JOURNEY OF FERNANDEZ^ 
43 
land in this part of Africa ; as the rivers here 
separate, some flowing to the north, and falling 
into the Nile, while others, of which the princi- 
pal is the Zebee, flow southwards to the Indian 
Ocean. The Benero (such is the title assumed 
by the sovereign of Narea) b^ing subject to Abys- 
sinia, the travellers were received with every spe- 
cies of outward courtesy ; but that prince is be- 
lieved to have viewed their mission with great 
jealousy. He understood it to be sent with the 
view of bringing Portuguese troops into Abyssi- 
nia, the consequence of which might be, that the 
whole country would be subject to foreigners^ 
and compelled to embrace the Catholic religion^ 
He called therefore a council of his nobles, to 
contrive, if possible, some metliod of arresting 
their progress, without giving offence to the court 
of Abyssinia, After much deliberation, it was 
determined, that, instead of pointing out the pro- 
per road to the sea coast, they should be directed 
to one so remote and circuitous, as to make it 
next to impossible that they should ever reach 
their destination. With this view, they were 
advised to go by Gingiro and Cambat to Cape 
Guardafui 5 and as the ambassador of Gingiro 
happened to be then at Narea, he undertook to 
become their guidco Their dangers began imme- 
diately. They first entered a country entirely 
possessed by the Galla, and through which par- 
