jo TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



and thence adopted by the Abyflinians, though exprefsly 

 forbidden both by the law and by the prophets *. At Ma- 

 fuah, it feems to be particular to dance upon that occafion. 

 The women, friends, and viiitors place themfelves in a ring; 

 then dance flowly, figuring in and out as in a country-dance. 

 This dance is all to the voice, no inftrument being ufed up- 

 on the occafion ; only the drum (the butter-jar before men- 

 tioned) is beat adroitly enough, and feems at once necef- 

 fary to keep the dance and fong in order. In Abymnia, too^ 

 this is purfued in a manner more ridiculous. Upon the 

 death of an ozoro, or any nobleman, the twelve judges, 

 (who are generally between 60 and 7c years of age) fing 

 the fong, and dance the figure- dance, in a manner fo truly 

 ridiculous, that grief muit have taken fait hold of every 

 fpectator who does not laugh upon the occafion. There 

 needs no other proof the deceafed was a friend, 



Mahomet Gibeerti married at Arkeeko. For fifteen days 

 afterward, the hulband there is invifible to everybody but 

 the female friends of his wife, who in that fultry country 

 do every thing they can, by hot and fpiced drinks, to throw 

 the man, ftewed in a dole room, into a fever. I do believe 

 that Mahomet Gibberti, in the courfe of thefe fifteen days, 

 was at leaft two ilone lighter. It puts me much in mind of 

 f me of our countrymen fweating themfelves for a horfe- 

 race with a load of flannel on. I conceive that Mahomet 

 Gibberti, had it not been for the fpice, would have made a 

 bad figure in the match he was engaged in. One of thefe 

 nights of his being fequefiered, when, had I not providen- 

 tially 



* Levit. chaj>. xix. ver. 28. Jercm. chap, xvi. vet. 6. 



