was in company. In this the serpents mentioned by Lobo to have annoyed them on their march, are omitted, which, indeed, I conceive, may have altogether arisen from a mistake of Monsieur le Grand, who made his translation from a Portuguese manuscript; the original words translated serpents, having perhaps been descriptive of the "iron[1] stones" mentioned by Tellez, which were "like the dross that comes from the furnaces, and so sharp-pointed, that they spoilt a pair of shoes in a day." An important error in Lobo likewise occurs in the spelling of the name of the mountain, over which lies the pass to Abyssinia. It is rightly spelt by Tellez, Sanafé; but in Le Grand, Senaé, and in the English translation, Senaa. Mr. Bruce, and his late editor, have unnecessarily gone out of their way to abuse this first literary effort of Dr. Johnson: but if it be considered only as an abridgment, which it is professed to be in the preface, it will be found to contain as judicious a selection af all that is valuable in Le Grand as could well be expected, with the very circumscribed knowledge of the geography of the country which then existed.
An Abyssinian priest, named Ma-Merri Guebra Eyut, came down with the party from Abyssinia, who entertained an anxious wish to visit Jerusalem, from which intention I subsequently dissuaded him. He was a foolish good-natured fellow, though in some respects he afterwards proved of service, owing to his having gained, by his reputed sanctity, considerable influence over the minds of the people sent down by the Ras.
I found Mr. Pearce, to my great surprise, very little altered in complexion, and he spoke English almost as perfectly as when I left him. It was truly gratifying to witness his raptures at finding himself once more among Englishmen, and in an English ship. In the fulness of his heart he seemed to consider every countryman on board as a brother, and it was interesting to observe, with what respect and astonishment our sailors looked up to him in return, from the various accounts they had previously heard of the intrepidity with which he had surmounted so many dangers. He subsequently gave proofs
- ↑ Vide p. 226 of the Travels of the Jesuits.
