528 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
at the wild people you {peak of, who are going after you, tho’ 
it is better to meet them coming this way, than when they 
are going to their homes; they are commanded by Welleta 
Yafous, who is your Seis and is very grateful for the medi- 
cines you fent him at Gondar: he has not been able to fee you, 
being fo much bufied with thofe wild people; but he loves 
you, and will take care of you, and you mutt give me more of 
that phyfic when we met at Gondar.” Iagain bowed, and he 
continued,—* Hear me what I fay; you fee thofe feven people 
(I never faw more thief-like fellows in my life),—thefe are 
all leaders and chiefs of the Galla—favages, if you pleafe; 
they are all your brethren.” I bowed. “ You may go through 
their country as if it were your own, without a man hurting 
you: you will be foon related to them all; for it is.their 
cuftom that a ftranger of diftinction, like you, when he is 
their gueft, fleeps with the fifter, daughter, or near relation 
of the principal men among them. I dare fay, fays he 
archly, you will not think the cuftoms of the Galla contain 
greater hardfhips than thofe of Amhara.” I bowed, but 
thought to myfelfI {hall not put them to the trial. He then 
jabbered fomething to them in Galla which I did not under- 
ftand. They all anfwered by the wildeft howl I ever heard, 
and ftruck themfelves upon the breaft, apparently affenting. 
‘“ Wen Ras Michael, continued he, came from the battle 
of Fagitta, the eyes of forty-four, brethren and relations of — 
thefe people prefent, were pulled out at Gondar, the day af- 
ter he arrived, and. they were expofed upon the banks 
of the river Angrab to ftarve, where moft, I believe, were 
devoured by the hyena; you took three of them up to 
your houfe ; nourifhed, cloathed, protected, and kindly treat- 
ed them.” c ‘ They are now in good health, faid I, and want 
nein 
*. 
F 
P 
na ita Mi tell 
| 
ns. 
oe 
~* ' 
ti ill ttt, Nt tee” 
