THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. = 319 
TueE Itchegué is the chief of the monks in general, efpe- 
cially thofe of Debra Libanos. The head of the other 
monks, called thofe of St Euftathius, is the fuperior of the 
convent of Mahebar Selaffé, on the N. W. corner of Abyf- 
finia, near Kuara, and the Shangalla, towards Sennaar 
and the river Dender. All this tribe is grofsly ignorant, 
and through time, I believe, will lofe the ule of letters en- 
tirely. 
Tue Itchegué is ordained by two chief priefts holding a 
white cloth, or veil, over him, while another fays a prayer; 
and they then lay all their hands on his head, and 
join in pfalms together, He is a man, in troublefome times, 
of much greater confequence than the Abuna. There are, 
after thefe, chief priefts and fcribes, as in the Jewifh 
church: the laft of thefe, the ignorant, carelefs copiers of 
the holy fcriptures. 
Tue monks here do not live in convents, as in Europe,, 
but in feparate houfes round their church, and each culti- 
_ vates a part of the property they have in land. The priefts. 
have their maintenance afligned to them in kind, and do. 
not labour. A fteward, being a layman, is placed among 
them by the king, who receives all the rents belonging to 
the churches, and gives to the priefts the portion that is 
their due; but neither the Abuna,. nor any other church- 
man, has any bufinefs with the revenues of churches, nor 
can touch them.. 
Tue articles of the faith of the Abyffinians have been in- 
quired into and difcuffed with fo much keennefs in the 
beginning of this century, that I fear I fhould difoblige 
2 fome 
