THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 221 



affected part, who, with the troops of Begemder and Lafla, 

 attacked the king's houfehold, where he was in perfon; and, 

 though they behaved with a bravery even to raflinefs, mod 

 of them loft their hves, upon the long pikes of the king's 

 black horfe, without ever doing ai.-y notable execution, as 

 thefe horfes were too-well trained to be at all moved with 

 their flirieks, when they charged, though their bravery and 

 fidelity merited a better fate. 



The woni^n are fe-id to be very fruitful. They do not; 

 confine themfelves even a day after labour, but wafh and 

 return to their work immediately. They plow, fow, and 

 reap. The cattle tread out the ccwrn, but the men are the 

 berdfmen, and take charge of the cattle in the fields^ 



Both fexcs are fomething lefs than the middle fize, ex- 

 ceedingly light and agile. Both, but efpecially the men, 

 plait their hair with the bowels and guts of oxen, which 

 they wear likcwife, like belts, twifted round their middle ; 

 and thefe, as they putrify, occafion a terrible ftench. Both 

 copioufly anoint their heads and bodies with butter, or melt- 

 ed greafe, wliich is continually raining from them, and 

 which indicates that they came from a country hotter than 

 that which they now pofiefs.. They greatly refcmble the 

 Hottentots in this filthy tafte of di'cfs. The reft of theiv 

 body is naked; a piece of fkin only covers them before; and 

 they wear a goat's Ikin on their fliouldcrs, in fliape of a wo- 

 man's handkerchief, or tippet. 



It has been faid ^ , that no religion was ever difcovercd 



among 



• Jeronia Lobo Hift.of Abyffmia ap. Le Grande, 



