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Volume 3 - In the years 1769, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772 and 1773 - -Author: James Bruce - -Release Date: April 10, 2017 [EBook #54531] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK SOURCE OF THE NILE *** - - - - -Produced by Chris Curnow, Wayne Hammond and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This -file was produced from images generously made available -by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - - -[Transcriber’s Note: - -This project uses utf-8 encoded characters. If some characters are not -readable, check your settings of your browser to ensure you have a -default font installed that can display utf-8 characters.] - - - - -TRAVELS - -TO DISCOVER THE - -SOURCE OF THE NILE, - -In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773. - -IN FIVE VOLUMES. - -BY JAMES BRUCE OF KINNAIRD, ESQ. F.R.S. - -[Illustration: _Heath Sc_] - -VOL. III. - - _Nilus in extremum fugit perterritus orbem_, - _Occuluitque caput, quod adhuc latet._---- - OVID. Metam. - - EDINBURGH: PRINTED BY J. RUTHVEN, FOR G. G. J. AND J. ROBINSON, - PATERNOSTER ROW, LONDON. - - M.DCC.XC. - - - - - CONTENTS - - OF THE - - THIRD VOLUME. - - - BOOK V. - - ACCOUNT OF MY JOURNEY FROM MASUAH TO GONDAR--TRANSACTIONS - THERE--MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF - THE ABYSSINIANS. - - - CHAP. I. - - _Transactions at Masuah and Arkeeko_, 1 - - - CHAP. II. - - _Directions to Travellers for preserving Health--Diseases - of the Country--Music--Trade_, &c. _of Masuah--Conferences - with the Naybe_, 31 - - - CHAP. III. - - _Journey from Arkeeko over the Mountain Taranta, to Dixan_, 64 - - - CHAP. IV. - - _Journey from Dixan to Adowa, Capital of Tigré_, 93 - - - CHAP. V. - - _Arrive at Adowa--Reception there--Visit Fremona--And Ruins - of Axum--Arrive at Siré_, 118 - - - CHAP. VI. - - _Journey from Siré to Addergey, and Transactions there_, 152 - - - CHAP. VII. - - _Journey over Lamalmon to Gondar_, 172 - - - CHAP. VIII. - - _Reception at Gondar--Triumphal Entry of the King--The - Author’s first Audience_, 197 - - - CHAP. IX. - - _Transactions at Gondar_, 233 - - - CHAP. X. - - _Geographical Division of Abyssinia into Provinces_, 248 - - - CHAP. XI. - - _Various Customs in Abyssinia, similar to those in Persia_, - &c.--_A bloody Banquet described_, &c. 262 - - - CHAP. XII. - - _State of Religion--Circumcision--Excision_, &c. 313 - - - BOOK VI. - - FIRST ATTEMPT TO DISCOVER THE SOURCE OF THE NILE - FRUSTRATED--A SUCCESSFUL JOURNEY THITHER, WITH - A FULL ACCOUNT OF EVERY THING RELATING TO THAT - CELEBRATED RIVER. - - - CHAP. I. - - _The Author made Governor of Ras el Feel_, 359 - - - CHAP. II. - - _Battle of Banja--Conspiracy against Michael--The Author - retires to Emfras--Description of Gondar, Emfras, and - Lake Tzana_, 373 - - - CHAP. III. - - _The King encamps at Lamgué--Transactions there--Passes - the Nile, and encamps at Derdera--The Author follows - the King_, 389 - - - CHAP. IV. - - _Pass the River Gomara--Remarkable Accident there--Arrive at - Dara--Visit the Great Cataract of Alata--Leave Dara, and - resume our Journey_, 405 - - CHAP. V. - - _Pass the Nile, and encamp at Tsoomwa--Arrive - at Derdera--Alarm on approaching the Army--Join - the King at Karcagna_, 432 - - CHAP. VI. - - _King’s Army retreats towards Gondar--Memorable Passage of - the Nile--Dangerous Situation of the Army--Retreat of - Kefla Yasous--Battle of Limjour--Unexpected Peace with - Fasil--Arrival at Gondar_, 446 - - CHAP. VII. - - _King and Army retreat to Tigrè--Interesting Events following - that Retreat--The Body of Joas is found--Socinios, a new - King, proclaimed at Gondar_, 470 - - CHAP. VIII. - - _Second Journey to discover the Source of the Nile--Favourable - turn of the King’s Affairs in Tigrè--We fall in with - Fasil’s Army at Bamba_, 495 - - CHAP. IX. - - _Interview with Fasil--Transactions in the Camp_, 509 - - CHAP. X. - - _Leave Bamba, and continue our Journey Southward--Fall in - with Fasil’s Pagan Galla--Encamp on the Kelti_, 532 - - CHAP. XI. - - _Continue our Journey--Fall in with a Party of Galla--Prove - our Friends--Pass the Nile--Arrive at Goutto, and visit - the first Cataract_, 550 - - CHAP. XII. - - _Leave Goutto--Mountains of the Moon--Roguery of Woldo our - Guide--Arrive at the Source of the Nile_, 577 - - CHAP. XIII. - - _Attempts of the Ancients to discover the Source of the - Nile--No discovery made in latter Times--No Evidence - of the Jesuits having arrived there--Kircher’s Account - fabulous--Discovery completely made by the Author_, 603 - - CHAP. XIV. - - _Description of the Sources of the Nile--Of Geesh--Accounts - of its several Cataracts--Course from its Rise to the - Mediterranean_, 632 - - CHAP. XV. - - _Various names of this River--Ancient Opinion concerning - the Cause of its Inundation--Real Manner by which it - is effected--Remarkable Disposition of the Peninsula - of Africa_, 654 - - CHAP. XVI. - - _Egypt not the Gift of the Nile--Ancient Opinion - refuted--Modern Opinion contrary to Proof and Experience_, 672 - - CHAP. XVII. - - _The same Subject continued--Nilometer what--How divided - and measured_, 689 - - CHAP. XVIII. - - _Inquiry about the Possibility of changing the Course of - the Nile--Cause of the Nucta_, 712 - - CHAP. XIX. - - _Kind reception among the Agows--Their Number, Trade, - Character_, &c. 726 - -[Illustration: _PLAN_ - -_of_ - -The Island - -_and_ - -Harbour - -_of_ - -MASUAH] - - - - -TRAVELS - -TO DISCOVER - -THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. - - - - -BOOK V. - -ACCOUNT OF MY JOURNEY FROM MASUAH TO GONDAR--TRANSACTIONS -THERE--MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE ABYSSINIANS. - - - - -CHAP. I. - -_Transactions at Masuah and Arkeeko._ - - -Masuah, which means the port or harbour of the Shepherds, is a small -island immediately on the Abyssinian shore, having an excellent -harbour, and water deep enough for ships of any size to the very edge -of the island: here they may ride in the utmost security, from whatever -point, or with whatever degree of strength, the wind blows. As it takes -its modern, so it received its ancient name from its harbour. It was -called by the Greeks _Sebasticum Os_, from the capacity of its port, -which is distributed into three divisions. The island itself is very -small, scarce three quarters of a mile in length, and about half that -in breadth, one-third occupied, by houses, one by cisterns to receive -the rain-water, and the last is reserved for burying the dead. - -Masuah, as we have already observed, was one of those towns on the -west of the Red Sea that followed the conquest of Arabia Felix by -Sinan Basha, under Selim emperor of Constantinople. At that time it -was a place of great commerce, possessing a share of the Indian trade -in common with the other ports of the Red Sea near the mouth of the -Indian Ocean. It had a considerable quantity of exports brought to it -from a great tract of mountainous country behind it, in all ages very -unhospitable, and almost inaccessible to strangers. Gold and ivory, -elephants and buffaloes hides, and, above all, slaves, of much greater -value, as being more sought after for their personal qualities than any -other sort, who had the misfortune to be reduced to that condition, -made the principal articles of exportation from this port. Pearls, -considerable for size, water, or colour, were found all along its -coast. The great convenience of commodious riding for vessels, joined -to these valuable articles of trade, had overcome the inconvenience of -want of water, the principal necessary of life, to which it had been -subjected from its creation. - -Masuah continued a place of much resort as long as commerce flourished, -but it fell into obscurity very suddenly under the oppression of the -Turks, who put the finishing-hand to the ruin of the India trade in the -Red Sea, begun some years before by the discovery of the Cape of Good -Hope, and the settlements made by the Portuguese on the continent of -India. - -The first government of Masuah under the Turks was by a basha sent from -Constantinople, and from thence, for a time, the conquest of Abyssinia -was attempted, always with great confidence, though never with any -degree of success; so that, losing its value as a garrison, and, at the -same time, as a place of trade, it was thought no longer worth while to -keep up so expensive an establishment as that of a bashalik. - -The principal auxiliary, when the Turks conquered the place, was a -tribe of Mahometans called Belowee, shepherds inhabiting the coast of -the Red Sea under the mountains of the Habab, about lat. 14°. In reward -for this assistance, the Turks gave their chief the civil government of -Masuah and its territory, under the title of Naybe of Masuah; and, upon -the basha’s being withdrawn, this officer remained in fact sovereign of -the place, though, to save appearances, he held it of the grand signior -for an annual tribute, upon receiving a firman from the Ottoman Porte. - -The body of Janizaries, once established there in garrison, were left -in the island, and their pay continued to them from Constantinople. -These marrying the women of the country, their children succeeded -them in their place and pay as Janizaries; but being now, by their -intermarriages, Moors, and natives of Masuah, they became of course -relations to each other, and always subject to the influence of the -Naybe. - -The Naybe finding the great distance he was from his protectors, the -Turks in Arabia, on the other side of the Red Sea, whose garrisons -were every day decaying in strength, and for the most part reduced; -sensible, too, how much he was in the power of the Abyssinians, his -enemies and nearest neighbours, began to think that it was better to -secure himself at home, by making some advances to those in whose -power he was. Accordingly it was agreed between them, that one half of -the customs should be paid by him to the king of Abyssinia, who was -to suffer him to enjoy his government unmolested; for Masuah, as I -have before said, is absolutely destitute of water; neither can it be -supplied with any sort of provisions but from the mountainous country -of Abyssinia. - -The same may be said of Arkeeko, a large town on the bottom of the bay -of Masuah, which has indeed water, but labours under the same scarcity -of provisions; for the tract of flat land behind both, called Samhar, -is a perfect desert, and only inhabited from the month of November to -April, by a variety of wandering tribes called Tora, Hazorta, Shiho, -and Doba, and these carry all their cattle to the Abyssinian side of -the mountains when the rains fall there, which is the opposite six -months. When the season is thus reversed, they and their cattle are no -longer in Samhar, or the dominion of the Naybe, but in the hands of -the Abyssinians, especially the governor of Tigré and Baharnagash, who -thereby, without being at the expence and trouble of marching against -Masuah with an army, can make a line round it, and starve all at -Arkeeko and Masuah, by prohibiting any sort of provisions to be carried -thither from their side. In the course of this history we have seen -this practised with great success more than once, especially against -the Naybe Musa in the reign of Yasous I. - -The friendship of Abyssinia once secured, and the power of the Turks -declining daily in Arabia, the Naybe began by degrees to withdraw -himself from paying tribute at all to the basha of Jidda, to whose -government his had been annexed by the porte. He therefore received the -firman as a mere form, and returned trifling presents, but no tribute; -and in troublesome times, or a weak government happening in Tigrè, he -withdrew himself equally from paying any consideration, either to the -basha in name of tribute, or to the king of Abyssinia, as share of the -customs. This was precisely his situation when I arrived in Abyssinia. -A great revolution, as we have already seen, had happened in that -kingdom, of which Michael had been the principal author. When he was -called to Gondar and made minister there, Tigré remained drained of -troops, and without a governor. - -Nor was the new king, Hatzè Hannes, whom Michael had placed upon the -throne after the murder of Joas his predecessor, a man likely to -infuse vigour into the new government. Hannes was past seventy at his -accession, and Michael his minister lame, so as scarcely to be able -to stand, and within a few years of eighty. The Naybe, a man of about -forty-eight, judged of the debility of the Abyssinian government by -those circumstances, but in this he was mistaken. - -Already Michael had intimated to him, that, the next campaign, he would -lay waste Arkeeko and Masuah, till they should be as desert as the -wilds of Samhar; and as he had been all his life very remarkable for -keeping his promises of this kind, the stranger merchants had many -of them fled to Arabia, and others to Dobarwa[1], a