SS^ TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



centuries ago, Chriftian prielis were the only liiftorians of 

 heathen manners. .L 



In the number of thefe ShangaJla, or negroes, of which 

 every department of Gondar was full, I never faw any proof 

 of unbridled defires in either fex, but very much the con- 

 trary ; and I mufl remark, that every reafon in phyfics 

 ilrongly militates againfl the prefumption. 



The Shangalla of both fcxes, while fmgle, go entirely 

 naked : the married men, indeed, have a very flender cover- 

 ing about their waift, and married women the fame. Young 

 men and young women, till long pall the age of puberty, are 

 totally uncovered, and in conftant converfation and habits 

 with each other, in woods and folitudes, free from conftraint, 

 and without any punifliment annexed to the tranfgrcllion. 

 Yet criminal commerce is much lefs frequent among them 

 than in the fame number chofen among Chriftian nations, 

 where the powerful prejudices of education give great ad- 

 vantage to one fex in fubduing their paffions, and where 

 the confequences of gratification, which always involve 

 fome kind of punifliment, keep within bounds the defires 

 of the other. 



No one can doubt, but that the conftant habit of feeing peo- 

 ple of all ages naked at all times, in the ordinary tranfac^ions 

 and neceflities of life, muft greatly check unchafte propenfi- 

 ties. But there are ftill further reafons why, in the nature of 

 things an extraordinary vehemence of paffion fliould not 

 fall to be a dillinguifliing characTieriftic among the Shangal- 

 la. Fahrenheit's thermometer rifes there beyond loo". A 

 violent relaxation from profufe perfpiration mull greatly 

 3 <iebili- 



