^8 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



poffibility of reigning after him. Many innocent people oF 

 different parts difappeared from this unknown crime ; 

 and eleven princes on the mountain of Wechne, fome fay 

 more, loft their lives for a name that is very common in 

 Abyffinia, without one overt adt of treafon, or even a fufpi- 

 cion of what they were accufed. A panic now ftruck all 

 ranks of people, without terminating in any fcheme of re- 

 fiftance ; which fufficiently fhewed that the king had fuc- 

 ceeded in diflblving all confederacies among his fubje<5ls, 

 and deftroying radically that rebellious fpirit which had o- 

 perated fo fatally in the laft reigns. 



It is a cuftom among the kings of Abyflinia, efpecially in 

 intervals of peace, to difappear for a time, without any warn- 

 ing. Sometimes, indeed, one or two confidential fervants, 

 pretending to be bulied in other affairs, attend at a diftance, 

 and keep their eye upon him, while, difguifed in different 

 manners, he goes like a flranger to thofe parts he intends to 

 vifit. Inoneof thefe private journeys, paffmg into Kuara, a pro- 

 vince on the N. E. of Abyffmia, near the confines of Sennaar, 

 Bacuffa happened, or counterfeited, to be feized by a fever, 

 a common difeafe of that unwholefome country. He was 

 then in a poor village belonging to fei'vants of a man of di- 

 ilin6lion, whofc houfe was on the top of the hill immediately 

 above, in temperate and wholefome air. The hofpitable 

 landlord, upon the firft hearing of the diih'efs of a ftranger, 

 immediately removed him up to his houfe, where CA'ery at- 

 tention that could be fuggefted hj a charitable mind was 

 beftowed upon his difcafed gueft, who prcfently recovered 

 his former flate of health, but not till the kind afiiftance 

 and unwearied diligence of the beautiful daughter of the 

 4 houfe 