large town in the -territories of the Baharnagash. Notwithstanding this, the Naybe had not -shewn any public mark of fear, nor sent one penny either to the king of -Abyssinia or the basha of Jidda. - -On the other hand, the basha was not indifferent to his own interest; -and, to bring about the payment, he had made an agreement with an -officer of great credit with the Sherriffe of Mecca. This man was -originally an Abyssinian slave, his name Metical Aga, who by his -address had raised himself to the post of Selictar, or _sword-bearer_, -to the Sherriffe; and, in fact, he was absolute in all his dominions. -He was, moreover, a great friend of Michael governor of Tigré, and had -supplied him with large stores of arms and ammunition for his last -campaign against the king at Gondar. - -The basha had employed Metical Aga to inform Michael of the treatment -he had received from the Naybe, desiring his assistance to force him -to pay the tribute, and at the same time intimated to the Naybe, that -he not only had done so, but the very next year would give orders -throughout Arabia to arrest the goods and persons of such Mahometan -merchants as should come to Arabia, either from motives of religion or -trade. With this message he had sent the firman from Constantinople, -desiring the return both of tribute and presents. - -Mahomet Gibberti, Metical Aga’s servant, had come in the boat with -me; but Abdelcader, who carried the message and firman, and who was -governor of the island of Dahalac, had sailed at same time with me, and -had been spectator of the honour which was paid my ship when she left -the harbour of Jidda. - -Running straight over to Masuah, Abdelcader had proclaimed what he had -seen with great exaggeration, according to the custom of his country; -and reported that a prince was coming, a very near relation to the king -of England, who was no trader, but came only to visit countries and -people. - -It was many times, and oft agitated (as we knew afterwards) between -the Naybe and his counsellors, what was to be done with this prince. -Some were for the most expeditious, and what has long been the most -customary method of treating strangers in Masuah, to put them to death, -and divide every thing they had among the garrison. Others insisted, -that they should stay and see what letters I had from Arabia to -Abyssinia, lest this might prove an addition to the storm just ready to -break upon them on the part of Metical Aga and Michael Suhul. - -But Achmet, the Naybe’s nephew, said, it was folly to doubt but that a -man, under the description I was, would have protections of every kind; -but whether I had or not, that my very rank should protect me in every -place where there was any government whatever; it might do even among -banditti and thieves inhabiting woods and mountains; that a sufficient -quantity of strangers blood had been already shed at Masuah, for the -purpose of rapine, and he believed a curse and poverty had followed -it; that it was impossible for those who had heard the firing of those -ships to conjecture whether I had letters to Abyssinia or not; that -it would be better to consider whether I was held in esteem by the -captains of those ships, as half of the guns they fired in compliment -to me, was sufficient to destroy them all, and lay Arkeeko and Masuah -as desolate as Michael Suhul had threatened to do; nor could that -vengeance cost any of the ships, coming next year to Jidda, a day’s -sailing out of their way; and there being plenty of water when they -reached Arkeeko at the south-west of the bay, all this destruction -might be effected in one afternoon, and repeated once a-year without -difficulty, danger, or expence, while they were watering. - -Achmet, therefore, declared it was his resolution that I should be -received with marks of consideration, till upon inspecting my letters, -and conversing with me, they might see what sort of man I was, and upon -what errand I was come; but even if I was a trader, and no priest or -Frank, such as came to disturb the peace of the country, he would not -then consent to any personal injury being done me; if I was indeed a -priest, or one of those Franks, _Gehennim_, they might send me to hell -if they chose; but he, for his part, would not, even then have any -thing to do with it. - -Before our vessel appeared, they came to these conclusions; and though -I have supposed that hoisting the colours and saluting me with guns had -brought me into this danger, on the other hand it may be said, perhaps -with greater reason, they were the means Providence kindly used to -save my life in that slaughter-house of strangers. - -Achmet’s father had been Naybe before, and, of course, the sovereignty, -upon the present incumbent’s death, was to devolve on him. And what -made this less invidious, the sons of the present Naybe had all been -swept away by the small-pox; so that Achmet was really, at any rate, -to be considered as his son and successor. Add to this, the Naybe had -received a stroke of the palsy, which deprived him of the use of one of -his sides, and greatly impeded his activity, unless in his schemes of -doing ill; but I could not perceive, when intending mischief, that he -laboured under any infirmity. All this gave Achmet sovereign influence, -and it was therefore agreed the rest should be only spectators, and -that my fate should be left to him. - -Achmet was about twenty-five years of age, or perhaps younger; his -stature near five-feet four; he was feebly made, a little bent forward -or stooping, thin, long-faced, long-necked; small, but tolerably -well-limbed, agile and active enough in his motions, though of a -figure by no means athletic; he had a broad forehead, thick black -eye-brows, black eyes, an aquiline nose, thin lips, and fine teeth; -and, what is very rare in that country, and much desired, a thick -curled beard. This man was known to be very brave in his person, but -exceedingly prone to anger. A near relation to the Baharnagash having -said something impertinent to him while he was altering the pin of his -tent, which his servant had not placed to his mind, in a passion he -struck the Abyssinian with a wooden mallet, and killed him on the spot -and although this was in the Abyssinian territory, by getting nimbly -on horseback, he arrived at Arkeeko without being intercepted, though -closely pursued almost to the town. - -It was the 19th of September 1769 when we arrived at Masuah, very much -tired of the sea, and desirous to land. But, as it was evening, I -thought it adviseable to sleep on board all night, that we might have -a whole day (as the first is always a busy one) before us, and receive -in the night any intelligence from friends, who might not choose to -venture to come openly to see us in the day, at least before the -determination of the Naybe had been heard concerning us. - -Mahomet Gibberti, a man whom we had perfectly secured, and who was -fully instructed in our suspicions as to the Naybe, and the manner we -had resolved to behave to him, went ashore that evening; and, being -himself an Abyssinian, having connections in Masuah, dispatched that -same night to Adowa, capital of Tigrè, those letters which I knew were -to be of the greatest importance; giving our friend Janni (a Greek, -confidential servant of Michael, governor of Tigrè) advice that we -were arrived, had letters of Metical Aga to the Naybe and Ras Michael; -as also Greek letters to him from the Greek patriarch of Cairo, a -duplicate of which I sent by the bearer. We wrote likewise to him in -Greek, that we were afraid of the Naybe, and begged him to send to us -instantly some man of confidence, who might protect us, or at least be -a spectator of what should befal us. We, besides, instructed him to -advise the court of Abyssinia, that we were friends of Metical Aga, had -letters from him to the king and the Ras, and distrusted the Naybe of -Masuah. - -Mahomet Gibberti executed this commission in the instant, with all the -punctuality of an honest man, who was faithful to the instructions of -his master, and was independent of every person else. He applied to -Mahomet Adulai, (a person kept by Ras Michael as a spy upon the Naybe, -and in the same character by Metical Aga); and Adulai, that very night, -dispatched a trusty messenger, with many of whom he was constantly -provided. This runner, charged with our dispatches, having a friend and -correspondent of his own among the Shiho, passed, by ways best known to -himself, and was safely escorted by his own friends till the fifth day, -when he arrived at the customhouse of Adowa, and there delivered our -dispatches to our friend Janni. - -At Cairo, as I have already mentioned, I met with my friend father -Christopher, who introduced me to the Greek patriarch, Mark. This -patriarch had told me, that there were of his communion, to the number -of about twenty, then in Abyssinia; some of them were good men and -becoming rich in the way of trade; some of them had fled from the -severity of the Turks, after having been detected by them in intimacy -with Mahometan women; but all of them were in a great degree of credit -at the court of Abyssinia, and possessing places under government -greatly beyond his expectation. To these he wrote letters, in the -manner of bulls from the pope, enjoining them, with regard to me, -to obey his orders strictly, the particulars of which I shall have -occasion to speak of afterwards. - -Janni, then at Adowa in Tigré, was a man of the first character for -good life and morals. He had served two kings of Abyssinia with great -reputation, and Michael had appointed him to the customhouse at Adowa, -to superintend the affairs of the revenue there, while he himself was -occupied at Gondar. To him the patriarch gave his first injunctions as -to watching the motives of the Naybe, and preventing any ill-usage from -him, before the notice of my arrival at Masuah should reach Abyssinia. - -Mahomet Adulai dispatched his messenger, and Mahomet Gibberti repaired -that same night to the Naybe at Arkeeko, with such diligence that -lulled him asleep as to any prior intelligence, which otherwise he -might have thought he was charged to convey to Tigrè; and Mahomet -Gibberti, in his conversation that night with Achmet, adroitly -confirmed him in all the ideas he himself had first started in council -with the Naybe. He told him the manner I had been received at Jidda, -my protection at Constantinople, and the firman which I brought from -the grand signior, the power of my countrymen in the Red Sea and India, -and my personal friendship with Metical Aga. He moreover insinuated, -that the coasts of the Red Sea would be in a dangerous situation if -any thing happened to me, as both the sherriffe of Mecca and emperor -of Constantinople would themselves, perhaps, not interfere, but would -most certainly consider the place, where such disobedience should be -shewn to their commands, as in a state of anarchy, and therefore to be -abandoned to the just correction of the English, if injured. - -On the 20th, a person came from Mahomet Gibberti to conduct me on -shore. The Naybe himself was still at Arkeeko, and Achmet therefore had -come down to receive the duties of the merchandise on board the vessel -which brought me. There were two elbow chairs placed in the middle -of the market-place. Achmet sat on one of them, while the several -officers opened the bales and packages before him; the other chair on -his left hand was empty. - -He was dressed all in white, in a long Banian habit of muslin, and a -close-bodied frock reaching to his ancles, much like the white frock -and petticoat the young children wear in England. This species of -dress did not, in any way, suit Achmet’s shape or size; but, it seems, -he meant to be in gala. As soon as I came in sight of him, I doubled -my pace; Mahomet Gibberti’s servant whispered to me, not to kiss his -hand; which indeed I intended to have done. Achmet stood up, just as I -arrived within arm’s length of him; when we touched each other’s hands, -carried our fingers to our lips, then laid our hands cross our breasts; -I pronounced the salutation of the inferior _Salam Alicum!_ Peace be -between us; to which he answered immediately, _Alicum Salam!_ There is -peace between us. He pointed to the chair, which I declined; but he -obliged me to sit down. - -In these countries, the greater honour that is shewn you at first -meeting, the more considerable present is expected. He made a sign to -bring coffee directly, as the immediate offering of meat or drink is an -assurance your life is not in danger. He began with an air that seemed -rather serious: “We have expected you here some time ago, but thought -you had changed your mind, and was gone to India.”--“Since sailing from -Jidda, I have been in Arabia Felix, the Gulf of Mocha, and crossed last -from Loheia.”--“Are you not afraid,” said he, “so thinly attended, -to venture upon these long and dangerous voyages.”