THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 319 



The Itchegue is the chief of the monks in general, efpe- 

 cially thofe of Debra Libanos. The head of the other 

 monks, called thofe of St Euflathius, is the fuperior of the 

 convent of Mahebar Selafle, on the N. W. corner of Abyf- 

 finia, near Kuara, and the Shangalla, towards Sennaar 

 and the river Dender. All this tribe is grofsly ignorant, 

 and through time, 1 believe, will lofe the ufe of letters en- 

 tirely. 



The Itchegue is ordained by two chief priefls holding a 

 white cloth, or veil, over him, while another fays a prayer; 

 and they then lay all their hands on his head, and 

 join in pfalms together, He is a man, in troublefome times, 

 of much greater confequence than the Abuna. There are, 

 after thefe, chief priefls and fcribcs, as in the Jewifh 

 church : the laft of thefe, the ignorant, carelefs copiers of 

 the holy fcriptures.. 



The monks here do not live in convents, as in Europe, 

 but in feparate houfes round their church, and each culti- 

 vates a part of the property they have in land. The priefls 

 have their maintenance affigned to them in kind, and do 

 not labour. A fleward, being a layman, is placed among 

 them by the king, who receives all the rents belonging to 

 the churches, and gives to the priefls the portion that is 

 their due ; but neither the Abuna, nor any other church- 

 man, has any bufinefs with the revenues of churches, nor. 

 can touch them. 



The articles of the faith of the Abyffinians have been in- 

 quired into and difcuflcd with fo much keennefs in the 

 beginning of this century, that I fear I mould difoblige 



3 fome 



