THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 



iS§ 



refuge in the defert, where they perifhed with hunger and 

 thirft. In the year 1525, another caravan aflembled at Ha- 

 mazen, confiding of 336 friars and priefts, and fifteen nuns. 

 They fet out from Hamazen on the 12th day after leaving 

 this place, travelling flowly ; and, being loaded with pro- 

 vifions and water, they were attacked by the Moors of that 

 diftrict, and utterly defeated and robbed. Of the pilgrims 

 taken prifoners, all the old men were put to the fword, and 

 the young were fold for flaves j fo that of 336 perfons fif- 

 teen only efcaped, but three of which lived to return to Shoa 

 at the time the ambaffador was there. This was the firft 

 vengeance the Moors to the northward had yet taken for 

 the alliance made with the Portuguefe ; and, from this time, 

 the communication with Cairo through the defert ceafed as 

 to the Chriftians, and was carried on by Mahometans only. 



Since the time of Peter Covillan's arrival in Abyffinia, 

 the views of all parties had very much changed. The Por- 

 tuguefe at firft coveted the friendfhip of Abyffinia, for the 

 fake of obtaining through it a communication with India. 

 But they now became indifferent about that intercourfe; 

 fmce they had fettled in India itfelf, and found the conve- 

 nience of the paffage of the Cape of Good Hope. David, 

 freed from his fears of the Moors of Adel, whom he had 

 defeated, and feeing the great power of the Turks, fo much 

 apprehended after the conqueft of Egypt, difappointed inln± 

 dia in all their attempts againft the Portuguefe fettlements' 

 there; being, moreover, difpleafed with the abrupt behaviour 

 of the ambaffador Don Roderigo, and the promifes the em- 

 prefs Helena had made by Matthew without his know- 

 ledge, he wifhed no further connection with the Portu- 



1 guefc, 



