THE SOURCE OF THE NTILE. 3431, 



At this time the Ethiopic memoirs of Socinios's reign 

 interrupted their continual topics of rebellion and bloodlhed, 

 to record a very trifling anecdote ; which, however, I infert, 

 as it ferves to give fome idea of the iimplicity and ignorance 

 of thofe times. 



The hiftorian faySj that this year there was brought into 

 Abymniai a bird called Para, which was about the bignefs 

 of a hen, and fpoke all languages ;- Indian, Portuguefe, and 

 Arabic. It named the king's name : although its voice was 

 that of a man, it could likewife neigh like a horfe, and mew 

 like a cat, but did not iing like a bird.. It was produced be- 

 fore the afTembly of judges, of the priefts, and the azages- 

 of court, and there it fpoke with great gravity. The afTem- 

 bly, after confidering circumftances well, were unanimoufly 

 of opinion, that the evil fpirit had no part in endowing it 

 with thefe talents. But to be certain of this, it was thought 

 moll prudent to take the advice of Ras Sela Chriflos, then 

 in Gojam, who might, if he thought fit, confult the fuperi- 

 or of Mahebar SelaiTe ; to them it was fent, but it died on 

 the road. The hiftorian clofes his narrative by this wife 

 reflection on the parrot's death. ; " Such is the lot of alt 



■ fleih." 



The king, immediately after his victory over Jbnael, had 

 refolved: to throw off the mafk, and openly to profefs the 

 Catholic religion. The fuccefs^ of Sela Chriftos againft the 

 Damots had confirmed him. He had pafTed the rainy fea- 

 fon, as I have before obferved, between Qor.gora- and Dan- 

 caz ; and, in the ufual time, in the month of November, 

 inarched to Foggora, a narrow ftripe of plain country, reach- 

 ing from Emfras to Dara, bounded on one fide by the lake 



Bern- 



