152 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



Hood, I explain and vindicate it ; where I fee there is a fa.^ 

 deliberately mifreprefented, fuch as the celebration of the 

 Epiphany, I refute it from ocular demonftration. The reft 

 of the journal I leave In medio to the judgment of my reader, 

 who v;ill find it at his bookfelier's ; only obferving, that 

 there can be no doubt that the journey itfelf was made by 

 Don Roderigo, and the perfons named with him. 



I HAVE preferved the feveral ftations of thefe travellers in 

 my map, though a great part of the countries through which 

 they paiTed is now in the hands of the Galla, and is as in- 

 acceifible to Abyffinians as it is to ilrangers. 



There are two particulars in Alvarez's account of this 

 journey which very much furprife me. The firft is, the 

 daily and conftant danger this company was in from tigers, 

 fo daring as to prefent themfelves within pike-length. Of 

 this I have taken notice in the appendix when fpeaking of 

 the hyasna. 



The other particular relates to rlic field of beans through 

 which they pafTed. I never yet faw this fort of grain, or 

 pulfe, in Abyilinia. The lupine, a wild plant, fomewhat 

 fimilar, chiefly infccfts thofe provinces from which the honey 

 comes, and is regarded there with the utmoil averfion. The 

 reafon of which will be feen in the fcquel. But as thefe 

 r.Iahometans, through whofe country Don Roderigo palTed, 

 are not indigenous, and never had any connection with the 

 ancient flate of manners or religion of tliis country, it is 

 more than probable the cultivation of the bean is no older 

 than the fculement of theic Islahometans here, long after 



the 



