_ 65 _ Hope, where the first gulf begins, is pyramidal in shape and has one foot in the Orient, in Cape Guardafui, which is1225 leagues away, and the other foot in the west, in the Strait of Gilbatar.(A) These 1225 leagues include the Kingdom of Abyssinia of Prester John of the Indies which is older in Christianity than any other that is now or has ever been. Inland, in the south, it is bounded by the Lordship of Monomotapa and the Kaffirs, which extends along the coast from Mozambique and Malindi and so through the Red Sea. It is said that the land of the King of Abyssinia has twelve thousand warriors, strong and well-armed, many of them mounted on horses and mules, some of which are well accoutered, but all are unshod. They have many muskets but no cannon, no man-made fortress but many unassailable natural ones. They call the King the Lugus [sic], a Chaldean word, and the personal name of the one who now rules is Galladeus, which means Servant of God. This kingdom has come commerce with the Portuguese by commission from the King of Portugal,(B) who wanted to instruct them in the Christian faith, rites and civilization, but this did not (A) Marginal Note: This is wrong. (B) Manuel and João lll.
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