126 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



both thcfe are produced in abundance in the province. They 

 are great novices, however, in dyeing ; the plant called Suf 

 produces the only colour they have, which is yellow. In 

 order to obtain a blue, to weave as a border to their cotton 

 clothes, they unravel the blue threads of the Marowt, or 

 blue cloth of Surat, and then weave them again with the 

 thread which they have dyed with the fuf. 



It was on the ioth of January 1770 I vifited the remains 

 of the Jefuits convent of Fremona. It is built upon the even 

 ridge of a very high hill, in the middle of a large plain, on 

 the oppofite fide of which Hands Adowa. It rifes from the 

 eaft to the welt, and ends in a precipice on the eafl ; it is 

 alfo very fleep to the north, and Hopes gently down to the 

 plain on the i'outh. The convent is about a mile in circum- 

 ference, built fubflantially with Hones, which are cemented 

 with lime-morter. It has towers in the flanks and angles; 

 and, notwithHanding the ill-ufage it has fuffered, the 

 walls remain flill entire to the height of twenty-five feet. 

 It is divided into three, by crofs walls of equal height. The 

 firit divifion feems to have been deflined for the convent, 

 the middle for the church, and the third divilion is fepara- 

 ted from this by a wall, and Hands upon a precipice. It 

 feems to me as. if it was defigned for a place of arms. All 

 the walls have holes for muikets, and, even now, it is by 

 far the mod defenfible place in Abyflinia. It rciembles an 

 ancient caflle much more than a convent. 



I can fcarce conceive the reafon why thefe reverend fathers 

 mifreprefent and mifplace this intended capital of Catholic 

 Abyiiinia. Jerome Lobo calls this convent a collection of 

 miserable villages. Others place it fifty miles, when it is 



but 