--“The countries -where I have been are either subject to the emperor of Constantinople, -whose firman I have now the honour to present you, or to the regency -of Cairo, and port of Janizaries--here are their letters--or to the -sherriffe of Mecca. To you, Sir, I present the sherriffe’s letters; -and, besides these, one from Metical Aga your friend, who, depending on -your character, assured me this alone would be sufficient to preserve -me from ill-usage so long as I did no wrong: as for the dangers of the -road from banditti and lawless persons, my servants are indeed few, but -they are veteran soldiers, tried and exercised from their infancy in -arms, and I value not the superior number of cowardly and disorderly -persons.” - -He then returned me the letters, saying, “You will give these to the -Naybe to-morrow; I will keep Metical’s letter, as it is to me, and will -read it at home.” He put it accordingly in his bosom; and our coffee -being done, I rose to take my leave, and was presently wet to the skin -by deluges of orange flower-water showered upon me from the right and -left, by two of his attendants, from silver bottles. - -A very decent house had been provided; and I had no sooner entered, -than a large dinner was sent us by Achmet, with a profusion of lemons, -and good fresh water, now become one of the greatest delicacies in -life; and, instantly after, our baggage was all sent unopened; with -which I was very well-pleased, being afraid they might break something -in my clock, telescopes, or quadrant, by the violent manner in which -they satisfy their curiosity. - -Late at night I received a visit from Achmet; he was then in an -undress, his body quite naked, a barracan thrown loosely about him; he -had a pair of calico drawers; a white coul, or cotton cap, upon his -head, and had no sort of arms whatever. I rose up to meet him, and -thank him for his civility in sending my baggage; and when I observed, -besides, that it was my duty to wait upon him, rather than suffer him -to give himself this trouble, he took me by the hand, and we sat down -on two cushions together. - -“All that you mentioned,” said he, “is perfectly good and well; but -there are questions that I am going to ask you which are of consequence -to yourself. When you arrived at Jidda, we heard it was a great man, -a son or brother of a king, going to India. This was communicated to -me, and to the Naybe, by people that saw every day the respect paid to -you by the captains of the ships at Jidda. Metical Aga, in his private -letter delivered to the Naybe last night by Mahomet Gibberti, among -many unusual expressions, said, The day that any accident befals this -person will be looked upon by me always as the most unfortunate of my -life. Now, you are a Christian, and he is a Mussulman, and these are -expressions of a particular regard not used by the one when writing of -the other. He says, moreover, that, in your firman, the grand signior -stiles you Bey-Adzé, or Most Noble. Tell me, therefore, and tell me -truly, Are you a prince, son, brother, or nephew of a king? Are you -banished from your own country; and what is it that you seek in our’s, -exposing yourself to so many difficulties and dangers?” - -“I am neither son, nor brother of a king. I am a private Englishman. If -you, Sidi Achmet, saw my prince, the eldest, or any son of the king of -England, you would then be able to form a juster idea of them, and that -would for ever hinder you from confounding them with common men like -me. If they were to choose to appear in this part of the world, this -little sea would be too narrow for their ships: Your sun, now so hot, -would be darkened by their sails; and when they fired their terrible -wide-mouthed cannon, not an Arab would think himself safe on the -distant mountains, while the houses on the shore would totter and fall -to the ground as if shaken to pieces by an earthquake. I am a servant -to that king, and an inferior one in rank; only worthy of his attention -from my affection to him and his family, in which I do not acknowledge -any superior. Yet so far your correspondents say well: My ancestors -were the kings of the country in which I was born, and to be ranked -among the greatest and most glorious that ever bore the crown and title -of King. This is the truth, and nothing but the truth. I may now, I -hope, without offence, ask, To what does all this information tend?” - -“To your safety,” said he, “and to your honour, as long as I command -in Masuah;--to your certain death and destruction if you go among -the Abyssinians; a people without faith, covetous, barbarous, and -in continual war, of which nobody yet has been able to discover the -reason. But of this another time.” - -“Be it so,” said I. “I would now speak one word in secret to you, (upon -which every body was ordered out of the room): All that you have told -me this evening I already know; ask me not how: but, to convince you -that it is truth, I now thank you for the humane part you took against -these bloody intentions others had of killing and plundering me on my -arrival, upon Abdelcader governor of Dahalac’s information that I was a -prince, because of the honour that the English ships paid me, and that -I was loaded with gold.” - -Ullah Acbar! (in great surprise) “Why, you was in the middle of the sea -when that passed.” - -“Scarcely advanced so far, I believe; but your advice was wise, for -a large English ship will wait for me all this winter in Jidda, till -I know what reception I meet here, or in Abyssinia. It is a 64 gun -ship; its name, the Lion; its captain, Thomas Price. I mention these -particulars, that you may inquire into the truth. Upon the first news -of a disaster he would come here, and destroy Arkeeko, and this island, -in a day. But this is not my business with you at present. - -“It is a very proper custom, established all over the east, that -strangers should make an acknowledgement for the protection they -receive, and trouble they are to occasion. I have a present for the -Naybe, whose temper and disposition I know perfectly,--(Ullah Acbar! -repeats Achmet).--I have likewise a present for you, and for the Kaya -of the Janizaries; all these I shall deliver the first day I see the -Naybe; but I was taught, in a particular manner, to repose upon you as -my friend, and a small, but separate acknowledgement, is due to you in -that character. I was told, that your agent at Jidda had been inquiring -everywhere among the India ships, and at the broker of that nation, -for a pair of English pistols, for which he offered a very high price; -though, in all probability, those you would get would have been but -ordinary, and much used; now I have brought you this separate present, -a pair of excellent workmanship; here they are: my doubt, which gave -rise to this long private conversation, was, whether you would take -them home yourself; or, if you have a confidential servant that you can -trust, let him take them, so that it be not known; for if the Naybe”---- - -“I understand every thing that you say, and every thing that you would -say. Though I do not know men’s hearts that I never saw, as you do, I -know pretty well the hearts of those with whom I live. Let the pistols -remain with you, and shew them to nobody till I send you a man to whom -you may say any thing, and he shall go between you and me; for there is -in this place a number of devils, not men; but, _Ullah Kerim_, God is -great. The person that brings you dry dates in an Indian handkerchief, -and an earthen bottle to drink your water out of, give him the pistols. -You may send by him to me any thing you choose. In the mean time, sleep -sound, and fear no evil; but never be persuaded to trust yourself to -the Cafrs of Habesh at Masuah.” - -On the 20th of September a female slave came and brought with her the -proper credentials, an Indian handkerchief full of dry dates, and a pot -or bottle of unvarnished potter’s earth, which keeps the water very -cool. I had some doubt upon this change of sex; but the slave, who was -an Abyssinian girl, quickly undeceived me, delivered the dates, and -took away the pistols destined for Achmet, who had himself gone to his -uncle, the Naybe, at Arkeeko. - -On the 21st, in the morning, the Naybe came from Arkeeko. The usual -way is by sea; it is about two leagues straight across the bay, but -somewhat more by land. The passage from the main is on the north side -of the island, which is not above a quarter of a mile broad; there is a -large cistern for rain-water on the land-side, where you embark across. -He was poorly attended by three or four servants, miserably mounted, -and about forty naked savages on foot, armed with short lances and -crooked knives. - -The drum beat before him all the way from Arkeeko to Masuah. Upon -entering the boat, the drum on the land-side ceased, and those, in -what is called the Castle of Masuah, began. The castle is a small clay -hut, and in it one swivel-gun, which is not mounted, but lies upon the -ground, and is fired always with great trepidation and some danger. -The drums are earthen jars, such as they send butter in to Arabia; the -mouths of which are covered with a skin, so that a stranger, on seeing -two or three of these together, would run a great risk of believing -them to be jars of butter, or pickles, carefully covered with oiled -parchment. - -All the procession was in the same stile. The Naybe was dressed in an -old shabby Turkish habit, much too short for him, and seemed to have -been made about the time of Sultan Selim. He wore also upon his head -a Turkish cowke, or high-cap, which scarcely admitted any part of his -head. In this dress, which on him had a truly ridiculous appearance, -he received the caftan, or investiture, of the island of Masuah; and, -being thereby representative of the grand signior, consented that day -to be called Omar Aga, in honour of the commission. - -Two standards of white silk, striped with red, were carried before -him to the mosque, from whence he went to his own house to receive -the compliments of his friends. In the afternoon of that day I went -to pay my respects to him, and found him sitting on a large wooden -elbow-chair, at the head of two files of naked savages, who made an -avenue from his chair to the door. He had nothing upon him but a coarse -cotton shirt, so dirty that, it seemed, all pains to clean it again -would be thrown away, and so short that it scarcely reached his knees. -He was very tall and lean, his colour black, had a large mouth and -nose; in place of a beard, a very scanty tuft of grey hairs upon the -point of his chin; large, dull, and heavy eyes; a kind of malicious, -contemptuous, smile on his countenance; he was altogether of a most -stupid and brutal appearance. His character perfectly corresponded -with his figure, for he was a man of mean abilities, cruel to excess, -avaricious, and a great drunkard. - -I presented my firman.--The greatest basha in the Turkish empire would -have risen upon seeing it, kissed it, and carried it to his forehead; -and I really expected that Omar Aga, for the day he bore that title, -and received the caftan, would have shewn this piece of respect to his -master. But he did not even receive it into his hand, and pushed it -back to me again, saying, “Do you read it all to me word for word.”--“I -told him it was Turkish; that I had never learned to read a word of -that language.”