Abyssinia And Its People Book

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This is an OCR edition with typos.
Excerpt from book:
PART I. textit{THE COUNTRY AS SEEN BY EARLY AND RECENT TRAVELLERS. ALVAREZ, 11520. THE expedition of which Francisco Alvarez, a friar, furnishes an account, was fitted out by the King of Portugal, in 1520, for the purpose of converting the Abys- sinians to the Roman Catholic faith. The party landed at Massowah, and arrived at Shoa through the Tigr6 and Amhara country. He speaks with great horror of a feast to which they were invited; he says he scarcely dares to mention the principal foodâ?"pieces of raw flesh and warm blood â?"which the governor and his ladies devoured with delight; but the Portuguese could not allow these dainties to enter their lips. The wine also, or hydromel, " walked about with great fury;" the mistress of the house, though concealed behind a curtain, taking her full share. After passing through. the provinces of Amhara and Shoa, the embassy came in view of an almost endless range of tents overspreading an immense plain. This was the camp of the King of Abyssinia, who, engaged in continual war, had no other capital. Their reception wasnot altogether cordial, the King evidently mistrusting their motives in coming to his country; but he listened to their explanations, and at length evinced a more friendly disposition. PETER PAEZ, 1589. textit{Haw Flesh Banqiiet.â?"This traveller thus describes a banquet at that time. There was no plate, knife, fork, or spoon, and no chair to sit upon. "Women entered bearing baskets of junk resembling broad-brimmed hats, whence they drew numerous cakes, with which they entirely covered the board. Above these they placed the chief delicacyâ?"pieces of raw and warm flesh, which were wrapped in the cakes in portions so enormous that it appeared quite impossible for any mouth to admit them. The attendants, however, forced...