BERMUDEZ BARRETO. 
ing them a part of his territory. He appears, 
however, to have given a very exaggerated des- 
cription of its wealth. He asserted, that the soil 
consisted generally of two parts of gold, and one 
of earth ; and, pointing to a lofty mountain, which 
had a glittering appearance, he assured them that 
all that was gold. 
Bermudez now returned by Gojam and Dembea 
to Dobarwa, and soon after left Abyssinia. 
Although no fruit was thus drawn from the la- 
bours of Bermudez, yet the Portuguese monarch 
was not disposed to remit his eiforts for the con- 
version of Ethiopia. An Abyssinian priest, call- 
ed Peter, having repaired to Rome, asserted, that 
the failure of Bermudez had arisen entirely from 
his own absurd and brutal conduct, and that if a 
man of sense and capacity were sent out, he would 
soon effect the conversion of Abyssinia. It seems 
to have been imagined, though probably on very 
slender grounds, that this person had some autho^ 
rity from the emperor to request such a mission. 
The Pope, and the king of Portugal, determined 
not to reject this supposed opportunity. Nugnez 
Barreto was invested with the dignity of patriarch, 
and sent to exercise that office in Abyssinia. He 
went as usual by the way of Goa ; but learning 
that the navigation of the Red Sea was rendered 
very dangerous by the Turkish fleets, he deemed 