--“Nor I either,” says he; “and I believe I never -shall.” I then gave him Metical Aga’s letter, the Sherriffe’s, Ali -Bey’s, and the Janizaries letters. He took them all together in both -his hands, and laid them unopened beside him, saying, “You should -have brought a moullah along with you. Do you think I shall read all -these letters? Why, it would take me a month.” And he glared upon me, -with his mouth open, so like an idiot, that it was with the utmost -difficulty I kept my gravity, only answering, “Just as you please; you -know best.” - -He affected at first not to understand Arabic; spoke by an interpreter -in the language of Masuah, which is a dialect of Tigré; but seeing I -understood him in this, he spoke Arabic, and spoke it well. - -A silence followed this short conversation, and I took the opportunity -to give him his present, with which he did not seem displeased, but -rather that it was below him to tell me so; for, without saying a -word about it, he asked me, where the Abuna of Habesh was? and why he -tarried so long? I said, The wars in Upper Egypt had made the roads -dangerous; and, it was easy to see, Omar longed much to settle accounts -with him. - -I took my leave of the Naybe, very little pleased with my reception, -and the small account he seemed to make of my letters, or of myself; -but heartily satisfied with having sent my dispatches to Janni, now far -out of his power. - -The inhabitants of Masuah were dying of the small-pox, so that there -was fear the living would not be sufficient to bury the dead. The whole -island was filled with shrieks and lamentations both night and day. -They at last began to throw the bodies into the sea, which deprived us -of our great support, fish, of which we had ate some kinds that were -excellent. I had suppressed my character of physician, fearing I should -be detained by reason of the multitude of sick. - -On the 15th of October the Naybe came to Masuah, and dispatched the -vessel that brought me over; and, as if he had only waited till this -evidence was out of the way, he, that very night, sent me word that -I was to prepare him a handsome present. He gave in a long list of -particulars to a great amount, which he desired might be divided into -three parcels, and presented three several days. One was to be given -him as Naybe of Arkeeko; one as Omar Aga, representative of the grand -signior; and one for having passed our baggage _gratis_ and unvisited, -especially the large quadrant. For my part, I heartily wished he had -seen the whole, as he would not have set great value on the brass and -iron. - -As Achmet’s assurance of protection had given me courage, I answered -him, That, having a firman of the grand signior, and letters from -Metical Aga, it was mere generosity in me to give him any present at -all, either as Naybe or Omar Aga, and I was not a merchant that bought -and sold, nor had merchandise on board, therefore had no customs to -pay. Upon this he sent for me to his house, where I found him in a -violent fury, and many useless words passed on both sides. At last he -peremptorily told me, That unless I had 300 ounces of gold ready to pay -him on Monday, upon his landing from Arkeeko, he would confine me in a -dungeon, without light, air, or meat, till the bones came through my -skin for want. - -An uncle of his, then present, greatly aggravated this affair. He -presented that the Naybe might do what he pleased with his presents; -but that he could not in any shape give away the present due to the -janizaries, which was 40 ounces of gold, or 400 dollars; and this was -all they contented themselves to take, on account of the letter I -brought from the port of janizaries at Cairo; and in this they only -taxed me the sum paid by the Abuna for his passage through Masuah. I -answered firmly,--“Since you have broken your faith with the grand -signior, the government of Cairo, the basha at Jidda, and Metical Aga, -you will no doubt do as you please with me; but you may expect to see -the English man of war, the Lion, before Arkeeko, some morning by -day-break.”--“I should be glad,” said the Naybe, “to see that man at -Arkeeko or Masuah that would carry as much writing from you to Jidda -as would lie upon my thumb nail; I would strip his shirt off first, -and then his skin, and hang him before your door to teach you more -wisdom.”--“But my wisdom has taught me to prevent all this. My letter -is already gone to Jidda; and if, in twenty days from this, another -letter from me does not follow it, you will see what will arrive. In -the mean time, I here announce it to you, that I have letters from -Metical Aga and the Sherriffe of Mecca, to Michael Suhul governor of -Tigrè, and the king of Abyssinia. I, therefore, would wish that you -would leave off these unmanly altercations, which serve no sort of -purpose, and let me continue my journey.” The Naybe said in a low -voice to himself, “What, Michael too! then go your journey, and think -of the ill that’s before you.” I turned my back without any answer or -salutation, and was scarce arrived at home when a message came from -the Naybe, desiring I would send him two bottles of aquavitæ. I gave -the servant two bottles of cinnamon-water, which he refused till I had -first tasted them; but they were not agreeable to the Naybe, so they -were returned. - -All this time I very much wondered what was become of Achmet, who, with -Mahomet Gibberti, remained at Arkeeko: at last I heard from the Naybe’s -servant that he was in bed, ill of a fever. Mahomet Gibberti had kept -his promise to me; and, saying nothing of my skill in physic, or having -medicines with me, I sent, however, to the Naybe to desire leave to go -to Arkeeko. He answered me surlily, I might go if I could find a boat; -and, indeed, he had taken his measures so well that not a boat would -stir for money or persuasion. - -On the 29th of October the Naybe came again from Arkeeko to Masuah, -and, I was told, in very ill-humour with me. I soon received a message -to attend him, and found him in a large waste room like a barn, with -about sixty people with him. This was his divan, or grand council, -with all his janizaries and officers of state, all naked, assembled in -parliament. There was a comet that had appeared a few days after our -arrival at Masuah, which had been many days visible in Arabia Felix, -being then in its perihelion; and, after passing its conjunction with -the sun, it now appeared at Masuah early in the evening, receding to -its aphelion. I had been observed watching it with great attention; and -the large tubes of the telescopes had given offence to ignorant people. - -The first question the Naybe asked me was, What that comet meant, and -why it appeared? And before I could answer him, he again said, “The -first time it was visible it brought the small-pox, which has killed -above 1000 people in Masuah and Arkeeko. It is known you conversed with -it every night at Loheia; it has now followed you again to finish the -few that remain, and then you are to carry it into Abyssinia. What have -you to do with the comet?” - -Without giving me leave to speak, his brother Emir Achmet then said, -That he was informed I was an engineer going to Michael, governor of -Tigré, to teach the Abyssinians to make cannon and gunpowder; that the -first attack was to be against Masuah. Five or six others spoke much -in the same strain; and the Naybe concluded by saying, That he would -send me in chains to Constantinople, unless I went to Hamazen, with -his brother Emir Achmet, to the hot-wells there, and that this was -the resolution of all the janizaries; for I had concealed my being a -physician. - -I had not yet opened my mouth. I then asked, If all these were -janizaries; and where was their commanding officer? A well-looking, -elderly man answered, “I am Sardar of the janizaries.”--“If you are -Sardar, then,” said I, “this firman orders you to protect me. The Naybe -is a man of this country, no member of the Ottoman empire.” Upon my -first producing my firman to him, he threw it aside like waste-paper. -The greatest Vizir in the Turkish dominions would have received it -standing, bowed his head to the ground, then kissed it, and put it -upon his forehead. A general murmur of approbation followed, and I -continued,--“Now I must tell you my resolution is, never to go to -Hamazen, or elsewhere, with Emir Achmet. Both he and the Naybe have -shewed themselves my enemies; and, I believe, that to send me to -Hamazen is to rob and murder me out of sight.”--“Dog of a Christian!” -says Emir Achmet, putting his hand to his knife, “if the Naybe was to -murder you, could he not do it here now this minute?”--“No,” says the -man, who had called himself Sardar, “he could not; I would not suffer -any such thing. Achmet is the stranger’s friend, and recommended me -to-day to see no injury done him; he is ill, or would have been here -himself.” - -“Achmet,” said I, “is my friend, and fears God; and were I not hindered -by the Naybe from seeing him, his sickness before this would have been -removed. I will go to Achmet at Arkeeko, but not to Hamazen, nor ever -again to the Naybe here in Masuah. Whatever happens to me must befal -me in my own house. Consider what a figure a few naked men will make -the day that my countrymen ask the reason of this either here or in -Arabia.” I then turned my back, and went out without ceremony. “A brave -man!” I heard a voice say behind me, “_Wallah Englese!_ True English, -by G--d!” I went away exceedingly disturbed, as it was plain my affairs -were coming to a crisis for good or for evil. I observed, or thought I -observed, all the people shun me. I was, indeed, upon my guard, and did -not wish them to come near me; but, turning down into my own gateway, -a man passed close by me, saying distinctly in my ear, though in a low -voice, first in Tigré and then in Arabic, “_Fear nothing_, or, Be not -afraid.” This hint, short as it was, gave me no small courage. - -I had scarcely dined, when a servant came with a letter from Achmet at -Arkeeko, telling me how ill he had been, and how sorry he was that I -refused to come to see him, as Mahomet Gibberti had told him I could -help him. He desired me also to keep the bearer with me in my house, -and give him charge of the gate till he could come to Masuah himself. - -I soon saw the treachery of the Naybe. He had not, indeed, forbid me -to go and see his nephew, but he had forbid any boat to carry me; -and this I told the servant, appealing to the Sardar for what I said -in the divan of my willingness to go to Arkeeko to Achmet, though I -positively refused to go to Hamazen. I begged the servant to stop -for a moment, and go to the Sardar who was in the castle, as I had -been very essentially obliged to him for his interposition at a very -critical time, when there was an intention to take away my life. I sent -him a small present by Achmet’s servant, who delivered the message -faithfully, and had heard all that had passed in the divan. He brought -me back a pipe from the Sardar in return for my present, with this -message, That he had heard of my countrymen, though he had never seen -them; that he loved brave men, and could not see them injured; but -Achmet being my friend, I had no need of him. That night he departed -for Arkeeko, desiring us to shut the door, and leaving us another man, -with orders to admit nobody, and advising us to defend ourselves if any -one offered to force entrance, be they who they would, for that nobody -had business abroad in the night. - -I now began to resume my confidence, seeing that Providence had still -kept us under his protection; and it was not long when we had an -opportunity to exercise this confidence. About 12 o’clock at night a -man came to the door, and desired to be admitted; which request was -refused without any ceremony. Then came two or three more, in the -name of Achmet, who were told by the servant that they would not be -admitted. They then asked to speak with me, and grew very tumultuous, -pressing with their backs against the door. When I came to them, a -young man among them said he was son to Emir Achmet, and that his -father and some friends were coming to drink a glass of aracky (so they -call brandy) with me. I told him my resolution was not to admit either -Emir Achmet, or any other person at night, and that I never drank -aracky. - -They attempted again to force open the door, which was strongly -barricaded. But as there were cracks in it, I put the point of a sword -through one of them, desiring them to be cautious of hurting themselves -upon the iron spikes. Still they attempted to force open the door, -when the servant told them, that Achmet, when he left him the charge -of that door, had ordered us to fire upon them who offered to force -an entrance at night. A voice asked him, Who the devil he was? The -servant answered, in a very spirited manner, That he had greater reason -to ask who they were, as he took them for thieves, about whose names -he did not trouble himself. “However,” says he, “mine is Abdelcader, -(the son of somebody else whom I do not remember). Now you know who I -am, and that I do not fear you; and you, Yagoube, if you do not fire -upon them, your blood be upon your own head. The Sardar from the castle -will soon be up with the rest.” I ordered then a torch to be brought, -that they might have a view of us through the cracks of the door; but -Abdelcader’s threat being fully sufficient, they retired, and we heard -no more of them. - -It was the 4th of November when the servant of Achmet returned in -a boat from Arkeeko, and with him four janizaries. He was not yet -well, and was very desirous to see me. He suspected either that he -was poisoned or bewitched, and had tried many charms without good -effect. We arrived at Arkeeko about eleven, passed the door of the -Naybe without challenge, and found Achmet in his own house, ill of an -intermitting fever, under the very worst of regimens. - -He was much apprehensive that he should die, or lose the use of his -limbs as Emir Achmet had done: the same woman, a Shiho, and a witch, -was, he said, the occasion of both. “If Achmet, your uncle, had lost -the use of his tongue, said I, it would have saved him a great deal -of improper discourse in the divan.” His head ached violently, and he -could only say, “Aye! aye! the old miscreant knew I was ill, or that -would not have happened.” I gave Achmet proper remedies to ease his -pains and his stomach, and the next morning began with bark. - -This medicine operates quickly here; nay, even the bark that remains, -after the stronger spiritous