in Massua in the month of June and part of July,
where I saw great storms of thunder and rain; and we saw within the
continent great and constant black clouds; though the Abyssinians said
what we saw was little in comparison of what it was in the inland
country. We likewise know that the months of June and July are the
winter season at the Cape of Good Hope and all the coast of Africa,
where the rains are continual. I was likewise told that the Nile formed
many islands, especially one exceedingly large, in which was a great
and rich city; which on due consideration must be the Island of _Meroe_.
They told me also that on this great island, and all through the river,
there were great numbers of fierce and pestiferous animals, which
doubtless must be crocodiles. Enquiring if the river in a certain place
fell from such a height, that with the noise of the fall those who
inhabited the neighbouring towns were born deaf; they said that
certainly in one place the river did fall over a great rock with a
prodigious noise, but had no such effects.

As an extended account of the manners and customs of the Abyssinians
would interfere with this journal, I must touch them only shortly,
though most worthy of being known; more especially the causes of the
overthrow and ruin of this empire in these our own days.

_Atini Tingill_, afterwards named David, _Prete Jani_ or Emperor of
Ethiopia, reigning in the year 1530, became so cruel and tyrannized so
much over his subjects that he incurred their universal hatred. At that
time _Gradamet_, king of Zeyla, made war on Abyssinia, encouraged by the
great enmity of the people against their sovereign, and perhaps secretly
invited by some of the great lords of the kingdom. On entering into
Abyssinia, and having reduced some towns and districts, Gradamet divided
liberally the spoils among his warriors, among whom he had 300 Turkish
arquebusseers, who formed the main strength of his army. He likewise
enfranchised all the inhabitants of the towns through which he passed,
exempting the inhabitants from the taxes and impositions they had to pay
to their sovereign, by which he gained to his party all the common
people, and even many of the principal nobles of the kingdom[281].

[Footnote 281: Of the cruelties of David, several examples are given in
the journal of Alvarez, such as the death of two _Betudetes_, the chief
justice, two _Tigre mahons_ or governors of Tigre, and four
_Barnagassoes_ or gov