 moft remarkable for their patience and fobriety. They are 

 generally matters of moft of the eaftern languages; are of 

 ftrong, robuil conftitutions ; of all people, the moft attentive 

 to the beafts and merchandife they have in charge ; exceed- 

 ingly faithful, and content with liitlc. This Matthew, queen 

 Helena chofe for her ambaflador to Portugal, and joined a 

 young Abyllinian with him,w]io died in the voyage. He was 

 charged with letters to the king, which, with the other dif~ 

 patclies, as they are long, and abound- with fi<5lion and bom- 

 baft rather than truth and fafts, I have not troubled myfelf to 

 tranfcribe ; they are, befides, in many printed colkaions*. 



R 2 't 



* Vide Marmot, vol. i. cap. 37. 



