The popular belief in the existence of an inferior order of bad spirits, is universal in Abyssinia, and to their malign influence it is usual to ascribe every disease incidental to the human frame. Different opinions exist as to the number of these “_saroitsh_” (_sar_, in the singular). Some affirm there are only eight, others sixteen, and not a few say as many as eighty. Christians, Mahomedans, and Pagan Gallas, alike pay a kind of reverence to these evil spirits, by observing customs to avert the consequences of their anger, when supposed likely to be excited. In England we do exactly the same, when certain means are adopted to avert what we term “bad luck.” I certainly believe myself that the same idea of minor devils afflicting man in some cases of ill health, was popular among our immediate ancestors, and the fantastical names that appear to have been bestowed upon them, assimilates still more closely this popular superstition of the Abyssinians of the present day, with that of the inhabitants of England about the time of Shakespear. Mad Tom, in “King Lear,” affords some illustration of this, for we observe he says of himself, “The foul fiend haunts poor Tom. _Hop-dance_ cries in Tom’s belly for two white herrings.” From forgetfulness I neglected to note down the names of the Abyssinian “saroitsh,” for having one day inquired what they were, neither Walderheros nor his wife could recollect more than six, and they could not vouch for the correctness of these, so I was desired not to set them down, as I should have a better opportunity of acquiring them. After that it never occurred to me, until it was too late, that I had not again attended to the subject. One name, however, I recollect, was “_Burr alunga_,” _silver whip_, and this is somewhat of the same whimsical character as the name of Hop-dance; and, in my opinion, future inquiries will show a near approach in the nomenclature of the two countries as regards this very similar superstition. It must be also observed that Mad Tom was afflicted with more than one, Frateretto, Obidicut, Hobbididance, Mahu, Modo, and Flibbertigibbet, being the several fiends whom we are told tormented him. _August 14th._--Walderheros seeing that I defied the devil and all his works, by dismissing with a suitable admonition his lying agents, tried then, upon a different principle, to relieve me of the fever, and brought me down this morning two priests from the Church of Goodis Gorgis (St. George), which is situated on the ridge in front of Ankobar, before we come to the denuded site of the old Church of Abbo. These turbaned ministers of religion promised faithfully by prayers to cure me of my harassing complaint. I shook my head in a most scandalous manner, as I doubted the efficacy of their intercession quite as much as I did that of the devil worshippers, but gave them the salt notwithstanding, and after a long blessing, which I thought would never have ended, these two holy men took their leave.