Part î. Travels into the Lev ant. ^^i 
the Capital City of Mthiopia. This Spring fends its Water Northwards 
through a long trad of Land, which having pafled feven Catarads or Falls, 
that are very high places, from which it falls plumb down, making a roaring 
Eoife at every one of thefe Cafcades,. and having run through all Mgypt^ it 
difcharges itfelf into the Mediterranean Sea, by the two mouths of Rofctta 
and Damiem. Now the caufe why Nile overflows fo regularly in the Summer- 
time, is only becaufe v»?hen they have Summer in &2,yft, it is Winter in 
lEthiopia, where for three months time, the Rain that continually falls running 
by Torrents into the main River, makes it to fwell extraordinarily, and never- 
thelefs, there are no Mountains near to that Spring head ; for the Mountains 
that are nearcft to it, are the Jews Mountains, whereof I lhall make fome 
mention hereafter, and thefe are three Weeks Journey from it. It is a Vul- 
gar errour then, that this River has its Source from an unknown place; as Thefourceof 
alfothat thofe who live near the Catarads of Nile, are deaf; and a greater the A^i/e is not 
ftill what fome fay, that the Grand Signior pays Tribute to the King ofJEthtopia ""'^"own. 
to Jet the Ntle run in its ufual Channel j for it is not in his power to divert 
it. The Mountains of the Jews are but two in number, of which the one is 
called Semaine and the other, Sdllemt. They were heretofore Inhabited by semdn. ' 
Jews, who became powerful under the command of one called Ghidhon^ Salkrnt 
which the King of Rthiopa perceiving, marched out againft them, reduced 
them to duty; and at length that they might attempt no Innovation for the 
future, he difpoflelTed them of the Mountains, and brought them down into f f "r ^^'^^ 
a Plain Inhabited by Chriftians, whom he fent into their Mountains; on which ^ 
there always lyes a great deal of Snow. 
CHAP. LXX. 
Of the Efine that was h^ft at Caire in my time, 
IN the month of November there was an Efine kept at Caire, that is to fay, 
a publick Rejoicing, becaufe the Turks had taken two Caftles in Hungary. 
It was prodaim'd on the eighth of November after noon, there being a man 
who cried it in every Quarter ; and the chief Cryer went in a Caftanio^dv^v- 
tife the Beys and Confuls, and got money in the Streets : They Cried it for 
feven days, to begin on Saturday the ninth of November, at the hour of Evening 
Prayers, though it ufed not to lait above three days. This Saturday morning 
the Guns were fired from the Caftle, which continued to be done every mor- 
ning as long as the Efine lafted, and then all fell to work before their doors, 
the poorelt Man that is, being ready on fuch occâlîons to lay out fomewhat 
on Lamps and Stuffs: It is a very pleafant thing to be feen, efpecially in the 
Night-time, when one may go Abroad with greater fafety and freedom than 
in the day at any other time^ for by Lamp-light they cannot tell whether 
your Turban be white or of any other Colour, and fo they know not 
whether you be Chrillian or Turk. All the Itreets are full of Lamp-lights, ' 
but efpecially fome, wherein there are a vaft number of Lights, not only 
before the Gates, but within the Houfes of the Beys, and other Perfons of 
Quality. Befides that, the ftreets are hung with lovely Hangings of Cloath 
of Gold, and other rich Huffs; among others, there are fome Streets where- 
in all the Shops are hung with Cloath of Gold, and rich filk Stuffs flowered 
with Gold. In many places alfo, you may fee pleafant figures of Chriflian 
Franks, which to them is a great Diverfion. Befides the Tapiflieryand Lamps 
which are to be feen in the Houfes of the Beys, they make a fhew alfo in 
the entry of all forts of Arms and Armour ; as Head-pieees, Corflets, Coats 
of Mail, Mufquets, Swords and Targets, &c. which are ranked in very good 
order. The Confuls are lifcwife obliged to ad their parts in the Solemnity, 
I i Though 