tincture is drawn from it, seems to answer -the purpose very little worse than did the first. I staid here till the -6th in the morning, at which time he was free from the fever. I left -him, however, some doses to prevent its return; and he told me, on the -7th, he would come to Masuah with boats and men to bring us with our -baggage to Arkeeko, and free us from the bondage of Masuah. - -Upon the 6th, in the morning, while at breakfast, I was told that three -servants had arrived from Tigrè; one from Janni, a young man and slave, -who spoke and wrote Greek perfectly; the other two servants were Ras -Michael’s, or rather the king’s, both wearing the red short cloak lined -and turned up with mazarine-blue, which is the badge of the king’s -servant, and is called _shalaka_. Ras Michael’s letters to the Naybe -were very short. He said the king Hatzè Hannes’s health was bad, and -wondered at hearing that the physician, sent to him by Metical Aga from -Arabia, was not forwarded to him instantly at Gondar, as he had heard -of his being arrived at Masuah some time before. He ordered the Naybe, -moreover, to furnish me with necessaries, and dispatch me without loss -of time; although all the letters were the contrivances of Janni, his -particular letter to the Naybe was in a milder stile. He expressed -the great necessity the king had for a physician, and how impatiently -he had waited his arrival. He did not say that he had heard any such -person was yet arrived at Masuah, only wished he might be forwarded -without delay as soon as he came. - -To us Janni sent a message by a servant, bidding us a hearty welcome, -acknowledging the receipt of the patriarch’s letter, and advising -us, by all means, to come speedily to him, for the times were very -unsettled, and might grow worse. - -In the afternoon I embarked for Masuah. At the shore I received a -message from the Naybe to come and speak to him; but I returned for -answer, It was impossible, as I was obliged to go to Masuah to get -medicines for his nephew, Achmet. - - - - -CHAP. II. - -_Directions to Travellers for preserving Health--Diseases of the -Country--Music--Trade, &c. of Masuah--Conferences with the Naybe._ - - -We arrived in the island at eight o’clock, to the great joy of our -servants, who were afraid of some stratagem of the Naybe. We got every -thing in order, without interruption, and completed our observations -upon this inhospitable island, infamous for the quantity of Christian -blood shed there upon treacherous pretences. - -Masuah, by a great variety of observations of the sun and stars, we -found to be in lat. 15° 35´ 5´´, and, by an observation of the second -satellite of Jupiter, on the 22d of September 1769, we found its -longitude to be 39° 36´ 30´´ east of the meridian of Greenwich: the -variation of the needle was observed at mid-day, the 23d of September, -to be 12° 48´ W. From this it follows, that Loheia, being nearly -opposite, (for it is in lat. 15° 40´ 52´´) the breadth of the Red Sea -between Masuah and Loheia is 4° 10´ 22´´. Supposing, then, a degree to -be equal to 66 statute miles, this, in round numbers, will bring the -breadth to be 276 miles, equal to 92 leagues, or thereabouts. - -Again, as the generality of maps have placed the coast of Arabia where -Loheia stands, in the 44°, and it is the part of the peninsula that -runs farthest to the westward, all the west coast of Arabia Felix will -fall to be brought farther east about 3° 46´ 0´´. - -Before packing up our barometer at Loheia, I filled a tube with clean -mercury, perfectly purged of outward air; and, on the 30th of August, -upon three several trials, the mean of the results of each trial was, -at six in the morning, 26° 8´ 8´´; two o’clock in the afternoon, 26° -4´ 1´´; and, half past six in the evening, 26° 6´ 2´´, fair, clear -weather, with very little wind at west. - -At Masuah, the 4th of October, I repeated the same experiment with the -same mercury and tube; the means were as follow: At six in the morning -25° 8´ 2´´; two o’clock in the afternoon, 25° 3´ 2´´; and, at half past -six in the evening, 25° 3´ 7´´, clear, with a moderate wind at west, -so that the barometer fell one inch and one line at Masuah lower than -it was at Loheia, though it often rose upon violent storms of wind and -rain; and, even where there was no rain, it again fell instantly upon -the storm ceasing, and never arrived to the height it stood last at on -the coast of Arabia. The greatest height I ever observed Fahrenheit’s -thermometer in the shade, at Masuah, was on the 22d of October, at two -in the afternoon, 93°, wind N. E. and by N. cloudy; the lowest was on -the 23d, at four in the morning, 82°, wind west. It was, to sense, much -hotter than in any part of Arabia Felix; but we found no such tickling -or irritation on our legs as we had done at Loheia, probably because -the soil was here less impregnated with salt. - -We observed here, for the first time, three remarkable circumstances -shewing the increase of heat. I had carried with me several steel -plates for making screws of different sizes. The heat had so swelled -the pin, or _male_ screw, that it was cut nearly one-third through by -the edge of the female. The sealing-wax, of which we had procured a -fresh parcel from the India ships, was fully more fluid, while lying -in our boxes, than tar. The third was the colour of the spirit in the -thermometer, which was quite discharged, and sticking in masses at -unequal heights, while the liquor was clear like spring-water. - -Masuah is very unwholesome, as, indeed, is the whole coast of the Red -Sea from Suez to Babelmandeb, but more especially between the tropics. -Violent fevers, called there _nedad_, make the principal figure in this -fatal list, and generally terminate the third day in death. If the -patient survives till the fifth day, he very often recovers by drinking -water only, and throwing a quantity of cold water upon him, even in his -bed, where he is permitted to lie without attempting to make him dry, -or change his bed, till another deluge adds to the first. - -There is no remedy so sovereign here as the bark; but it must be given -in very different times and manners from those pursued in Europe. -Were a physician to take time to prepare his patient for the bark, -by first giving him purgatives, he would be dead of the fever before -his preparation was completed. Immediately when a nausea or aversion -to eat, frequent fits of yawning, straitness about the eyes, and an -unusual, but not painful sensation along the spine, comes on, no -time is then to be lost; small doses of the bark must be frequently -repeated, and perfect abstinence observed, unless from copious draughts -of cold water. - -I never dared to venture, or seldom, upon the deluge of water, but am -convinced it is frequently of great use. The second or third dose of -the bark, if any quantity is swallowed, never fails to purge; and, -if this evacuation is copious, the patient rarely dies, but, on the -contrary, his recovery is generally rapid. Moderate purging, then, is -for the most part to be adopted; and rice is a much better food than -fruit. - -I know that all this is heterodox in Europe, and contrary to the -practice, because it is contrary to system. For my own part, I am -content to write faithfully what I carefully observed, leaving every -body afterwards to follow their own way at their peril. - -Bark, I have been told by Spaniards who have been in South America, -purges always when taken in their fevers. A different climate, -different regimen, and different habit of body or exercise, may surely -so far alter the operation of a drug as to make it have a different -effect in Africa from what it has in Europe. Be that as it may, still -I say bark is a purgative when it is successful in this fever; but -bleeding, at no stage of this distemper, is of any service; and, -indeed, if attempted the second day, the lancet is seldom followed by -blood. Ipecacuanha both fatigues the patient and heightens the fever, -and so conducts the patient more speedily to his end. Black spots are -frequently found on the breast and belly of the dead person. The belly -swells, and the stench becomes insufferable in three hours after death, -if the person dies in the day, or if the weather is warm. - -The next common disease in the low country of Arabia, the intermediate -island of Masuah, and all Abyssinia, (for the diseases are exactly -similar in all this tract) is the Tertian fever, which is in nothing -different from our Tertian, and is successfully treated here in the -same manner as in Europe. As no species of this disease (at least -that I have seen) menaces the patient with death, especially in the -beginning of the disorder, some time may be allowed for preparation -to those who doubt the effect of the bark in the country. But -still I apprehend the safest way is to give small doses from the -beginning, on the first intermission, or even remission, though this -should be somewhat obscure and uncertain. To speak plainly; when the -stomach nauseates, the head akes, yawning becomes frequent, and not -an excessive pain in the nape of the neck, when a shivering which -goes quickly off, a coldness down the spine, a more than ordinary -cowardliness and inactivity prevails, (the heat of the climate gives -one always enough of these last sensations); I say, when any number of -these symptoms unite, have recourse to the powder of bark infused in -water; shut your mouth against every sort of food; and, at the crisis, -your disease will immediately decide its name among the class of fevers. - -All fevers end in intermittents; and if these intermittents continue -long, and the first evacuations by the bark have not been copious and -constant, these fevers generally end in dysenteries, which are always -tedious and very frequently prove mortal. Bark in small quantities, -ipecacuanha, too, in very small quantities so as not to vomit, water, -and fruit not over ripe, have been found the most successful remedies. - -As for the other species of dysentery, which begins with a constant -diarrhœa, when the guts at last are excoriated, and the mucus voided -by the stools, this disease is rarely cured if it begins with the -rainy season. But if, on the contrary, it happen either in the sunny -six months, or the end of the rainy ones immediately next to them, -small doses of ipecacuanha either carry it off, or it changes into an -intermitting fever, which yields afterwards to the bark. And it always -has seemed to me that there is a great affinity between the fevers and -dysenteries in these countries, the one ending in the other almost -perpetually. - -The next disease, which we may say is endemial in the countries before -mentioned, is called _hanzeer_, the _hogs_ or the _swine_, and is a -swelling of the glands of the throat, and under the arms. This the -ignorant inhabitants endeavour to bring to a suppuration, but in vain; -they then open them in several places; a sore and running follows, and -a disease very much resembling what is called in Europe the Evil. - -THE next (though not a dangerous complaint) has a very terrible -appearance. Small tubercules or swellings appear all over the body, but -thickest in the thighs, arms, and legs. These swellings go and come for -weeks together without pain; though the legs often swell to a monstrous -size as in the dropsy. Sometimes the patients have ulcers in their -noses and mouths, not unlike those which are one of the malignant -consequences of the venereal disease. The small swellings or eruptions, -when squeezed, very often yield blood; in other respects the patient is -generally in good health, saving the pain the ulcers give him, and the -still greater uneasiness of mind which he suffers from the spoiling of -the smoothness of his skin; for all the nations in Africa within the -tropics are wonderfully affected at the smallest eruption or roughness -of the skin. A black of Sennaar will hide himself in the house where -dark, and is not to be seen by his friends, if he should have two -or three pimples on any part of his body. Nor is there any remedy, -however violent, that they will not fly to for immediate relief. Scars -and wounds are no blemishes; and I have seen them, for three or four -pimples on their bracelet arm, suffer the application of a red-hot iron -with great resolution and constancy. - -These two last diseases yielded, the first slowly, and sometimes -imperfectly, to mercurials; and sublimate has by no means in these -climates the quick and decisive effects it has in Europe. The second is -completely and speedily cured by antimonials. - -The next complaint I shall mention, as common in these countries, is -called Farenteit, a corruption of an Arabic word, which signifies the -worm of Pharaoh; all bad things being by the Arabs attributed to these -poor kings, who seem to be looked upon by posterity as the evil genii -of the country which they once governed. - -This extraordinary animal only afflicts