ij2 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



Hood, I explain and vindicate it ; where I fee there is a £a& 

 deliberately mifreprefented, fuch as the celebration of the 

 Epiphany, I refute it from ocular demonftration. The reft 

 of the journal I leave in medio to the judgment of my reader, 

 who will find it at his bookfellers ; only obferving, that 

 there can be no doubt that the journey itfelf was made by 

 JDon Roderigo, and the perfons named with him. 



I have preferved the feveral flations of thefe travellers in 

 my map, though a great part of the countries through which 

 they palTed is now in the hands of the Galla, and is as in- 

 accemble to Abyffinians as it is to Grangers. 



There are two particulars in Alvarez's account of this 

 journey which very much furprife me. The firft is, the 

 daily and conftant danger this company was in from tigers, 

 fo daring as to prefent themfelves within pike-length. Of 

 this I have taken notice in the appendix when fpeaking of 

 the hysena. 



The other particular relates to the field of beans through 

 which they palled. I never yet faw this fort of grain, or 

 pulfe, in Abyflinia. The lupine, a wild plant, fomewhat 

 iimilar, chiefly infects thofe provinces from which the honey 

 comes, and is regarded there with the utmoft averfion. The 

 reafon of which will be feen in the fequel. But as thefe 

 Mahometans, through whofe country JDon Roderigo palled, 

 are not indigenous, and never had any connection with the 

 ancient flate of manners or religion of this country, it is 

 more than probable the cultivation of the bean is no older 

 than the fettlement of thefe Mahometans here, long after 



the 



