472 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



duftry of the inhabitants, who, by different machines, raife 

 water from the flream. 



We are not to attribute to Poncet, but to thofe who pub- 

 liflied, the flory here put into father Brevedent's mouth about 

 the fugitive Chrillians in Nubia, which fable gave rife to 

 the firft inftitution of the Ethiopic miflion. " It drew tears, 

 " fays he, from the eyes of father Brevedent, my dear com- 

 " panion, when he rcfledlcd that it was not long lince this 

 " was a Chriftian country; and that it had not loft the faith 

 " but only for want of fome perfon who had zeal enough 

 " to confecrate himfelf to the inftrudlion of this abandoned 

 " nation." He adds, that upon their way they found a 

 great number of hermitages and churches half ruined ; a 

 fidion derived from the fame fource. 



DoNGOLA was taken, and apoftatized early, and the ftones 

 of hermitages and churches had long before this been car- 

 ried off, and applied to the building of mofques. Father 

 Brevedent, therefore, if he wept for any focicty of Chriftians 

 at Dongola, mull have wept for thofe that had periflied 

 there joo years before. 



Poncet was much careffed at Dongola for the cures 

 he made there. The Mek, or king, of that city willied him. 

 much to ftay and fettle there ; but dcfifted out of rel'pe(5t, 

 when he heard he w^as going to the emperor of Ethiopia. 

 Dongola, Poncet has placed rightly on the eaftern bank of 

 the Nile, about lat. 20° 22'. 



The caravan departed from Dongola on the 6th of January 

 1699 ; four days after which they entered into the kingdom 



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