LOBO^S JOURNEY. 
49 
1622. Soon after his landing, intelligence ar- 
rived from Abyssinia of the conversion of Sultan 
Segued, with many of his subjects, and that a 
larger supply of missionaries was alone necessary 
to improve these prosperous beginnings. Eighty 
therefore, of whom Lobo was one, were chosen 
for this important mission. Great difference of 
opinion arose, as to the best mode of penetrating 
into the interior of that kingdom. Four went 
by the Red Sea, and after being detained for 
some time in custody by the Turks, reached 
their destination. Two went by Zeila, where, 
falling into the hands of the king, a zealous Ma- 
hometan, they were first thrown into a dungeon, 
and afterwards their heads were struck off. Lobo 
and his companions determined, upon some vague 
information, to seek a route by the way of Me- 
linda* Such a course could only be suggested by 
the most erroneous views of African geography. 
Our author, however, after a voyage of eleven 
days, landed at Pate, at the mouth of the Quilli- 
manci. At this place he could learn nothing of 
Abyssinia, but was assured that the country be- 
hind was occupied by the Galles, the most dread- 
ful savages in nature, who laid waste wherever 
they went, and were the terror of Africa. This 
dismal inteUigence did not deter him from at- 
tempting to explore the country. He set out 
for Lubo, a large capital, about forty miles dis- 
VOL. m D 
