THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 349 



priefh, had given a much more favourable profpect of re- 

 ligious affairs than had as yet been conveyed to Rome ; the 

 wifer part of the conclave, however, had doubted. But now, 

 the king had voluntarily made his recantation, it was no 

 longer thought time for delay, and accordingly Alphonfo 

 Mendez, a Jefuit doctor of divinity, a man of great learn- 

 ing, by birth a Portuguefe, was ordained at Lifbon the 25 th 

 of May 1624* 



From thence he proceeded to India by the way of Goa, 

 attended by feveral frefh miflionaries ; and finding there 

 letters from Socinios, and a paffport from the king of Dan- 

 cali, a Mahometan prince in alliance with the Abyffinians, 

 he arrived at Bilur, an open bay in the fmall and barren 

 ftate of Dancali, on the fecond of May 1625, and was recei- 

 ved, by the brother of the reigning prince, with every to- 

 ken of friendfhip that fo poor a Hate and fovereign could af- 

 ford ; the king of Dancali himfelf was at the diflance of fix 

 days journey, in a place where there was greater plenty of 

 w ater and provifions. The following day the king fent four 

 mules for the fathers to join him, and received them in a 

 room of a round figure, furrounded and covered with bun- 

 dles of flraw, but fo low they fcarce could raife themfelves 

 after having made their bows.. 



In this miferable kingdom, which I mail not defcribe, as,. 

 fince that period, it has been conquered by the Galla, the pa- 

 triarch and fathers itaid almofl in want of necefTaries for 

 fixteen days. At laft they fet out, having, with much diffi- 

 culty, muflered iufficient beafts of burden to carry their 

 baggage. The road lay through part cf the country where- 

 in are the mines of foflile-falt, hot, barren, and abfolutely 



without 



