ABSTRACT
Once Father Antonio Fernandez had taken his leave of the emperor and of us fathers, he set off from Dambiâ {at the beginning of} <on 1st> March 1613 for the kingdom of Gojâm, where Erâz Cela Christôs, who was to give him guards for the journey, was already, and the ambassador was also waiting for him there, since he had gone on ahead to arrange his household affairs and take his leave of his wife and kinsfolk who lived there. He took with him four sons of Portuguese, young men aged up to eighteen, who were to accompany him as far as India, and six other Portuguese and Catholics, who would return from the kingdom of Nareâ, which is the farthest part of the lands that the emperor governs in that direction. On the fifth day they crossed the River Nile and, entering the kingdom of Gojâm, they went to a residence of ours that we already had there at that time in a land that they call <[f. 461v/450v]> Colelâ, which was under the care of a father. They stayed with him for a few days, since Erâz Cela Christôs had gone with an army to attack some heathens from a distant land. As soon as the father received news of his return, he went with his followers as swiftly as he could and found him in a land that they call Ombermâ, where he welcomed him and gave him lodging for eight days with much love and contentment while waiting for eight heathens that {[f. 505v]} they call Gâlas to arrive, who were to accompany him until he had crossed certain deserted areas on the other side of the Nile, where the same Gâlas often fall on travellers who do not take guides belonging to their caste. Once he had these and other heathens that they call Xâtes, who would also accompany him through other lands of their nation, he took the father aside and spoke to him as a superior of the Society might, laying before his eyes the importance of the business that he had <in his hands and> in his charge, and the hardships and adversities that the Devil would cause so that such a glorious enterprise might not come about, but he should break through them all with valiant and constant spirit, for he could see the great service to Our Lord that would result from that, which was the reduction of this empire and, with it, the salvation of so many souls that were lost; and amidst the greatest hardships and adversities, he should set his eyes on the Lord and place his trust in Him, from whom he would certainly receive every assistance, since he had offered to perform those labours for His sake and the enterprise was purely His. And he strongly recommended to him that he should seek to conclude it as soon as he could because, if the emperor should {fail} <die> before then, there would be great difficulty in effecting what they intended. Finally, with great devotion and his eyes brimming with tears, he threw himself at the father’s feet to kiss them, believing that he would gain a great deal by kissing feet that were going to walk such long and hard paths for God’s sake. The father hurried to raise him in his arms, asking how he could do such a thing. He insisted, but the father made him sit down, much edified to see the piety of such a great prince. He then earnestly begged the father, if Our Lord took him to Rome, to kiss His Holiness’s foot on his behalf and to bring him a thread from his robe, because he would keep it in great esteem <[f. 462/451]> as something from the Vicar of Christ, and it would always be a great consolation to him.
