Abyssins imagine that the cavities of the mountains are inhabited by evil
spirits which appear in different shapes, calling those that pass by
their names as in a familiar acquaintance, who, if they go to them, are
never seen afterwards. This relation was confirmed by the Moorish
officer who came with us, who, as he said, had lost a servant in that
manner: the man certainly fell into the hands of the Galles, who lurk in
those dark retreats, cut the throats of the merchants, and carry off
their effects.

The heat making it impossible to travel through this plain in the day-
time, we set out in the evening, and in the night lost our way. It is
very dangerous to go through this place, for there are no marks of the
right road, but some heaps of salt, which we could not see. Our camel
drivers getting together to consult on this occasion, we suspected they
had some ill design in hand, and got ready our weapons; they perceived
our apprehensions, and set us at ease by letting us know the reason of
their consultation. Travelling hard all night, we found ourselves next
morning past the plain; but the road we were in was not more commodious,
the points of the rocks pierced our feet; to increase our perplexities we
were alarmed with the approach of an armed troop, which our fear
immediately suggested to be the Galles, who chiefly beset these passes of
the mountains; we put ourselves on the defensive, and expected them,
whom, upon a more exact examination, we found to be only a caravan of
merchants come as usual to fetch salt.

CHAPTER VIII

They lose their way, are in continual apprehensions of the Galles. They
come to Duan, and settle in Abyssinia.

About nine the next morning we came to the end of this toilsome and
rugged path, where the way divided into two, yet both led to a well, the
only one that was found in our journey. A Moor with three others took
the shortest, without directing us to follow him; so we marched forwards
we knew not whither, through woods and over rocks, without sleep or any
other refreshment: at noon the next day we discovered that we were near
the field of salt. Our affliction and distress is not to be expressed;
we were all fainting with heat and weariness, and two of the patriarch's
servants were upon the point of dying for want of water. None of us had
any but a Moor, who could not be prevailed upon to part with it at less
than the weight in gold; we got some from him at last, and ende