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524 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



Arabia forced all thofe that yet remained to take refuge on 

 the African fide, in the little districts which now grew into 

 confideration. Adel, Mara, Hadea, AuiTa, Wypo, Tarfhiih, 

 and a number of other flates, now affumed the name of 

 kingdoms, and foon obtained power and wealth fuperior to 

 many older ones* 



The Governor of Yemen (or Najafhi) converted now to 

 the faith of Mahomet, retired to the African fide of the 

 Gulf. His government, long ago, having been fhaken to 

 the very foundation by the Arabian war, was at laft totally 

 deftroyed* But the Indian trade at Adel wore a face of 

 profperity y that had the features of ancient times.. 



Without taking notice of every objection, and answer- 

 ing it,, which has too polemical an appearance for a work 

 of this kind, I hope I have removed the greateft part of the 

 reader's difficulties,, which have, for a long time,, lain in tha 

 way, towards his understanding this part of the hiftory. 

 There is one, however, remains, which the Arabian hiftbri- 

 ans have mentioned, viz. that this Najafhi, who embraced 

 the faith of Mahomet-, was avowedly of the royal family of 

 Abyflinia. To this I anfwer, he certainly was a perfon of 

 that rank, and was undoubtedly a nobleman, as there is no 

 nobility in that country but from relationfhip to the king, 

 and no perfon can be related to the king by the male line. 

 But the females, even the daughters of thofe princes who 

 are banifhed to the mountain, marry whom they pleafe ' r 

 and all the defcendents of that marriage become noble, be- 

 caufe they niuft be allied to the king. So far then they may 

 truly afTert, that the Mahometan Governor of Yemen, and 

 hiss polterity 5 .were this way related to the king of Abyflinia, 



But 



