144 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



there purpofely for his fervice, fo that they might return, 

 whenever they mould pleafe, in perfect, fafety. 



The next day, came down to the more the governor of 

 Arkeeko, accompanied with thirty horfemen, and above 

 two hundred foot. He was mounted on a fine horfe, and 

 drefled in a kind of fhirt refembling that of the Moors. 

 The governor brought down four oxen, and received in re- 

 turn certain pieces of filk, with which he was well pleafed. 

 A very familiar converfation followed ; the governor kindly 

 inviting the Portuguefe general afhore, alluring him that 

 the Baharnagafh, under whofe command he was, had al- 

 ready intelligence of his arrival. 



In anfwer to his inquiries about the religion of the coun- 

 try, the governor told him, that in a mountain, then in fight, 

 twenty-four miles diflant, there was a convent called the 

 Monajlery of Blfan^ (which Matthew had often defcribed in 

 the voyage) whofe monks, being informed of his arrival, 

 had deputed feven of their number to wait upon him, whom 

 the Portuguefe general went to meet accordingly, and re- 

 ceived them in the kind ell manner. 



These monks, as foon as they faw Matthew, broke out 

 into the warmeft expreffionsof friendfhip and efleem, congra- 

 tulating him with tears in their eyes \ipon his long voyage 

 and abfence. The Portuguefe general then invited,, the 

 monks on board his velTel, where he regaled them, and gave 

 to each prefents that were molt fuitable to their auftere life. On 

 his fide, Segueyra chofe feven Portuguefe, with Peter Gomez 

 Teffera, auditor of the Eaft Indies, who underftood Arabic 

 very well, to return the vilit of the monks, and fee the mo- 



nailery 



