THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 157 



dbliged Don Roderigo to depart without them. Znga. Zaab, 

 an Abyflinian monk, who had learned the Portuguefe lan- 

 guage by waiting on Don Roderigo during his flay in A- 

 byilinia, was chofen for the function ; and they fet out to- 

 gether for Mafuah, plentifully furniflied with every thing. 

 necefTary for the journey, and arrived fafcly there without 

 any remarkable occurrence, where they found Don Hedtor 

 de Silveyra, governor of the Indies, with his fleet, waiting 

 to carry Don Roderigo de Lima home. Whether the king 

 had changed his mind or not is doubtful ; but, on the 27th 

 of April 1526, arrived four mefTcngcrs from court with or- 

 ders for Don Roderigo to return, and alfo to bring Don Hec- 

 tor along with him. This was immediately and diredtly 

 refufcd ; but it was left in the power of Zaga Zaab to return- 

 if he pleafed^ who however declared, that, if he fl.aid be- 

 hind, he fhould be thrown to the lions. He, therefore,, 

 went on board with great readincfs, and they all failed from 

 Mafuah on the 28th of April of the year juil mentioned, in 

 their return to India. 



These frequent intercourfcs with the Portuguefe had 

 given great alarm to the Mahometan powers, though nei- 

 ther the king of Abyflinia, nor the Portuguefe themfelvcs, . 

 had reaped any profit from them, or the fcveral fleets that 

 had arrived at Mafuah, which had really no end but to feek 

 the ambaflador Don Roderigo. The fix years fpent in wrang- 

 ling and childifh behaviour, both on the part of the king 

 and the ambaffador, had an appearance of fomething feri- 

 ous between the two powers ; and what lliil alarmed the 

 Moors more was, that no part of the fecret had tranfpired, 

 bccaufe no fchcmc had really been concerted, only mere pro- 

 ppfals of vain and idle cntcrprifes, without either power or 



will . 



