288 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
Xenophon * tells us, that this was one of the punifhments 
ufed by Cyrus. And Ammianus Marcellinus + mentions, 
that Sapor king of Perfia banifhed Arfaces, whom he had 
taken prifoner to a certain caftle, after having pulled out 
his eyes. 
Tue dead bodies of criminals flain for treafon, murder, 
and violence, on the high-way at certain times, are feldom 
buried in Abyffinia. The dtreets of Gondar are ftrewed with 
pieces of their carcafes, which bring the wild beafts in mul- 
titudes into the city as foon as it becomes dark, fo that it 
is fcarcely poflible for any to walk inthe night. Too many 
inftances of this kind will be found throughout my narra- 
tive. The dogs ufed to bring pieces of human bodies into 
the houfe, and court-yard, to eat them in greater fecurity. 
This was moft difguftful to me, but fo often repeated, that 
I was obliged to leave them in poffeflion of fuch fragments. 
We learn from Quintus Curtius }, that Darius having order- 
ed Charidamus to be put to death, and finding afterwards 
that he was innocent, endeavoured to ftop the executioner, 
though it was too late, as they had already cut his throat; 
but, in token .of repentance, the king allowed him the liber- 
ty of burial. 
I uAveE taken notice, up and down throughout my hiftory, 
that the Abyflinians never fight in the night. This too was 
a rule among the Perfians ||. 
i NotTWITHSTANDING 
* Xenoph, lib. i, + Amm. Mar. lib. vii. $Q, Curt. Hb. iii, 2. 49. 
f]| Q. Curt. y. 12, 
