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AFTER Bacuffa had created his wife iteghè, he pretended to be fick: feveral days paffed without hopes of recovery; but at last the news of the king's death were publifhed in Gondar. The joy was fo great, and fo univerfal, that nobody attempted to conceal it. Every one found him felf eafed of a load of fear which had become infupportable. Several princes efcaped from the mountain of Wechné to put themfelves in the way of being chofen; fome were fent to by thofe great men who thought themfelves capable of effecting the nomination, and a fpeedy day was appointed for the burial of the king's corpfe, when Bacuffa appeared, in the ordinary feat of juftice, early in the morning of that day, with the iteghè, and the infant Yafous, his fon, fitting in a chair below him.

There was no occafion to accufe the guilty. The whole court, and all ftrangers attending there upon bufinefs, fled, and fpread an univerfal terror through the whole freets of Gondar. All ranks of people were driven to defpair, for all had rejoiced; and much lefs crimes had been before punished with death. What this fedition would have ended in, it is hard to know, had it not been for the im mediate refolution of the king, who ordered a general pardon and am nefty to be proclaimed at the door of the palace.

When the king died in good truth, the people could fcarcely believe it to be real; they were greatly afraid of a second refurrection; and, indeed, for many years afterwards, people of credit faid they had met him, at fundry places, alive. But this must be attributed to the extreme fear which his first frolic had occafioned.

III.

IN one of Bacuffa's fecret tours through Begemder, (after Tigrè,

the most powerful province in Abys finia, and by much the most plentiful) being difguifed like a poor man, dirty and fatigued with the length. of the way and heat of the weather, he came to the house of a private perfon, not very rich indeed, but of noble manners and carriage, and who, by the juftice and mildness of his behaviour and cuftoms, had acquired a great degree of influence among his neighbours. The father was old and feeble, but the fon in the vigour of his age, who was then ftanding in a large pool of water, at his father's door, washing his own cotton cloak, or wrapper, which is their upper garment; an occupation below no young man in Abyffinia.

Bacuffa, as overcome with heat, threw himself down under the shade of a tree, and, in a faint voice and foreign dialect, intreated the young man to wash his cloak likewife, after having finished his own. The young man confented moft willingly; and, throwing by his own garment, fell to washing the ftranger's with great diligence and attention. In the mean time, Bacuffa began questioning him about the king, and what his opinion was of him. The young man anfwered, he had never formed any. Bacuffa, however, ftill plied him with questions, while he continued washing the cloak, without giving him any anfwer at all; at laft, being able to hold out no longer, he gathered Bacuffa's cloak in his arms, wet as it was, and threw it to him: "I thought," fays he, "when you prayed me to take your cloak, that I was doing a charitable action to fome poor Galla fainting with fatigue, and perhaps with hunger; but, fince I have had it in my hands, I have found you an instruc tor of kings and nobles, a leader of armies and maker of laws. Take your cloak, therefore, and wash it yourself, which is what Providence has ordained to be your bufinefs ;

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[From Benyowfky's Travels.] AT nine in the morning an man was announced to me, who fpoke the Ruffian language. He was admitted, and came in with a boy of twelve years of age, whom he offered me as a prefent, which I accepted on condition that he would permit me to make him a prefent in return. His phyfiognomy convinced me that he was not a Ruffian, but as he fpoke the Ruffian language very well, I was curious to enquire into this prodigy. There is no doubt but he perceived my embarraffinent, for he burst into a laugh, and faid, "Mr. European, you will be furprifed that I call you by that name, but I must inform you that I know more than all the Aleuthes. I was taken by the Coffacks in my youth, who carried me into their own country, where I was conveyed from one town to another, till at last I fell into the hands of a merchant, who fent me with fome Coffacks in fearch of my country, which we at last found, and the Coffacks fent me on fhore, that I might invite my countrymen to trade with them. But for my part, finding myself restored to my country, I returned no more to the Coffacks, but remained in my own ifland; where the tajon having taken an attachment to me, gave me his

daughter Kalki in marriage: and as I knew every thing, the Aleuthes made me their tajon after the death of my father-in-law; and I am now the strongeft, the moft knowing, and the richest tajon of the Aleuthes. As I am now in years, I have given up the government to my fon, and content my felf with being his friend and advifer. My fon need no longer fear the Coffacks, for an European tajon has married his daughter, and this tajon is a god. For this reafon it is that I laughed, and fhall laugh on."

