4 TRAVELS IN ABYSSINIA. 
DiaZj and Vasco de Gama, when they set sail on 
this great expedition, received the strictest injunc- 
tions to consider every object of discovery as se- 
condary to that of Prester John. The voyages 
subsequently undertaken along the eastern coast 
to Mosambique, Mombaca, and MeHnda, had this 
for their sole object.* Meantime, intelligence 
was received, by a different channel, of the object 
so eagerly sought after. In 1499, two Portu- 
guese, Covilham and De Payva, were sent into 
the Red Sea to collect all the information which 
could be there obtained. Here they would natu- 
rally receive an account of Abyssinia, and of the 
circumstances from which it appeared, that this, 
if any, must be the country of Prester John. De 
Payva remained in the Red Sea, probably with 
the intention of proceeding thither ; while Covil- 
ham made a voyage to India and along the eastern 
coast of Africa. On his return, he learned the 
death of De Payva, and immediately determined 
to penetrate himself into Abyssinia. He succeed- 
ed in reaching Shoa, where the emperor then was, 
and was received with that favour which novelty 
usually secures, when not accompanied with any 
circumstances to awaken dread or suspicion. 
There was an ancient law of Abyssinia, by which 
no stranger was permitted to leave the kingdom 5 
* Di Ban-OS, IV. 1. 
