324 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



This kingdom is hereditary in one family, but does not 

 defcend in courfe to the eldell fon, the eledlion of the parti- 

 cular prince being in the nobles ; and thus far, indeed, it 

 feems to refemble that of their neighbours in Abyffinia. 



When the king of Gingiro dies, the body of the deceafed 

 is wrapped in a fine cloth, and a cow is killed. They then 

 put the body fo wrapped up into the cow's fkin. As foon as 

 this is over, all the princes of the royal family fly and hide 

 themfelvesin the bufhes ; while others,intrulled with the elec- 

 tion, enter into the thickets, beating everywhere about as if 

 looking for game. At laft a bird of prey, called in their coun- 

 try Liber, appears, and hovers over the perfon deftined to be 

 king, crying and making a great noife without quitting his 

 ftation. By this means the perfon deftined to be eleded is 

 found, furrounded, as is reported, by tigers, lions, panthers, 

 and fuchlike wild beafts. This is imagined to be done by 

 magic, or the devil, elfe there are everywhere enough of 

 thefe beafts lying in the cover to furnifh materials for fuch 

 a tale, without having recourfe to the power of magic to 

 aflemble them. 



As they find their king, then, like a wild beaft, fo his be* 

 haviour continues the fame after he is found. He flies upon 

 them with great rage, refifting to the laft, wounding and 

 killing all he can reach without any confideration, till, 

 overcome by force, he is dragged to a throne, which he fills 

 in a manner perfectly correfponding to the rationality of 

 the ceremonies of his inftalment. 



Although there are many that have a right to feek af- 

 ter this king, yet, when he is difcovered, it does not follow, 



4 that 



