Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 3.djvu/427

 THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 403

owing, as it is faid, to the catara&s, which they cannot get up. However, as they are amphibious animals, and walk very well on more, I think they might furmount this diffi- culty as eafily as the hippopotamus ; I rather think the caufe is the coldnefs of the water and climate, which does not agree with the crocodile, but much with the river-norie.

The Waito fpeak a language radically different from any of thofe in Abyffinia ; but though I have often endeavoured to get fome inlight into this, their religion, and cuftoms, I could never fo far fucceed as to be able to give the public any certain information. A falfe account in fuch cafes is certainly worfe than no account at all. I once defired the king to order that one of them might be brought to Gon- dar. Two men, an old and a young one, were accordingly brought from the lake, bur they would neither anfvver nor underftand any queftions ; partly, I believe, through fear, partly from obilinacy. The king at this became fo angry that he ordered them both to be hanged ; they feemed per- fectly unconcerned, and it was with fome difficulty I pro- cured their releafe; I never therefore made an experiment of that kind afterwards. The Abyffinians believe they are forcerers, can bewitch with their eyes, and occafion death by their charms even at a confiderable diflance. It is like- ly, if that had been fo, thefe two would have tried their power upon me, of which I do not recollect to have ever been ienfible.

We paffed the Reb at nine o'clock in the morning. It rifes high in the mountains of Begemder, and is one of thofe rivers that continue running the whole year, and has a tolerable ford, although it was vifibly increafed by rain.

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