.366 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



Denghcl, all toy great friends and the hopes of this coun- 

 try, I for the firft time, fince my arrival in Ahyflinia, aban- 

 doned myfelf to joy. 



My conflitution was, however, too much weakened to 

 bear any cxcefles. The day after, when I went home to 

 Emfras, I found myfelf attacked with a flow fever, and, 

 thinking that it was the prelude of an ague, with which I 

 was often tormented, I fell to taking bark, without any remif- 

 fion, or, where the remillion was very obfeure, I fliut my- 

 felf up in the houfe,upon my conftant regimen of boiled rice, 

 with abundant draughts of cold water. 



I was at this time told that there was a great commotion 

 atGondar; that a monk of Debra Libanos, a favourite of the 

 Iteghe and of the king too, had excommunicated Abba Sa- 

 lama in a difpute about religion at the Itchegue's houfe; and, 

 the day after, Hagi Mahomet, one of Ras Michael's tent-ma- 

 Jcers, who lived in the town below, through which the high 

 road from Gojam paffes, came to tell me, that many monks 

 from Gojam had paffed through the low town, and expreff- 

 >ed themfelves very much diffatisfied by hearing that a 

 frank (meaning me) was in the town above. He faid that 

 when they came in fixes and fevens at a time, there was no 

 fear ; but when they returned altogether (as Michael fome- 

 times made them do) they were like fo many madmen ; 

 therefore, if I refolved to ftay at Emfras, he wifhed I would 

 order him fend me fome Mahometan foldiers, who would 

 ftrictly acl as I commanded them. 



At the fame time I received news that my great friend, 

 Tecla Mariam, and his daughter of the fame name, the 



i moil 



