266 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



all the proprietors of the neighbouring lands, and vifits the- 

 bounds with them ; they kill a goat at particular diftances,. 

 and bury the heads under ground upon the boundary line 

 of this regality; which heads, Paez fays, it is felony to dig; 

 up or remove ; and this is a mark or gift of land in perpe- 

 tuity.'* 



Without contradifting the form of burying the goat& 

 heads, I fhall only fay, I never fawor heard of it, nor is there 

 fuch a thing as a gift of land in perpctuum known in Abyffi- 

 nia. All the land is the king's ; he gives it to whom he 

 pleafes during plcafure, and refumes it when it is his wilL 

 As foon as he dies the whole land in the kingdom (that of 

 the Abuna excepted) is in the difpofal of the crown; and 

 not only fo, but, by the death of every prefent owner, his 

 poiTeilions, however long enjoyed, revert to the king, and 

 do not fall to the eldeft fon. It is by proclamation the pof- 

 feffion and property is reconveyed to the heir, who thereby 

 becomes abfolute matter of the land for his own life or 

 pleafure of the king, under obligation of military and other 

 fervices ; and that exception, on the part of the Abuna, is 

 not in refped to the fandtity of his perfon, or charge, but 

 becaufe it is founded upon treaty*, and is become part of the 

 conftitution. 



The Abyffinians faw, with the utmoft aftonifliment, the 

 eredlion of a convent llrongly built with ilone and lime, of 

 which before they had no knowledge, and their wonder 

 was ftill increafcd, when, at defire of the king, Paez under- 

 took 



We have mentoned this treaty in the reign of Icon Amlac. 



