THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. i6^ 



T.ot by the ufual way of India, but through Arabia and E- 

 gypt ; and, arriving there without accident, was confirmed 

 by Paul III. the then pope, not only as patriarch of Abyfli- 

 nia, but of Alexandria likewife ; to which he added, as Ber- 

 mudes fays, the moft unintelligible and incomprehenfible title 

 of Patriarch of the Sea. Bermudes, to this variety of char- 

 ges, had this other added to him, of ambafTador from King 

 David to the cotu't of Portugal ; and for this he was certain- 

 ly very fit, however he might be for liis ecclcfiaftical digni- 

 ties ; for he had been now 1 2 years in Abylfinia, knew the 

 country well, and had been witnefs of the variety of diftref- 

 fes which, following clofe one upon another, had brought 

 this country to its then ftate of ruin. 



Vv''hile thefe things pafTed in the north of Abyfiinia, a 

 terrible cataftrophe happened in the fouth. A Mahometan 

 chief, called Vizir Mudgid, governor of Arar, having aft op- 

 portunity from his fituation to hear of the riches which were 

 daily carried from churches, and other places, for fafcty in- 

 to the mountain of Gcflien, took a refolution to attempt 

 tiiat natural fortrcfs, though in itfelf almoll impregnable, 

 and fi:rcngthcned by an army conftantly encamped at the 

 foot of it. 



'When Mudgid arrived near the mountain he found it 

 was forfaken by the troops deflined to guard it ; and led by 

 a Mahometan, who was a menial fervant to the princes a- 

 bove, he afcended with his troops witliout oppofition, put- 

 ting all the royal family that were prifoners, and indeed eve- 

 ry individual of either fcx refident there, indifcriminately 

 to the fword. 



Vol. -II. Y ' The 