Some time after, the count had an opportunity of enquiring, what reafon had induced him to part with the boy he had given him? He replied, that when he was last year at Kadik, the tajon of that ifland had given him the boy, who was born on the great land of Alexina, where he had doubtlefs been made prifoner by the Aleuthes, against whom they had fworn a declared enmity; and that being apprehenfive of the confequences on the part of the young man, he had determined to get rid of him the first opportunity.

STATE OF WITCHCRAFT
IN ABYSSINIA.

[From Bruce's Travels.] THOSE who have written ac counts of Abyffinia, feem to agree in extolling the people of that country for giving no belief to the existence or reality of witchcraft or forcery. Why they have fixed on this particular nation is hard to determine. But, as for me, I have no doubt in afferting, that there is not a barbarous or ignorant people that I ever knew of which this can be truly faid; but certainly it never was lefs true than when faid of the Abyffinians. There is fearce a monk in any lonely monaftery, (fuch as those in the hot and unwholefome valley of Waldubba) not a hermit of the many

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upon the mountains, not an old priest who has lived any time fequestered from fociety, that does not pretend to poffefs charms oftenfive and defenfive, and feveral methods by which he can, at will, look into futurity. The Moors are all, to a man, perfuaded of this: their arms and necks are loaded with amulets against witchcraft. Their women are believed to have all the mischievous powers of fafcination; and both fexes a hundred fecrets of divination. The Falafha are addicted to this in ftill a greater degree, if poffible. It is always believed by every individual Abyffinian, that the number of hyænas the fmell of carrion brings into the city of Gondar every night, are the Falafha from the neighbouring mountains, transformed by the effect and for the purpofes of inchantment. Even

the Galla, a barbarous and stranger nation, hoftile to the Abyffinians, and different in language and religion, fill agree with them in a hearty belief of the poffibility of practifing witchcraft, fo as to occafion fickness and death at a very great distance, to blaft the harvests, poifon the waters, and render people incapable of propagating their fpe

cies.

The Abyffinians, to a man, are fearful of the night, unwilling to travel, and, above all, to fight in that feafon, when they imagine the world is in poffeffion of certain genii, averfe to intercourfe with men, and very vindictive, if even by accident they are ruffled or put out of their way by their interference. This, indeed, is carried to fo great a height, that no man will venture to throw water out of a bafon upon the ground, for fear that, in ever fo fmall a fpace the water fhould have to fall, the dignity of fome elf, or fairy, might be violated. The Moors have none of thefe apprehenfions, and are accustomed, in the way of trade,

to travel at all hours, fometimes from neceffity, but often from choice, to avoid the heat. They laugh, moreover, at the fuperftitions of the Abyffinians, and not unfrequently avail themselves of them. A verfe of the Koran, fewed up in leather, and tied round their neck or their arms, fecures them from all these incorporcal enemies; and, from this known advantage, if other circumftances are favourable, they never fail to fight the Abyffinians at or before the dawn of the morning, for in this country there is no twilight.

ANECDOTE OF A JANISSARY. [By our old Faversham Correfpondent.]

A DRUNKEN Janiffary, purfued by the guard, who commonly have no other arms than large fticks, availed himself of the fuperiority which his fabre gave him over his affailants, to defend himself in an uncommonly heroic manner. He had already driven feveral of his enemies from the field, when fatigued by his exertions, he prepared to renew the engagement, by refting on the steps of a khan*, whilft the guard converted the attack into a blockade. The grand feignior, who frequently goes about the city in a difguife which, however, does not conceal him, happening to be on the fpot, approached the offender, told him to lay down his weapon, and furrender himself a prisoner; but nothing could move our hero, who, regarding his fovereign with perfect indifference, denounced vengeance on the first who might approach him. The fultan then asked the Janiflary to what company he belonged, and, on his giving a fatisfactory answer, he fent for his commander, who prefently arriving-" Difarm that man," faid the grand feignior, "and conduct him to the caftle." The A public-houfe, where merchants and travellers lodge. officer

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officer directly took off his girdle, and advancing towards the rebel with it in his right hand, whilst he held out to him his left, faid, "Fellow foldier, give me your weapon, and follow me!" which he immediately did, without any reply, and with an air of the most humble fubmiffion.

INSTANCE

OF INGENUOUSNESS IN FABRICIUS.

WHEN Pyrrhus, king of Epirus, was on his march towards Rome, ambaffadors were fent to him to treat about the ranfom or exchange of prifoners; and the virtuous Fabricius, ftill poor, though placed in the highest rank, was one of the embaffy. The money which was offered him by Pyrrhus, only ferved to fhew his contempt for riches. Cyneas was one day explaining to him the principles of the fect of the Epicureans, which he profeffed, when the Roman exclaimed-"O ye Gods, may fuch be the doctrine followed by our enemies, while they are at war with Rome!"

