478 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



Itraggling from the caravan, was bit on the hip by a bear, 

 as Mr Ponce t apprehends. But we are now in the country 

 correfponding to that inhabited by the Shangalla, that is 

 one of the hotteft in the world, where the thermometer ri- 

 fes to i oo° in the lhade. Bears are not found in climates like 

 this ; and moll -aihiredly there are none even in the higher 

 and colder mountains above. Poncet does not fay he faw 

 the bear, but judged only by the bite, which might have 

 been that of a lion, leopard, or many other animals, but 

 more probably that of the hyama. 



The 27th they arrived at Girana, a village on the top of 

 a mountain. Here they left their camels, and began to af- 

 cend from the Kolla into the more temperate climate in 

 the mountains of Abyilinia. From Girana they came to 

 Barangoa, and the next day to Tchelga, where anciently 

 was the cuflomhoufe of Sennaar while peace and com- 

 merce fubfilted between the two kingdoms. The 3d of 

 July they arrived at Barcos, or Bartcho, about half a day's 

 journey from Gondar; and on the 9th of Au gull father 

 Brevedent died. Poncet was himfelf detained by indifpo- 

 iition at this village of Barcos till the 2 ill of July, on which 

 day he fet out for Gondar and arrived in the evening, where 

 he fucceeded to his wifhes, performing a complete cure up- 

 on his royal patient in a very ihort time ; and fo fulfilled 

 this part of his million as perfectly as the ablefl phyfician 

 could have done. 



A s for the other part with which he was charged, I doubt 

 ver\ much if it was in his power to perform it in another 

 ir.a ner than he did. It required a mind full of ignorance 

 and preiumptior,fuch as was that of Mr de Maillet and all 



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