THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 155 



refngc in the dcfert, where they periflied with hunger and 

 thirft. In the year 1525, another caravan afTeir.bled at Ha- 

 mazen, confifting of 336 friars and priefts, and fifteen nuns. 

 They fet out from Hamazen on the 12th day after leaving 

 this place, travelling flowly ; and, being loaded with pro- 

 vifions and water, they were attacked by the Moors of that 

 diilriifl, and utterly defeated and robbed. Of the pilgrims 

 taken prifoners, all the old men were put to the fword, and 

 the- young were fold for Haves ; fo that of 336 perfons fif- 

 teen only efcaped, but three of which lived to return to Shoa 

 at the time the ambalTador was there. This was the firlt 

 vengeance the Moors to the northward had yet taken for 

 the alliance made with the Portuguefe ; and, from this time, 

 the communication with Cairo through the defcrt ceafed as 

 to the Chrifi:ians, and was carried on by Mahometans only. 



Since the time of Peter Covillan's arrival in AbyfTmia, 

 the views of all parties had very much changed. The Por- 

 tuguefe at firft coveted the friendfhip of AbylEnia, for the 

 fake of obtaining through it a communication v/itii India. 

 But they now became indifferent about that intercourfc, 

 fince.they had fettled in hidia itfcif, and found the conve- 

 nience of the pafifage of the Cape of Good Hope. David, 

 freed from his fears of the Moors of Adel, whom he had 

 defeated, and feeing the great power of the Turks, fo much 

 apprehended after the conqueft of Egypt, difappointed in In- 

 dia in all their attempts againll the Portuguefe fettlements 

 there; being, moreover, difpleafed with tlie abrupt behaviour 

 of the ambaffador Don Roderigo, and the promifes the em- 

 prefs Helena had made by Matthew without his know- 

 ledge, he wilhed no further connexion with the Portu- 



1 gycfc^. 



