THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. Z0L 
this inftance, they feem to have poffefled ; or, when ano- 
ther example occurs of that kind, which they call smpofible, 
that they would take the truth of it upon my word, and be- 
lieve what they are not fufficiently qualified to invefti gate. 
ConsisTENT with the plan of this work, which is to de- 
feribe the manners of the feveral nations through which f 
pafled, good and bad, as I obferved them, I cannot avoid 
giving fome account of this Polyphemus banquet, as far as 
decency will permit me; it is part of the hiftory of a bar- 
barous people ; whatever I might wifh,I cannot decline it. 
In the capital, where one is fafe from furprife at all times, 
orin the country or villages, when the rains have become fo. 
conftant that the valleys will not bear a horfe to pafs them, 
or that men cannot venture far from home through fear 
of being furrounded and {wept away by temporary torrents, 
occafioned by fudden fhowers on the mountains ; in a word, 
when a man can fay he is fafe at home, and the {pear and 
fhield is “hung up in the hall, a number of people of the 
beft fafhion in the villages, of both fexes, courtiers in the pa- 
face, or citizens in the town, meet together to dine between 
twelve and one o’clock. 
Azone table is fet in the middle of a large room, and 
benches befide it for a number of guefts who are invited. 
Tables and benches the Portugueze introduced amongtt 
them; but bullhides, fpread upon the ground, ferved them 
before, as they do in the camp and country now. A cow or 
bull, one or more, as the company is numerous, is brought 
clofe to the door, and his feet ftrongly tied. The fkin thas 
hangs down under his chin and cet, which I think we 
cal] 