those who are in constant habit -of drinking stagnant water, whether that water is drawn out from wells, -as in the kingdom of Sennaar, or found by digging in the sand where it -is making its way to its proper level the sea, after falling down the -side of the mountains after the tropical rains. This plague appears -indiscriminately in every part of the body, but oftenest in the legs -and arms. I never saw it in the face or head; but, far from affecting -the fleshy parts of the body, it generally comes out where the bone has -least flesh upon it. - -Upon looking at this worm, on its first appearance, a small black head -is extremely visible, with a hooked beak of a whitish colour. Its -body is seemingly of a white silky texture, very like a small tendon -bared and perfectly cleaned. After its appearance the natives of these -countries, who are used to it, seize it gently by the head, and wrap -it round a thin piece of silk or small bird’s feather. Every day, or -several times a-day, they try to wind it up upon the quill as far as -it comes readily; and, upon the smallest resistance, they give over -for fear of breaking it. I have seen five feet, or something more of -this extraordinary animal, winded out with invincible patience in the -course of three weeks. No inflammation then remained, and scarcely -any redness round the edges of the aperture, only a small quantity -of lymph appeared in the hole or puncture, which scarcely issued out -upon pressing. In three days it was commonly well, and left no scar or -dimple implying loss of substance. - -I myself experienced this complaint. I was reading upon a sofa at -Cairo, a few days after my return from Upper Egypt, when I felt in -the fore part of my leg, upon the bone, about seven inches below the -center of my knee-pan, an itching resembling what follows the bite of a -muscheto. Upon scratching, a small tumour appeared very like a muscheto -bite. The itching returned in about an hour afterwards; and, being more -intent upon my reading than my leg, I scratched it till the blood came. -I soon after observed something like a black spot, which had already -risen considerably above the surface of the skin. All medicine proved -useless; and the disease not being known at Cairo, there was nothing -for it but to have recourse to the only received manner of treating it -in this country. About three inches of the worm was winded out upon -a piece of raw silk in the first week, without pain or fever: but it -was broken afterwards through the carelessness and rashness of the -surgeon when changing a poultice on board the ship in which I returned -to France: a violent inflammation followed; the leg swelled so as to -scarce leave appearance of knee or ancle; the skin, red and distended, -seemed glazed like a mirror. The wound was now healed, and discharged -nothing; and there was every appearance of mortification coming on. The -great care and attention procured me in the lazaretto at Marseilles, by -a nation always foremost in the acts of humanity to strangers, and the -attention and skill of the surgeon, recovered me from this troublesome -complaint. - -Fifty-two days had elapsed since it first begun; thirty-five of which -were spent in the greatest agony. It suppurated at last; and, by -enlarging the orifice, a good quantity of matter was discharged. I had -made constant use of bark, both in fomentations and inwardly; but I did -not recover the strength of my leg entirely till near a year after, by -using the baths of Poretta, the property of my friend Count Ranuzzi, in -the mountains above Bologna, which I recommend, for their efficacy, to -all those who have wounds, as I do to him to have better accommodation, -greater abundance of, and less imposition in, the necessaries of life -than when I was there. It is but a few hours journey over the mountains -to Pistoia. - -The last I shall mention of these endemial diseases, and the most -terrible of all others that can fall to the lot of man, is the -Elephantiasis, which some have chosen to call the Leprosy, or Lepra -Arabum; though in its appearance, and in all its circumstances and -stages, it no more resembles the leprosy of Palestine, (which is, -I apprehend, the only leprosy that we know) than it does the gout -or the dropsy. I never saw the beginning of this disease. During -the course of it, the face is often healthy to appearance; the eyes -vivid and sparkling: those affected have sometimes a kind of dryness -upon the skin of their backs, which, upon scratching, I have seen -leave a mealiness, or whiteness; the only circumstance, to the best -of my recollection, in which it resembled the leprosy, but it has -no scaliness. The hair, too, is of its natural colour; not white, -yellowish, or thin, as in the leprosy, but so far from it that, though -the Abyssinians have very rarely hair upon their chin, I have seen -people, apparently in the last stage of the elephantiasis, with a very -good beard of its natural colour. - -The appetite is generally good during this disease, nor does any change -of regimen affect the complaint. The pulse is only subject to the same -variations as in those who have no declared nor predominant illness; -they have a constant thirst, as the lymph, which continually oozes -from their wounds, probably demands to be replaced. It is averred by -the Abyssinians that it is not infectious. I have seen the wives of -those who were in a very inveterate stage of this illness, who had -born them several children, who were yet perfectly free and found from -any contagion. Nay, I do not remember to have seen children visibly -infected with this disease at all; though, I must own, none of them had -the appearance of health. It is said this disease, though surely born -with the infant, does not become visible till the approach to manhood, -and sometimes it is said to pass by a whole generation. - -The chief seat of this disease is from the bending of the knee -downwards to the ancle; the leg is swelled to a great degree, becoming -one size from bottom to top, and gathered into circular wrinkles, like -small hoops or plaits; between every one of which there is an opening -that separates it all round from the one above, and which is all raw -flesh, or perfectly excoriated. From between these circular divisions -a great quantity of lymph constantly oozes. The swelling of the leg -reaches over the foot, so as to leave about an inch or little more -of it seen. It should seem that the black colour of the skin, the -thickness of the leg, and its shapeless form, and the rough tubercules, -or excrescences, very like those seen upon the elephant, give the -name to this disease, and form a striking resemblance between the -distempered legs of this unfortunate individual of the human species, -and those of the noble quadruped the elephant, when in full vigour. - -An infirmity, to which the Abyssinians are subject, of much worse -consequence to the community than the elephantiasis, I mean lying, -makes it impossible to form, from their relations, any accurate account -of symptoms that might lead the learned to discover the causes of this -extraordinary distemper, and thence suggest some rational method to -cure, or diminish it. - -It was not from the ignorance of language, nor from want of -opportunity, and less from want of pains, that I am not able to give a -more distinct account of this dreadful disorder. I kept one of those -infected in a house adjoining to mine, in my way to the palace, for -near two years; and, during that time, I tried every sort of regimen -that I could devise. My friend, Dr Russel, physician at Aleppo, (now -in the East Indies), to whose care and skill I was indebted for my -life in a dangerous fever which I had in Syria, and whose friendship I -must always consider as one of the greatest acquisitions I ever made -in travelling, desired me, among other medical inquiries, to try the -effect of the cicuta upon this disease; and a considerable quantity, -made according to the direction of Dr Storke, physician in Vienna, was -sent me from Paris, with instructions how to use it. - -Having first explained the whole matter, both to the king, Ras Michael, -and Azage Tecla Haimanout, chief justice of the king’s bench in -Abyssinia, and told them of the consequences of giving too great a -dose, I obtained their joint permissions to go on without fear, and do -what I thought requisite. It is my opinion, says the Azage, that no -harm that may accidentally befal one miserable individual, now already -cut off from society, should hinder the trial (the only one we ever -shall have an opportunity of making) of a medicine which may save -multitudes hereafter from a disease so much worse than death. - -It was soon seen, by the constant administration of many ordinary -doses, that nothing was to be expected from violent or dangerous -ones; as not the smallest degree of amendment ever appeared, either -outwardly or inwardly, to the sensation of the patient. Mercury had no -better effect. Tar-water also was tried; and if there was any thing -that produced any seeming advantage, it was whey made of cow’s milk, -of which he was excessively fond, and which the king ordered him to be -furnished with at my desire, in any quantity he pleased, during the -experiment. - -The troubles of the times prevented further attention. Dr Storke’s -cicuta, in several instances, made a perfect cure of the hanzeers -improperly opened, though, in several other cases, without any apparent -cause, it totally miscarried. I scarce ever observed mercury succeed in -any complaint. - -It is not for me to attempt to explain what are the causes of these -distempers. Those whose studies lead them to such investigations will -do well to attach themselves, for first principles, to the difference -of climate, and the abuses that obtain under them; after this, to -particular circumstances in the necessaries of life, to which nature -has subjected the people of these countries. Under the first, we may -rank a season of six months rains, succeeded, without interval, by a -cloudless sky and vertical sun; and cold nights which as immediately -follow these scorching days. The earth, notwithstanding the heat of -these days, is yet perpetually cold, so as to feel disagreeably to -the soles of the feet; partly owing to the six months rains, when no -sun appears, and partly to the perpetual equality of nights and days; -the thinnest of the cloathing in the better sort, (a muslin shirt) -while the others are naked, and sleep in this manner exposed, without -covering in the cold nights, after the violent perspiration during the -sultry day. These may be reckoned imprudences, while the constant use -of stagnant putrid water for four months of the year, and the quantity -of salt with which the soil of those countries is impregnated, may be -circumstances less conducive to health; to which, however, they have -been for ever subject by nature. - -It will be very reasonably expected, that, after this unfavourable -account of the climate, and the uncertainty of remedies for these -frequent and terrible diseases, I should say something of the regimen -proper to be observed there, in order to prevent what it seems so -doubtful whether we can ever cure. - -My first general advice to a traveller is this, to remember well what -was the state of his constitution before he visited these countries, -and what his complaints were, if he had any; for fear very frequently -seizes us upon the first sight of the many and sudden deaths we see -upon our first arrival, and our spirits are so lowered by perpetual -perspiration, and our nerves so relaxed, that we are apt to mistake -the ordinary symptoms of a disease, familiar to us in our own country, -for the approach of one of these terrible distempers that are to hurry -us in a few hours into eternity. This has a bad effect in the very -slightest disorders; so that it hath become proverbial--If you think -you shall die, you shall die. - -If a traveller finds, that he is as well after having been some time -in this country as he was before entering it, his best way is to make -no innovation in his regimen, further than in abating something in the -quantity. But if he is of a tender constitution, he cannot act more -wisely than to follow implicitly the regimen of sober, healthy people -of the country, without arguing upon European notions, or substituting -what we consider as succedaneums to what we see used on the spot. All -spirits are to be avoided; even bark is better in water than in wine. -The stomach, being relaxed by profuse perspiration, needs something to -strengthen, but not inflame, and enable it to perform digestion. For -this reason (instinct we should call it, if speaking of beasts) the -natives of all eastern countries season every species of food, even the -simplest, and mildest, rice, so much with spices, especially pepper, as -absolutely to blister a European palate. - -These powerful antiseptics Providence has planted in these countries -for