THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 275 



At a quarter pall four we came to the river Toom Aredo, 

 which arifing in the country of the Kcmmont, (a people in- 

 habiting the high grounds above to the S. W. ) falls into the 

 river Mahaanah. The Kemmont were a fe(5t once the 

 Jame as the Falaflia, bur were baptized in the reign of 

 Facilidas, and, ever iince, have continued feparate from 

 their ancient brethren. No great pains feem to have been 

 taken with them fmce their admillion to Chriftianity, for 

 they retain moft of their ancient cufloms. They eat the 

 meat of cattle killed by Chriftians, but not of thofe that are 

 flaughtered, either by Mahometans or Falafha. They hold, 

 as a docftrine, that, being once baptized, and having once 

 communicated, no fort of prayer, nor other attention to di- 

 vine worfliip, is further neceflary. They waflithemfelvesfrom 

 head to foot after coming from the market, or any public 

 place, where they may have touched any one of a fedl 

 different from their own, efteeming all fuch unclean. They 

 abllain from all forts of work on Saturday, keeping clofe at 

 home ; but they grind corn, and do many other fuch like 

 works, upon Sunday. 



Their women pierce their ears, and apply weights to make 

 them hang down, and to enlarge the holes, into which they 

 put ear-rings almoll as big as lliackles, in the fame manner 

 as do the Bedowis in Syria and Paleftine. Their language is 

 the fame as that of the Falaflia, with fome fmall difference of 

 idiom. They have great abhorrence to filh, which they not 

 only refrain from eating, but cannot bear the fight of ; and 

 the reafon they give for this is, that Jonah the prophet 

 (from whom they boafl they ai-e defcended) was fwal- 



Mm2 lowed 



