THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. a2 
T'sHay now ftate, in his own words, the account given 
ef this by Alvarez, chaplain to the Portuguefe embafly, 
under Don Roderigo de Lima. 
Tue king had invited Don Roderigo de Lima, the Portu- 
suefe ambaflador, to be prefent at the celebration of the 
feftival of the Epiphany. They went about a mile and a 
half from their former ftation, and encamped upon the fide 
of a pond which had been prepared for the occafion. Al- 
warez fays, that, in their way, they were often afked by 
thofe they met or overtook, “ Whether or not they were go-. 
-ing to be baptized?’ to which the chaplain and his com- 
pany anfwered in the negative, as having been already- 
once baptized in their childhood. 
“In the night, fays he, a great number of priefts affem-_ 
bled about the pond, roaring and finging with a view of | 
blefling the water.. After midnight the baptifm:began. The 
Abuna Mark, the king and queen, were the firft that went 
into the lake; they had each a piece of cotton cloth about 
their middle, which was juft fo much more than the reft 
of the people had. At the fun-rifing the baptifm was moft: 
thronged; after which, when Alvarez* came, the lake was. 
full of holy water, into which they had poured oil.” 
Ir fhould feem, from this outfet of his narrative, that he 
was not at the lake till the ceremony was half over, and did 
not fee the benedittion of the watcr.at all, nor-the curious. 
vhs | exhibition : 
*-Vide Alvarez’s narratiye in is account of the embafly of Don Roderigo de Lina, page,1 5.5. 