this use; and the natives have, from the earliest times, had -recourse to them in proportion to the quantity that they can procure. -And hence, in these dangerous climates, the natives are as healthy as -we are in our northern ones. Travellers in Arabia are disgusted at -this seemingly inflammatory food; and nothing is more common than to -hear them say that they are afraid these quantities of spices will -give them a fever. But did they ever feel themselves heated by ever -so great a quantity of black pepper? Spirits they think, substituted -to this, answer the same purpose. But does not the heat of your skin, -the violent pain in your head, while the spirits are filtering through -the vessels of your brains, shew the difference? and when did any ever -feel a like sensation from black pepper, or any pepper ate to excess in -every meal? - -I lay down, then, as a positive rule of health, that the warmest dishes -the natives delight in, are the most wholesome strangers can use in -the putrid climates of the Lower Arabia, Abyssinia, Sennaar, and Egypt -itself; and that spirits, and all fermented liquors, should be regarded -as poisons, and, for fear of temptation, not so much as be carried -along with you, unless as a menstruum for outward applications. - -Spring, or running water, if you can find it, is to be your only drink. -You cannot be too nice in procuring this article. But as, on both -coasts of the Red Sea you scarcely find any but stagnant water, the way -I practised was always this, when I was at any place that allowed me -time and opportunity--I took a quantity of fine sand, washed it from -the salt quality with which it was impregnated, and spread it upon a -sheet to dry; I then filled an oil-jar with water, and poured into it -as much from a boiling kettle as would serve to kill all the animalcula -and eggs that were in it. I then sifted my dried sand, as slowly as -possible, upon the surface of the water in the jar, till the sand stood -half a foot in the bottom of it; after letting it settle a night, we -drew it off by a hole in the jar with a spigot in it, about an inch -above the sand; then threw the remaining sand out upon the cloth, and -dried and washed it again. - -This process is sooner performed than described. The water is as limpid -as the purest spring, and little inferior to the finest Spa. Drink -largely of this without fear, according as your appetite requires. By -violent perspiration the aqueous part of your blood is thrown off; -and it is not spiritous liquor can restore this, whatever momentary -strength it may give you from another cause. When hot, and almost -fainting with weakness from continual perspiration, I have gone into -a warm bath, and been immediately restored to strength, as upon first -rising in the morning. Some perhaps will object, that this heat should -have weakened and overpowered you; but the fact is otherwise; and the -reason is, the quantity of water, taken up by your absorbing vessels, -restored to your blood that finer fluid which was thrown off, and then -the uneasiness occasioned by that want ceased, for it was the want of -that we called uneasiness. - -In Nubia never scruple to throw yourself into the coldest river or -spring you can find, in whatever degree of heat you are. The reason -of the difference in Europe is, that when by violence you have raised -yourself to an extraordinary degree of heat, the cold water in which -you plunge yourself checks your perspiration, and shuts your pores -suddenly. The medium is itself too cold, and you do not use force -sufficient to bring back the perspiration, which nought but action -occasioned; whereas, in these warm countries, your perspiration -is natural and constant, though no action be used, only from the -temperature of the medium; therefore, though your pores are shut, the -moment you plunge yourself in the cold water, the simple condition of -the outward air again covers you with pearls of sweat the moment you -emerge; and you begin the expence of the aqueous part of your blood -afresh from the new stock that you have laid in by your immersion. - -For this reason, if you are well, deluge yourself from head to foot, -even in the house, where water is plenty, by directing a servant to -throw buckets upon you at least once a-day when you are hottest; not -from any imagination that the water braces you, as it is called, for -your bracing will last you only a very few minutes; but these copious -inundations will carry watery particles into your blood, though not -equal to bathing in running streams, where the total immersion, the -motion of the water, and the action of the limbs, all conspire to -the benefit you are in quest of. As to cold water bracing in these -climates, I am persuaded it is an idea not founded in truth. By -observation it has appeared often to me, that, when heated by violent -exercise, I have been much more relieved, and my strength more -completely restored by the use of a tepid bath, than by an equal time -passed in a cold one. - -Do not fatigue yourself if possible. Exercise is not either so -necessary or salutary here as in Europe. Use fruits sparingly, -especially if too ripe. The musa, or banana, in Arabia Felix, are -always rotten-ripe when they are brought to you. Avoid all sort of -fruit exposed for sale in the markets, as it has probably been gathered -in the sun, and carried miles in it, and all its juices are in a state -of fermentation. Lay it first upon a table covered with a coarse cloth, -and throw frequently a quantity of water upon it; and, if you have an -opportunity, gather it in the dew of the morning before dawn of day, -for that is far better. - -Rice and pillaw are the best food; fowls are very bad, eggs are worse; -greens are not wholesome. In Arabia the mutton is good, and, when -roasted, may be eaten warm with safety; perhaps better if cold. All -soups or broths are to be avoided; all game is bad. - -I have known many very scrupulous about eating suppers, but, I am -persuaded, without reason. The great perspiration which relaxes the -stomach so much through the day has now ceased, and the breathing of -cooler air has given to its operations a much stronger tone. I always -made it my most liberal meal, if I ate meat at all. While at Jidda, my -supper was a piece of cold, roasted mutton, and a large glass of water, -with my good friend Captain Thornhill, during the dog-days. - -After this, the excessive heat of the day being past, covering our -heads from the night-air, always blowing at that time from the east and -charged with watery particles from the Indian Ocean, we had a luxurious -walk of two or three hours, as free from the heat as from the noise -and impertinence of the day, upon a terrassed roof, under a cloudless -sky, where the smallest star is visible. These evening walks have -been looked upon as one of the principal pleasures of the east, even -though not accompanied with the luxuries of astronomy and meditation. -They have been adhered to from early times to the present, and we may -therefore be allured they were always wholesome; they have often been -misapplied and mispent in love. - -It is a custom that, from the first ages, has prevailed in the east, -to shriek and lament upon the death of a friend or relation, and cut -their faces upon the temple with their nails, about the breadth of a -sixpence, one of which is left long for that purpose. It was always -practised by the Jews, and thence adopted by the Abyssinians, though -expressly forbidden both by the law and by the prophets[2]. At Masuah, -it seems to be particular to dance upon that occasion. The women, -friends, and visitors place themselves in a ring; then dance slowly, -figuring in and out as in a country-dance. This dance is all to the -voice, no instrument being used upon the occasion; only the drum (the -butter-jar before mentioned) is beat adroitly enough, and seems at once -necessary to keep the dance and song in order. In Abyssinia, too, this -is pursued in a manner more ridiculous. Upon the death of an ozoro, or -any nobleman, the twelve judges, (who are generally between 60 and 70 -years of age) sing the song, and dance the figure-dance, in a manner -so truly ridiculous, that grief must have taken fast hold of every -spectator who does not laugh upon the occasion. There needs no other -proof the deceased was a friend. - -Mahomet Gibberti married at Arkeeko. For fifteen days afterward, the -husband there is invisible to everybody but the female friends of his -wife, who in that sultry country do every thing they can, by hot and -spiced drinks, to throw the man, stewed in a close room, into a fever. -I do believe that Mahomet Gibberti, in the course of these fifteen -days, was at least two stone lighter. It puts me much in mind of some -of our countrymen sweating themselves for a horse-race with a load -of flannel on. I conceive that Mahomet Gibberti, had it not been for -the spice, would have made a bad figure in the match he was engaged -in. One of these nights of his being sequestered, when, had I not -providentially engaged Achmet, his uncle the Naybe would have cut -our throats. I heard two girls, professors hired for such occasions, -sing alternately verse for verse in reply to each other, in the most -agreeable and melodious manner I ever heard in my life. This gave me -great hopes that, in Abyssinia, I should find music in a state of -perfection little expected in Europe. Upon inquiry into particulars -I was miserably disappointed, by being told these musicians were all -strangers from Azab, the myrrh country, where all the people were -natural musicians, and sung in a better stile than that I had heard; -but that nothing of this kind was known in Abyssinia, a mountainous, -barbarous country, without instrument, and without song; and that it -was the same here in Atbara; a miserable truth, which I afterwards -completely verified. These singers were Cushites, not Shepherds. - -I, however, made myself master of two or three of these alternate songs -upon the guitar, the wretched instrument of that country; and was -surprised to find the words in a language equally strange to Masuah -and Abyssinia. I had frequent interviews with these musicians in the -evening; they were perfectly black and woolly-headed. Being slaves, -they spoke both Arabic and Tigrè, but could sing in neither; and, from -every possible inquiry, I found every thing, allied to counterpoint, -was unknown among them. I have sometimes endeavoured to recover -fragments of these songs, which I once perfectly knew from memory only, -but unfortunately I committed none of them to writing. Sorrow, and -various misfortunes, that every day marked my stay in the barbarous -country to which I was then going, and the necessary part I, much -against my will, was for self-preservation forced to take in the ruder -occupations of those times, have, to my very great regret, obliterated -long ago the whole from my memory. - -It is a general custom in Masuah for people to burn myrrh and incense -in their houses before they open the doors in the morning; and when -they go out at night, or early in the day, they have always a small -piece of rag highly fumigated with these two perfumes, which they stuff -into each nostril to keep them from the unwholesome air. - -The houses in Masuah are, in general, built of poles and bent grass, as -in the towns of Arabia; but, besides these, there are about twenty of -stone, six or eight of which are two storeys each; though the second -seldom consists of more than one room, and that one generally not a -large one. The stones are drawn out of the sea as at Dahalac; and in -these we see the beds of that curious mussel, or shell-fish, found to -be contained in the solid rock at Mahon, called _Dattoli da mare_, or -sea-dates, the fish of which I never saw in the Red Sea; though there -is no doubt but they are to be found in the rocky islands about Masuah, -if they break the rocks for them. - -Although Masuah is situated in the very entrance of Abyssinia, a -very plentiful country, yet all the necessaries of life are scarce -and dear. Their quality, too, is very indifferent. This is owing to -the difficulty, expence, and danger of carrying the several articles -through the desert flat country, called Samhar, which lies between -Arkeeko and the mountains of Abyssinia; as well as to the extortions -exercised by the Naybe, who takes, under the name of customs, whatever -part he pleases of the goods and provisions brought to that island; by -which means the profit of the seller is so small, as not to be worth -the pains and risk of bringing it: 20 rotol of butter cost a pataka and -a half, 3½ harf; or, in one term, 45½ harf. A goat is half of a pataka; -a sheep, two-thirds of a pataka; the ardep of wheat, 4 patakas; Dora, -from Arabia, 2 patakas. - - ---- _Venit, vilissima rerum_, - _Hic aqua._ - Horat. lib. I. Sat. 6. v. 88. - -Water is sold for three diwanis, or paras, the 7 gallons. The same sort -of money is in use at Masuah, and