THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. i% 



not by the ufual way of India, but through Arabia and E- 

 gypt ; and, arriving there without accident, was confirmed 

 by Paul III. the then pope, not only as patriarch of Abyfli- 

 nia, but of Alexandria likewife ; to which he added, as Ber- 

 mudes fays, the moll unintelligible andincomprehenfible title 

 of Patriarch of the Sea. Bermudes, to this variety of char- 

 ges, had this other added to him, of ambafTador from King 

 David to the court of Portugal ; and for this he was certain- 

 ly very fit, however he might be for his ecclefiaflical digni- 

 ties ; for he had been now 1 2 years in Abyffinia, knew the 

 country well, and had been witnefs of the variety of diftref- 

 fes which, following clofe one upon another, had brought 

 this country to its then ftate of ruin. 



While thefe things palled in the north of Abyffinia, a 

 terrible cataflrophe happened in the fouth. A Mahometan 

 chief, called Vizir Mudgid, governor of Arar, having an op- 

 portunity from his fituation to hear of the riches which were 

 daily carried from churches, and other places, for fafefy in- 

 to the mountain of Geflien, took a refolution to attempt 

 that natural fortrefs, though in itfelf almofl impregnable, 

 and flrengthened by an army conftantly encamped at the 

 foot of it. 



'When Mudgid arrived near the mountain he found it 

 was forfaken by the troops deftined to guard it ; and led by 

 a Mahometan, who was a menial fervant to the princes a- 

 bove, he afcended with his troops without oppofition, put- 

 ting all the royal family that were prifoners, and indeed eve- 

 ry_individual of either fex rcfident there, indifcriminately 

 to the fword. 



Vol. II. T The 



