THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. i S7 



obliged Don Roderigo to depart without them. -Zaga Zaab, 

 an Abymnian monk, who had learned the Portuguefe lan- 

 guage by waiting on Don Roderigo during his flay in A- 

 byilinia, was chofen for the function ; and they fet out to- 

 gether for Mafuah, plentifully furnifhed with every thing 1 

 necefTary for the journey, and arrived fafely there without 

 any remarkable occurrence, where they found Don Hector 

 de Silveyra, governor of the Indies, with his fleet, waiting 

 to carry Don Roderigo de Lima home. Whether the king 

 had changed his mind or not is doubtful ; but, on the 27th 

 of April 1526, arrived four meiTengers from court with or- 

 ders for Don Roderigo to return, and alfo to bring Don Hec- 

 tor along with him. This was immediately and directly 

 refufed ; but it was left in the power of Zaga Zaab to return 

 if he pleafed, who however declared, that, if he flaid be- 

 hind, he fhould be thrown to the lions. He, therefore ? 

 went on board with great readinefs, and they all failed from 

 Mafuah on the 28th of April of the year juft mentioned, in, 

 their return to India. 



These frequent intercourfes with the Portuguefe had 

 given great alarm to the Mahometan powers, though nei- 

 ther the king of Abyflinia, nor the Portuguefe thernfelves,. 

 had reaped any profit from them, or the feveral fleets that 

 had arrived at Mafuah, which had really no end but to feek 

 the ambaJTador Don Roderigo. The fix years fpent in wrang- 

 ling and childifh behaviour, both on the part of the king 

 and the ambafTador, had an appearance of fomething feri- 

 ous between the two powers ; and what itill alarmed the 

 Moors more was, that no part of the fecret had tranfpired,, 

 becaufe no fcheme had really been concerted, only mere pro- 

 gofals of vain and idle enterprises, without either power or 



will 



