148 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



which he had ftabbed Laeca Mariam. This wretch was a 

 native of a very barbarous nation near Shoa, 8. E. of Go- 

 jam. The name of their country is Gurague. They are 

 Troglodytes, and all robbers : their conftant occupation is 

 attending the Abyilinian camps, and Healing horfes, mules^ 

 or whatever they can get, which they do in a very fingular. 

 manner. 



They all wear their hair very Ihort, ftrip themfelves ftarki- 

 naked, and befmear themfelves from head to foot with but- 

 ter, or fome fort of greafe, whilfl, along the outfide of their 

 arm, they tye a long, llraight, two-edged, fharp-pointed 

 knife, the handle reaching into the palm of their hand, 

 and about four inches of the blade above the knob of their 

 elbow, fo that the whole blade is fafe and inoffenlive when 

 the arm is extended, but when it is bent, about four inches 

 projecHrs, and is bare beyond the elbow joint ; this being 

 all prepared, they take a leafy faggot, fuch as the gatherers 

 of fuel bring to the camp, which they faften to their middle 

 by a ftring or withy, fpreading it over to conceal or cover 

 all their back, and then drawing in their legs, they lie 

 down, in all appearance, as a faggot, and in the part of the 

 camp they intend to rob, crawling llowly in the dark when 

 they think they are unperceived, and lying flill when there 

 is any noife or movement near them: In cafe they find 

 themfelves difcovered, they flip the faggot and run ; and 

 whatever part of them you feize efcapes your fingers by 

 reafon of the greafe. If you endeavour to clafp them, how- 

 ever, which is the only way left, the Gurague bends his 

 elbow and ftrikes you with his knife, and you are mor^ 

 tally wounded, as was the cafe with Laeca Mariam. 



This 



