Journal of Three Years' Residence in Abyssinia
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Journal of three years' residence in Abyssinia http://www.aluka.org/action/showMetadata?doi=10.5555/AL.CH.DOCUMENT.nuhmgobat1 Use of the Aluka digital library is subject to Aluka’s Terms and Conditions, available at http://www.aluka.org/page/about/termsConditions.jsp. By using Aluka, you agree that you have read and will abide by the Terms and Conditions. Among other things, the Terms and Conditions provide that the content in the Aluka digital library is only for personal, non-commercial use by authorized users of Aluka in connection with research, scholarship, and education. The content in the Aluka digital library is subject to copyright, with the exception of certain governmental works and very old materials that may be in the public domain under applicable law. Permission must be sought from Aluka and/or the applicable copyright holder in connection with any duplication or distribution of these materials where required by applicable law. Aluka is a not-for-profit initiative dedicated to creating and preserving a digital archive of materials about and from the developing world. For more information about Aluka, please see http://www.aluka.org Journal of three years' residence in Abyssinia Author/Creator Gobat, Samuel Contributor Clark, Sereno Dickenson (tr.) Date 1850 Resource type Books Language English, French Subject Coverage (spatial) Horn of Africa, Ethiopia, Lalibela Source Northwestern University Libraries, DT377 .G574 Description Contents: Biography of Mr. Gobat. Introduction. Abyssinia and its inhabitants. Historical sketch of the Abyssinian Church. Mr. Gobat's journey from Adegrate to Gondar. Conversations, by the way, with fellow-travlers. Arrival at Gondar. Interview with Oubea. Mr. Gobat concludes to remain at Gondar. Is placed by Oubea under the protection of the Etchegua, chief of monks. Conversations with Alaca Waldab, Habeta Selasse, and other ecclesiastics, (interspersed throughout the chapter). Visit to the king, Joas. Troubles at the customhouse. Visit to Cantiba Cassai, governor of Gondar, and to the daughter of the late Ras Googsa. Celebration of Easter. Visit to the Etchegua or head of the monks. Conversation with him upon doctrinal subjects. Conversations with various priests, and remarks upon their character. Sent for by Ozoro Waleta Teclit, to cure the madness of her brother. Disturbances in the city. Habeta Selasse proposes a mission to the Gallas. Brief account of the Falashas. Copies of the Amharic Gospel distributed. Visit to a village of the Falashas. Great disturbances in the city. Superstitious opinions concerning sorcery. Increasing intercourse with the priests and laity. Much sought to as a physician. Conversation with the Etchegua, and another priest high in authority, expressly upon religious subjects. Death of the king's wife. Discussions on original sin. Visited by a Jewess, a sorceress. Barbarous treatment of a thief. Attacked by a http://www.aluka.org severe fever. Reasons for not fasting during his illness. Receives numerous visits afterward. Sebism in different provinces of Abyssinia concerning the nature of Jesus Christ. Change of the Etchegua. Prepares to return to Tigre. Review of his stay in Gondar. Arrival at Adowah. Visit to Sebagadis. Arrival of the Rev. C. Kugler. Opthalmia. Mr. Kugler wounded by the bursting of a gun. His last illness and dying scene. Directions concerning his funeral, not to conform to the Abyssinian superstitions. His burial. Indignation of Sebagadia against the priests. Conversations with the young Tecla Georgis. Account of a Damotera's sting. Alarming news from the scene of the war. Flight from Adowah, in company with Walda Michael. Account of the capture and death of Sebagadis. Mr. Gobat sent by Walda Michael, for protection, to the monastery of Debra Damot. After three months' seclusion, arrival at Adigrate. Description of the locusts. Reading of the Scriptures with his servant Guebrou. Consequences of the battle of February 14th. Native dirge on Sebagadis. A young son of Sebagadis revolts. The eldest, Walda Michael, maintains his power. Oubea comes to attack Walda Michael. Mr. Gobat takes refuge again in Debra Damot. Returns to Adigrate. He again takes refuge in Debra Damot. Remarks on the Galla country. Recovery from severe illness. Cruel proceedings of Oubea. Battle between Oubea and the sons of Sebagadis. They submit to Oubea, who gives them about half of their father's government. Departure from Massowah. Waits upon Oubea and Walda Michael before his departure. Arrives successively at Massowah. Jidda, Suez, and Cairo. General remarks on the state of Abyssinia. Political, civial, and military affairs. Religious condition of the country. The Christians. Morals. Mohammedans. the Falashas or Jews. The Camountes. The Zalanes. General customs of Abyssinia. Conclusion. Format extent 484 pages (length/size) http://www.aluka.org/action/showMetadata?doi=10.5555/AL.CH.DOCUMENT.nuhmgobat1 http://www.aluka.org JOURNAL OF THREE YEARS' RESIDENCE IN ABYSSINIA. BY REV. SAMUEL GOBAT. NOW BISHOP OF JERUSALEBM PRECEDED BY AN INTRODUCTION GEOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL, ON ABYSSINIA, TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH BY REV. SERENO D. CLARK. ACCOMPANIED WITH A BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF BISHOP GOBAT, BY ROBERT BAIRD, D.D. "Ethiopia shall soon stretch out her hands unto God."