THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 19 



this can be truly faid ; but certainly it never was lefs true 

 than when faid of Abyflinians. There is fcarce a monk in 

 any lonely monastery, (fuch as thofe in the hot and un- 

 wholefome valley of Waldubba), not a hermit of the many 

 upon the mountains, not an old prieft who has lived any 

 time fequeftered from fociety, that does not pretend to pof- 

 fefs charms offenfive and defenfive, and feveral methods by 

 which he can, at will, look into futurity. The Moors are 

 all, to a man, perfuaded of this : their arms and necks are 

 loaded with amulets againfl witchcraft. Their women 

 are believed to have all the mifchievous powers of faf- 

 cination ; and both fexes a hundred fecrets of divina- 

 tion. The Falafha are addicted to this in flill a greater 

 degree, if poflible. It is always believed by every indivi- 

 dual Abymnian, that the number of hyamas the fmell 

 of carrion brings into the city of Gondar every night, are 

 the Falafha from the neighbouring mountains, transformed 

 by the effect and for the purpofes of inchantment. Even the 

 Galla, a barbarous and flranger nation, hoflile to the Abyf- 

 linians, and differing in language and religion, flill agree 

 with them in a hearty belief of the poffibility of practifing 

 witchcraft, fo as to occafion ficknefs and death at a very 

 great diftance, to blafl the harvefts, poifon the waters, and 

 render people incapable of propagating their fpecies. 



AMANo,king of Hadea, had one of thefe conjurers, who, 

 by his knowledge of futurity, was famous among all the 

 Mahometans of the low country. The king of Hadca him- 

 felf had gone no further than to determine to rebel ; but 

 whether he was to go up to fight with Amda Sion in 

 Shoa, or whether greater fuccefs would attend his expect- 

 ing him in Hadea, this was thought a doubt wholly with- 



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