THEIR RELIGIOUS IDEAS. 331 



I had an opportunity during to-day of making 

 some inquiries ; for one of the inmates of the 

 Tabeeb convent, near Myolones, cabled to ask me 

 for some medicine. He produced from beneath 

 his tobe a drinking-horn, very neatly made, which 

 he presented as his memolagee. After I had given 

 him what he required I got Walderheros to ask him 

 a few questions, and he seemed quite pleased that I 

 took an interest in the religious opinions of the sect. 

 He denied with a deal of indignation the common 

 rumour of the men and women living promiscu- 

 ously ; on the contrary, he insisted that not only 

 did a breach of chastity exclude the parties from 

 the community, but no married people were 

 allowed to live among them. It is only in the 

 Goodam, or convent, this discipline is enforced, 

 for a Tabeeb can marry and live like the other 

 Shoans, but he then only visits the " Goodam," of 

 his relations as a stranger until, tired of society, 

 disabled or old, when he can again claim admission 

 as a brother of their order. The Tabeebs are 

 Christians, but do not pray to the Virgin Mary, 

 and believe that Christ had no father, but still was 

 a man like ourselves. They have no " tabot," or 

 moveable altar (an ark), like the other Christians 

 of Shoa, or as they would have, I suppose, if they 

 were Jews. Every day in the week, except 

 Saturday and Sunday, is a strict fast. They have 

 no bed to sleep upon, as they sit up all night in 

 their church, ranged along the wall, to which 



