TRAVELS IN ABYSSINIA. 
53 
thus deploring. They were firmly assured also, 
that the course of the missionaries was speedily to 
be followed by clouds of grashoppers (locusts), the 
scourge of the country, and the sure precursors of 
famine. There happened this year to be a pecu- 
liar inroad of these terrible insects, which led the 
people easily to credit the report ; never reflecting, 
says Lobo, " that the country was tormented by lo- 
" custs, before there were Jesuits in Abyssinia, or 
" even in the world.'' It was also a firm article 
of belief, that the hosts administered in the sacra- 
ment were compounded of juices strained from the 
blood of the camel, the dog, the hare, and the 
swine ; being the four animals which are held in 
utter abomination throughout Abyssinia. Every 
protestation to the contrary was in vain ; whenever 
this symbol of religion appeared, precipitate flight 
was the consequence. The Jesuits endeavoured to 
ingratiate themselves with the lady of the village, 
hoping, through her means, to procure some favour 
with the people, but in vain ; and, indeed, the fair 
sex seem to have been always their enemies. They 
paid a visit to some of the neighbouring villages ; 
but their arrival awakened always the same doleful 
concert ; and, as grief turned sometimes into rage, 
their lives, but for the protection of the governors, 
might have fallen a sacrifice. They soon therefore 
judged it most advisable to return to their head- 
quarters at Fremona. Lobo seems to have expected 