-PsALx lxvidi. 31. NEW YORK: PUBLISHED BY M. W. DODD, BRICK CHURCH CHAPEL, CITY HALL SQUARE, (OPPOSITE THE CITY HALL.) 1850. Entered awording to Act oi Congress, in the ycar 15O, by iW. DODD, In the Clerk's Office of the Southern District of New York. STEREOTYPED BY T. B. SMITH, 216 WILLIAM STREET. PREFACE, THE work here presented to the public, has been translated rather freely than literally; the translator deeming it sufficient to delineate in his own way, yet truthfully and vividly, the various scenes, events, and characters sketched by the author. This he has endeavored to do without casting every period and paragraph in the same mould with the original. He has also interwoven into the text of the translation some facts and incidents drawn from other sources, adding much to the interest and value of the work. This, it is believed, will be duly appreciated by the public, when it is considered, that there is scarcely a habitable part of the globe in respect to which there is so little reliable information concerning the past and present as of Abyssinia. ASHirELD, MASS., April 10, 1850. CONTENTS, BIOGRAPHYOFMR.GOBAT . 7 INTRODUCTION * 19 PART I.-ABYSSiNIA AND ITS INHABITANTS . 19 PART II.-HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE ABYssrNi CHURcH. 55 JOURNAL. CHAPTER I. Mr. Gobat's journey from Adegrate to Gondar. Conversations, by the way, with fellow-travelers. Arrival at Gondar 117 CHAPTER II. Interview with Oubea. Mr. Gobat concludes to remain at Gondar. Is placed by Oubea under the protection of the Etchegua, chief of the monks. Conversations with Alaca Waldab, Habeta Selasse, and other ecclesiastics, (interspersed throughout the chapter.) Visit to the king, Joas. Troubles at the customhouse. Visit to Cantiba Cassai, governor of Gondar, and to the daughterofthelateRasGoogsa . .154 CHAPTER 1II. Celebration of Easter. Visit to the Etchegua or head of the monks. Conversation with him upon doctrinal subjects. Conversations with various priests, and remarks upon their character. Sent for by Ozoro Waleta Teclit, to cure the madness of her brother. Disturbances in the city. Habeta Selasse proposes a mission to the Gallas. Brief account of the Falashas. Copies of the Amharic Gospel distributed . 205 CONTENTS. CHAPTER IV. Visit to a village of the Falashas. Great disturbances in the city. Superstitious opinions concerning sorcery. Increasing intercourse with the priests and the laity. Much sought to as a physician. Conversation with the Etchegua, and another priest high in authority, expressly upon religious subjects. Death of the king's wife. Discussions on Original Sin. Visited by a Jewess, a sorceress. Barbarous treatment of a thief. Attacked by a severe fever. Reasons for not fasting during his illness. Receives numerous visits afterward. Schism in different provinces of Abyssinia concerning the nature of Jesus Christ. Change of the Etchegua. Prepares to return to Tigre. Review of his stay in Gondar .... 217 CHAPTER V. Arrival at Adowah. Visit to Sebagadis. Arrival of the Rev. 0. Kugler. Ophthalmia. Mr. Kugler wounded by the bursting of a gun. His last illness and dying scene. Directions concerning his funeral, not to conform to the Abyssinian superstitions. His burial. Indignation of Sebagadis against the priests. Conversations with the young Tecla Georgis. Account of a Damotera's sting. Alarming news from the scene of war . 64 CHAPTER Y1. Flight from Adowah, in company with Walda Michael. Account of the capture and death of Sebagadis. Mr. Gobat sent by Walda Michael, for protection, to the monastery of Debra Damot. After three months' seclusion, arrival at Adigrate. Description of the locusts. Reading of the Scriptures with his servant Guebrou. Consequences of the btttle of February 14th. Native dirge on Sebagadi3. A young son of Sebagadis revolts. The eldest, Walda Michael, maintains his power. Oubea comes to attack Walda Michael.. ir. Gobat takes refuge again in Debra Damot. Returns to Adigrate. He again takes refuge in Debra Damnot. Remarks on the Galla country. Recovery from severe illness. Cruel proceedings of Oubea. Battle between Oubea and the sons of Sebagadis. They submit to Oubea, who gives them about half of their father's government. Departure from Massowah. Waits upon Oubea and Walda Michael, before his departure. Arrives successively at Massowah, Jidda, Suez, and Cairo. 385 GENERAL RmARKs ON THE STATE OF ABYssni.-Political, Civil, and Military affairs. Religious condition of the country. The Christians. Morals. Moharamedans. The Falashas or Jews. The Camountes. The Zalanes. General customs of Abyssinia. Conclusion .. 439 BIOGRAPHY OF MR, GOBAT, ABOUT the time of my arrival at Paris, in the spring of 1835, a very interesting book was published in that city, which bore the title of " S~jour en Abyssinie."* This volume I read with great interest, and sent it, a year or two afterwards, to the Rev.