4 86 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



leave the flat country of Dembea, having no cavalry to 

 maintain themfelves there, and to take poneflion of the rug- 

 ged, and almoft inacceffible rocks, in that high ridge called* 

 the Mountains of Samen. One of thefe, which nature feems 

 to have formed for a fortrefs, they chofe for their metropo- 

 lis, and it was ever after called the Jews Rock. 



A great overthrow, which they received in the year 1600, 

 brought them to the very brink of ruin. In that battle Gi* 

 deon and Judith, their king and queen, were flain. They 

 have fince adopted a more peaceable and dutiful behaviour, 

 pay taxes, and are fuffered to enjoy their own govern- 

 ment. Their king and queen's name was again Gideon 

 and Judith, when I was in Abymnia, and thefe names feem 

 to be preferred for thofe of the Royal family. At that time 

 they were fuppofed to amount to 100,000 effective men. 

 Something like this, the fober and mofl knowing Abyf- 

 finians are obliged to allow to be truth; but the circum- 

 flances of the converiion from Judaifm are probably not all 

 before us. 



The only copy of the Old Teftament, which they have, 

 is in Geez, the fame made ufe of by the Abyffinian Chrif- 

 tians, who are the only fcribes, and fell thefe copies to 

 the Jews ; and, it is very lingular that no controverfy, or dif- 

 pute about the text, has ever yet arifen between the profef- 

 fors of the two religions. They have no keriketib, or vari- 

 ous readings; they never heard of talmud, targum, or cabala-: 

 Neither have they any fringes * or ribband upon their garments ; 

 nor is there, as far as I could learn, one fcribe among them. 



3 I ASKEB 



■ n> — 



* Numb. chap. xv. ver. 38, 39. Deut. chap. 22. ver. 12, 



