55 8 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



centuries ago, Chriilian priefls were the only hiftorians of 

 heathen manners. 



In the number of thefe Shangalla, or negroes, of which 

 every department of Gondar was full, I never faw any proof 

 of unbridled defires in either fex, but very much the con- 

 trary; and I mull remark, that every reafon in phyfics 

 itrongly militates againft the prefumption. 



The Shangalla of both fexes, while fmgie, go entirely 

 naked : the married men, indeed, have a very {lender cover- 

 ing about their waifl, and married women the fame. Young 

 men and young women, till long paft the age of puberty, are 

 totally uncovered, and in conftant converfation and habits 

 with each other, in woods and folitudes, free from conftraint, 

 and without any punifhment annexed to the tranfgreflion. 

 Yet criminal commerce is much lefs frequent among them 

 than in the fame number chofen among Chriflian nations, 

 where the powerful prejudices of education give great ad- 

 vantage to one fex in fubduing their pailions, and where 

 the confequences of gratification, which always involve 

 fome kind of punifhment, keep within bounds the defires 

 of the other. 



No one can doubt, but that the conftant habit of feeing peo- 

 ple of all ages naked at all times, in the ordinary tranfactions 

 and necelhties of life, mufl greatly check unchafte propensi- 

 ties. But there are Hill further reafons why, hi the nature of 

 things an extraordinary vehemence of pafiion mould not 

 fall to be a diflinguifhing characleriftic among the Shangal- 

 la. Fahrenheit's thermometer rifes there beyond ioo°. A 

 violent relaxation from profufe perfpiration mufl greatly 

 3 debili- 



