520' TRAVELS TO DISCOVER. 



The firfl: thing I remark upon this letter is, the mention 

 ©f the ancient peace and friendlhip wliich fubiiiled between 

 the predeceflbrs of thefe two princes now correfponding. 

 It M^as a friendlhip, he fays, that had endured from the time 

 of the king of Sedgid, and the king of Kimy to the prefent 

 day. 



The kingdom of Sennaar, as we fhall fee, was but a mo- 

 dern one, and recently eftabliOied by conquefl over the A- 

 rabs. Therefore the kingdoms of Sedgid and of Kim were» 

 before that conquefl:, places whence this black nation came 

 that had ellablilhed their fovereignty at Sennaar by con- 

 queft : from which, therefore, I again infer, there never 

 was any war, conquefl, or tribute between Abyflinia and 

 that Hate. 



The Arabs, who fed their flocks near the frontiers of the 

 two countries, were often plundered by the kings of Abyf- 

 •linia making defcents into Atbara ; but this was never 

 reckoned a violation of peace between the two fovereigns. 

 -On the contrary, as the motive of the Arabs, for coming 

 fouth into the frontiers of Abyflinia, was to keep themfelves 

 independent, and out of the reach of Sennaar, whe th kmg 

 ■of Abyffinia fell upon them there, he was underftood to do 

 that monarch fervice, by driving them down farther with- 

 in his reach. The Baharnagalli has been always at war with 

 them ; they are tributary to him for eating his grafs and 

 drinking his water, and nothing that he ever does to them 

 gives any trouble or inquietude to Sennaar. It is interpre- 

 ted as maintaining his ancient dominion over the Shepherds, 

 thofe of Sennaar being a new pov/er, and accounted as u- 

 furpers. 



2 M. DE 



