one 
ns . 
= 
’ 
THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 617 
hiftory of the country, and of the particulars concerning the 
miffion.in great detail, and with good judgment, yet he ne- 
ver mentions this journey of Peter Paez, though it proba- 
bly muft have been conveyed to Rome and Portugal, after 
his unipee iar and under his authority. . 
| Banani sbi a eames Jefuit, has wrote two vo- 
lumes in folio with great candour and impartiality, confider- 
ing the fpirit-of thofe times ; and he declares his work to 
be compiled from this hiftory of Alphonfo Mendes the pa- 
tviarch, from the two volumes of Peter Paez, as well as from 
the regular reports made by the individuals of the company 
in fome places, and by the provincial letters in others; to all 
~which he had compleat accefs, as alfo to the annual reports 
of Peter Paez among the reft, from 1598 to 1622; yet Tellez 
makes no mention of fuch a difcovery, though he is very 
particular as to the merit of each miflionary during the 
long reign of Sultan Segued, or Socinios, which occupies 
more than half of the two volumes. 
Arter thefe ftrong prefumptions, that Peter Paez neither 
made fuch a journey nor ever pretended it, I fhall fubmit 
the account that Paez himfelf, or Kircher for him, has gi- 
ven of the expedition and confequent difcovery; and if any 
of my readers can perfuade themfelves that a man of ge- 
nius, fuch as was Peter Paez, tranfported by accident to thefe 
fountains, and exulting as He does upon the difcovery, 
the value of which he feems to have known well, could 
yet have given fuch a defcription as he does, I am then 
contented with being only the partner of Peter Paez. 
Vou. Ul, - 4l | BEFORE 
