3 €o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



To thefe events, not important in themfelves, but only 

 from the effect they had upon the minds of mankind, fuo 

 ceeded tragedies of a more ferious nature. I have already 

 obfcrved, in fpeaking of the Galla, that they were divided 

 into three principal divifions, thofe on the eaft of Abyffinia 

 were called Bertuma Galla, thofe on the fouth called Tolu- 

 ma, and thofe on the weft Boren Galla ; each of thefe were 

 divided into feven, and thefe again fubdivided into a num- 

 ber of tribes. Each of thefe feven nations choofe a king 

 once in feven years called Lubo ; and it is ufually the firfl 

 a£t of the new king's reign to over-run the neighbouring 

 provinces of Abyffinia, laying every thing wafte with fire 

 and fword for this year, even if they had no provocation, 

 but had been at peace for feveral years before. 



The Abyffinians remained long in ignorance of this caufe 

 of thefe invaflons, and, while that was the cafe, they could 

 take no meafures to be prepared againft, and refill them. 

 But after, when the cuftoms of the Galla were better known, 

 their periodical invafions were watched and provided a- 

 gainll, fo that though they wereftill continued, they were 

 generally repelled with the ilaughter and defeat of the in- 

 vaders, 



It happened that the prefent year, 1627, was the feafon 

 of electing the king, and of the invafion. Though the 

 time of the expedition was known, no intelligence had 

 been given of the manner in which it was to be executed. 

 In paft times, the nations, or tribes of Galla, aflaulted each 

 the oppofite province in whofe frontiers they were fettled ; 

 but this year it was agreed among them to choofe one pro- 

 vince, Gojam, which, by uniting their whole force, they 



were 