It is also added, that when Pyrrhus invited him to come and fettle in his court, where he promised to raife him to the highest honours-"I would by no means recommend it to you," replied he; "for when your fubjects know me, they will prefer me for their king!"

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power, or to revenge their difgrace, it was refolved to folicit the Baharnagafh (John Akay, then in rebellion) to take them under his protection. This man approving the fcheme, they eluded their guards in the night, and made their efcape to Addicota. It was not, however, long before he found how little dependence there was upon this new protector; for, in the midst of all his fchemes, he received orders to remove from Addicota, under pretence that they were not there enough in fafety; and Akay tranfferred them vexatioufly from place to place, into hot and unwholesome fituations, always under the fame pretence, till he had deftroyed their healths, and exhausted their strength and patience.

There is but one way of difpofing fuch people to grant a favour, and it was furprising the patriarch did not find this out fooner. Jerome Lobo was fent with a fmall present in gold, defiring they might have leave to continue in their old habitation, Addicota. Lobo found John Akay very much taken up in a purfuit that fome ignorant monks had put into his head. They had made him believe that there was a treasure hid under a certain mountain which they had fhewn him, but that the devil, who guarded it, had conftantly hindered his predeceffors from acquiring it. At prefent they had found out, that this devil had gone a journey far off, was become blind and lame, and was, befides, in very great affliction for the death of a fon, the only hopes of his devilship's family, having now only a daughter remaining, very ugly, lame, fquinting, and fickly, and that all thefe reafons would hinder him from being very anxious about his treafure. But, even fuppofing he did come, they had an old monk that would exorcife him, a man as eminent for wifdom as for fanctity.

In fhort, they produced a monk, one of their brethren, above a hundred years old, whom they mounted upon a horfe, then tied him to the animal, wrapping him round with black wool, which, it feems, was the conjuring habit. He was followed by a black cow and fome monks, who carried beer, hydromel, and roafted wheat, which was neceffary, it feemed, to refresh the devil after his long journey and great affliction, and put him in good homour, if he fhould appear.

The old monk fung without ceafing, the workmen wrought vigorously, and much earth and stones were removed; at laft they difcovered fome rat, mice, or mole holes, at the fight of which a cry of joy was heard from all the parties prefent.

The old monk fings again; the cow is brought in great hurry, and facrificed, and pieces of it thrown to the rats and mice: again they fall to work with double keennefs, the mole holes vanish, and a hard rock appears. This being the laft obftacle, they fall keenly upon the rock, and the old monk chants till he is hoarfe with finging; the heat of the fun is exceffive; no gold appears; John Akay lofes his patience, and afks when it may be feen? The monks lay the whole blame upon him, becaufe, they fay, he had not enough of faith. They give over work, with one confent fall to eating the cow, and then difperfe.

ANECDOTE

OF LADY RACHEL RUSSEL.

NO woman ever united more real fortitude with fo much tenderness and feeling, as this luftrious character.

She was the most affectionate of wives; and had fufficient ftrength of mind to take the proceedings at the trial of her illuftrious hufband, Jord Ruffel; no other perfon being

permitted by an inhuman judge, to ufe a pen or pencil on the occafion, And many years after, when she was in a very advanced age, her two daughters, the ducheffes of Bedford and Devonshire, happening to lie in just at the fame time, one of them died in child-bed; and the afflicted mother being a few days afterwards with her only furviving daughter, was ftrictly queftioned by her as to the health of her fifter, of whose fate she had fome suspicion; when this venerable and heroic woman, calling forth all her ftrength of mind, to prevent the fhock which must have been particularly dangerous at fuch a period, affumed a fmile, and faid, “Make yourself eafy, my dear, I have kifled your fifter, out of bed to day." This was literally true, for fhe had kiffed her in her coffin.

THE TRIUMPH OF ECONOMY. [Sent by J, S. a new Correfpondent.] WHEN the collection was making to build Bethlem Hofpital, those who were employed to gather donations for that purpofe, went to a small houfe, the door of which being half open, they overheard an old man, the mafter, fcolding his fervant maid, for having thrown away a match without using its both ends. After diverting themselves fome time with the difpute, they prefented themselves before the old gentleman, and explained the cause of their coming; though, from what had just paffed, they enter tained very little, if any, hopes of fuccefs. The fuppofed Gripe, however, no fooner understood the bufinefs, than he ftept into a closet, from whence he brought a bag, and counted out four hundred guineas, which he generoufly gave them. No aftonishment could exceed that of the collectors, at this unexpected reverfe of their expectations; they

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