206 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
the long time the patient is under it, if people feed them 
and treat them according to their own ignorant prejudices, 
my feeing him, or advifing him, is in vain. This morning 
you faid a man had cured him by writing upon a tin plate; 
and to try if he was well, they crammed him with raw beef. 
I do not think the letters that he fwallowed will do him 
any harm, neither will they do him any good; but I fhall 
not be furprifed if the raw beef kills him, and his daughter 
Welleta Selaflé, too, before I fee him to-morrow. 
On the morrow Petros was really taken ill, and feverith, 
from a cold and fatigue, and fright.’ Aylo and: 1 went to 
Kofcam, and, for a frefh amufement to him, I fhewed him 
the manner in which the Arabs ufe their firelocks on horfe- 
back; but with this advantage of a double-barrelled gun, 
which he had never before feen. I thot alfo feveral birds 
from the horfe; all which things he would have pronoun- 
ced impoflible if they had been only told him. He arrived 
at Kofcam full of wonder, and ready to believe I was ca- 
pable of doing every thing I undertook. 
WE were juft entering into the palace-door, when we faw 
a large proceffion of monks, with the priefts of Kofcam at 
their head, a large crofs and a piéture carried with them, 
the laft in a very dirty, gilt frame. Aylo turned afide when 
he {aw thefe ; and, going into the chamberlain’s apartment, 
called Ayto Heikel, afterwards a great friend and compa- 
nion of mine. He informed us, that three great faints from 
Waldubba, one of whom had neither ate: nor drank for 
twenty years of his life, had promifed to come and cure 
Welled Hawaryat, by laying a picture of the Virgin Mary 
and the crofs upon him, and therefore they would not wifh 
3 me 
