THE SOURCE OF THE NIILE. 493 



*3OTi* 



GHAP. VII; 



Books in Ufe in Abyffinia— -Enoch- — AbyJJinia not converted by the ApQ* 

 files— Converfion from Judcufm to Chriftianity . by Frumentius. 



THE Abyffinians have the whole fcriptures entire as we 

 have, and count the fame number of books ; but 

 they divide them in another manner, at leaft in private 

 hands, few of them, from extreme poverty, being able to pur- 

 chafe the whole, either of the hiflorical or prophetical books 

 of the Old Teftament. The fame may be faid of the New* 

 for copies containing the whole of it are very fcarce. In- 

 deed no where, imlefs in churches,, do you fee more than 

 the Gofpels, or the Acts of the Apoftles, in one perfon's pof* 

 feffion, and it mull not be an ordinary man that ponefles 

 even thefe. . r 



Many books of the Old Teftament are forgot, fo that it is 

 the fame trouble to procure them, even in churches, for the 

 purpofe of copying, as to confult old records long covered 

 with duft and rubbifh. The Revelation of St John is a piece of 

 favourite reading among them. Its title is, the Vifon of John A- 

 ban Koh'mfii, which feems to me to be a corruption of Apoca- 



lypfis, 



