i- 4 8 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



variety of fpecies, which they had never before {Qcn y added 

 greatly to the fatigue which the thicknefs of the woods had 

 occaiioned. Mountains prefented. thernfelves over moun- 

 tains, broken into terrible precipices and ravines, by vio- 

 lent torrents andconftant ftorms ; their black and bnv? tops, 

 feemed as it were calcined by the rays of a burning fun, 

 and by ineeffant lightnings and*' thunder. .Great numbers of 

 wild beafts alfo prefented thernfelves everywhere in thefe 

 dark forefts, and feemed only to be hindered from devour- 

 ing them by their wonder at feeing fo many men in foi 

 lonely a fituation. At laft the woods began to grow thinner* , 

 and fome fields appeared where the people were fitting arm- 

 ed, guarding their fmall flocks of half-flarved goats and 

 kine, and crops of millet, of which they faw a confiderable 

 quantity fown. The men were black, their hair very grace- 

 fully plaited, and were altogether naked, excepting a fmall. 

 piece of leather that covered their middle. At this place 

 they were met by twelve monks, four of whom were di~ 

 ftinguiihed by their advanced years and the refpecl paid to> 

 them by the others, 



Having refted their mulejs and camels a ihort time, they 

 again began their journey by the fide of a great lake, near 

 which was a very high mountain, and this they were too 

 weary to attempt to pafs. Full of difcontent and defpon- 

 dency, they halted at the foot of this mountain, where they 

 palled the night, having received a cow for fupper, a pre- 

 fent from the convent. Here Matthew (the. ambafTador) fe- 

 parated his baggage from that of the caravan, and left it to 

 the care of the monks. He had probably made fome little 

 money in Portugal ; and, diflrufting his reception with the. 

 king, wifely determined to place it out of danger. The pre- 



2. caution^, 