the opposite coast of Arabia; and it -is indeed owing to the commercial intercourse with that coast that any -coin is current in this or the western side. It is all valued by the -Venetian sequin. But glass beads, called Contaria, of all kinds and -colours, perfect and broken, pass for small money, and are called, in -their language, Borjooke. - - -_TABLE of the relative VALUE of MONEY._ - - Venetian Sequin, 2¼ Pataka. - Pataka or Imperial Dollar, 28 Harf. - 1 Harf, 4 Diwani. - 10 Kibeer, 1 Diwani. - 1 Kibeer, 3 Borjooke, or Grains. - -The Harf is likewise called Dahab, a word very equivocal, as it means, -in Arabic, gold, and frequently a sequin. The Harf is 120 grains of -beads. - -The zermabub, or sequin of Constantinople, is not current here. Those -that have them, can only dispose of them to the women, who hang them -about their temples, to their necklaces, and round the necks of their -children. The fraction of the pataka is the half and quarter, which -pass here likewise. - -There is a considerable deal of trade carried on at Masuah, -notwithstanding these inconveniencies, narrow and confined as the -island is, and violent and unjust as is the government. But it is all -done in a slovenly manner, and for articles where a small capital is -invested. Property here is too precarious to risk a venture in valuable -commodities, where the hand of power enters into every transaction. - -The goods imported from the Arabian side are blue cotton, Surat -cloths, and cochineal ditto, called Kermis, fine cloth from different -markets in India; coarse white cotton cloths from Yemen; cotton -unspun from ditto in bales; Venetian beads, chrystal, drinking, and -looking-glasses; and cohol, or crude antimony. These three last -articles come in great quantities from Cairo, first in the coffee ships -to Jidda, and then in small barks over to this port. Old copper too is -an article on which much is gained, and great quantity is imported. - -The Galla, and all the various tribes to the westward of Gondar, wear -bracelets of this copper; and they say at times, that, near the country -of Gongas and Guba, it has been sold, weight for weight, with gold. -There is a shell likewise here, a univalve of the species of volutes, -which sells at a cuba for 10 paras. It is brought from near Hodeida, -though it is sometimes found at Konfodah and Loheia. There are a few -also at Dahalac, but not esteemed: these pass for money among the Djawi -and other western Galla. - -The cuba is a wooden measure, containing, very exactly, 62 cubic inches -of rain water. The drachm is called Casla; there is 10 drachms in their -wakea. - - Gold, 16 patakas _per_ wakea. - Civet, 1¾ pataka the wakea. - Elephants teeth, 18 patakas for 35 rotol. - Wax, 4 patakas the faranzala. - Myrrh, 3 patakas _per_ ditto. - Coffee, 1 pataka the 6 rotol. - Honey, ¼ of a pataka the cuba. - -The Banians were once the principal merchants of Masuah; but the number -is now reduced to six. They are silver-smiths, that make ear-rings and -other ornaments for the women in the continent, and are assayers of -gold; they make, however, but a poor livelihood. - -As there is no water in Masuah, the number of animals belonging to it -can be but small. The sea fowl have nothing singular in them, and are -the grey and the white gull, and the small bird, called the sea-lark, -or pickerel. The sky-lark is here, but is mute the whole year, till the -first rains fall in November; he then mounts very high, and sings in -the very heat of the day. I saw him in the Tehama, but he did not sing -there; probably for the reason given above, as there was no rain. - -There are no sparrows to be seen here, or on the opposite shore, nor -in the islands. Although there were scorpions in abundance at Loheia, -we found none of them at Masuah. Water and greens, especially of the -melon and cucumber kind, seem to be necessary to this poisonous insect. -Indeed it was only after rains we saw them in Loheia, and then the -young ones appeared in swarms; this was in the end of August. They -are of a dull green colour, bordering upon yellow. As far as I could -observe, no person apprehended any thing from their sting beyond a few -minutes pain. - -We left Masuah the 10th of November, with the soldiers and boats -belonging to Achmet. We had likewise three servants from Abyssinia, and -no longer apprehended the Naybe, who seemed, on his part, to think no -more of us. - -In the bay between Masuah and Arkeeko are two islands, Toulahout and -Shekh Seide; the first on the west, the other on the south. They are -both uninhabited, and without water. Shekh Seide has a marabout, or -saint’s tomb, on the west end. It is not half a mile in length, when -not overflowed, but has two large points of sand which run far out to -the east and to the west. Its west point runs so near to Toulahout, as, -at low-water, scarce to leave a channel for the breadth of a boat to -pass between. - -There is a chart, or map of the island of Masuah, handed about with -other bad maps and charts of the Red Sea, (of which I have already -spoken) among our English captains from India. It seems to be of as -old date as the first landing of the Portuguese under Don Roderigo de -Lima, in the time of David III. but it is very inaccurate, or rather -erroneous, throughout. The map of the island, harbour, and bay, with -the soundings, which I here have given, may be depended upon, as being -done on the spot with the greatest attention. - -Achmet, though much better, was, however, not well. His fever had left -him, but he had some symptoms of its being followed by a dysentery. In -the two days I rested at his house, I had endeavoured to remove these -complaints, and had succeeded in part; for which he testified the -utmost gratitude, as he was wonderfully afraid to die. - -The Naybe had visited him several times every day; but as I was -desirous to see Achmet well before I left Arkeeko, I kept out of the -way on these occasions, being resolved, the first interview, to press -for an immediate departure. - -On the 13th, at four o’clock in the afternoon, I waited upon the Naybe -at his own house. He received me with more civility than usual, or -rather, I should have said, with less brutality; for a grain of any -thing like civility had never yet appeared in his behaviour. He had -just received news, that a servant of his, sent to collect money at -Hamazen, had run off with it. As I saw he was busy, I took my leave of -him, only asking his commands for Habesh; to which he answered, “We -have time enough to think of that, do you come here to morrow.” - -On the 14th, in the morning, I waited upon him according to -appointment, having first struck my tent and got all my baggage in -readiness. He received me as before, then told me with a grave air, -“that he was willing to further my journey into Habesh to the utmost -of his power, provided I shewed him that consideration which was due to -him from all passengers; that as, by my tent, baggage, and arms, he saw -I was a man above the common sort, which the grand signior’s firman, -and all my letters testified, less than 1000 patakas offered by me -would be putting a great affront upon him; however, in consideration of -the governor of Tigrè, to whom I was going, he would consent to receive -300, upon my swearing not to divulge this, for fear of the shame that -would fall upon him abroad.” - -To this I answered in the same grave tone, “That I thought him very -wrong to take 300 patakas with shame, when receiving a thousand would -be more honourable as well as more profitable; therefore he had nothing -to do but put that into his account-book with the governor of Tigrè, -and settle his honour and his interest together. As for myself, I was -sent for by Metical Aga, on account of the king, and was proceeding -accordingly, and if he opposed my going forward to Metical Aga, I -should return; but then again I should expect ten thousand patakas from -Metical Aga, for the trouble and loss of time I had been at, which he -and the Ras would no doubt settle with him.” The Naybe said nothing -in reply, but only muttered, closing his teeth, _sheitan afrit_, that -devil or tormenting spirit. - -“Look you, (says one of the king’s servants, whom I had not heard speak -before) I was ordered to bring this man to my master; I heard no talk -of patakas; the army is ready to march against Waragna Fasil, I must -not lose my time here.” Then taking his short red cloak under his arm, -and giving it a shake to make the dust fly from it, he put it upon -his shoulders, and, stretching out his hand very familiarly, said, -“Naybe, within this hour I am for Habesh, my companion will stay here -with the man; give me my dues for coming here, and I shall carry any -answer either of you has to send.” The Naybe looked much disconcerted. -“Besides, said I, you owe me 300 patakas for saving the life of your -nephew Achmet.”--“Is not his life worth 300 patakas?” He looked very -silly, and said, “Achmet’s life is worth all Masuah.” There was no -more talk of patakas after this. He ordered the king’s servant not to -go that day, but come to him to-morrow to receive his letters, and he -would expedite us for Habesh. - -Those friends that I had made at Arkeeko and Masuah, seeing the Naybe’s -obstinacy against our departure, and, knowing the cruelty of his -nature, advised me to abandon all thoughts of Abyssinia; for that, -in passing through Samhar, among the many barbarous people whom he -commanded, difficulties would multiply upon us daily, and, either by -accident, or order of the Naybe, we should surely be cut off. - -I was too well convinced of the embarrassment that lay behind me if -left alone with the Naybe, and too determined upon my journey to -hesitate upon going forward. I even flattered myself, that his flock -of stratagems to prevent our going, was by this time exhausted, and -that the morrow would see us in the open fields, free from further -tyranny and controul. In this conjecture I was warranted by the visible -impression the declaration of the king’s servant had made upon him. - -On the 15th, early in the morning, I struck my tent again, and had my -baggage prepared, to shew we were determined to stay no longer. At -eight o’clock, I went to the Naybe, and found him almost alone, when he -received me in a manner that, for him, might have passed for civil. He -began with a considerable degree of eloquence, or fluency of speech, -a long enumeration of the difficulties of our journey, the rivers, -precipices, mountains, and woods we were to pass; the number of wild -beasts every where to be found; as also the wild savage people that -inhabited those places; the most of which, he said, were luckily under -his command, and he would recommend to them to do us all manner of -good offices. He commanded two of his secretaries to write the proper -letters, and, in the mean time, ordered us coffee; conversing naturally -enough about the king and Ras Michael, their campaign against Fasil, -and the great improbability there was, they should be successful. - -At this time came in a servant covered with dust and seemingly -fatigued, as having arrived in haste from afar. The Naybe, with a -considerable deal of uneasiness and confusion, opened the letters, -which were said to bring intelligence, that the Hazorta, Shiho, and -Tora, the three nations who possessed that part of Samhar through -which our road led to Dobarwa, the common passage from Masuah to -Tigrè, had revolted, driven away his servants, and declared themselves -independent. He then, (as if all was over) ordered his secretaries -to stop writing; and, lifting up his eyes, began, with great seeming -devotion, to thank God we were not already on our journey; for, -innocent as he was, when we should have been cut off, the fault would -have been imputed to him. - -Angry as I was at so barefaced a farce, I could not help bursting -out into a violent fit of loud laughter, when he put on the severest -countenance, and desired to know the reason of my laughing at such a -time. It is now two months, answered I, since you have been throwing -various objections in my way; can you wonder that I do not give into -so gross an imposition? This same morning, before I struck my tent, in -presence of your nephew Achmet, I spoke with two Shiho just arrived -from Samhar, who brought letters to Achmet, which said all was in -peace. Have you earlier intelligence than that of this morning? - -He was for some time without speaking; then said, “If you are weary -of living, you are welcome to go; but I will do my duty in warning -those that are along with you of their and your danger, that, when -the mischief happens, it may not be imputed to me.” “No number of -naked Shiho,” said I, “unless instructed by you, can ever be found -on our road, that will venture to attack us. The Shiho have no fire -arms; but if you have sent on purpose some of your soldiers that have -fire arms, these will discover by what authority they come. For our -part, we cannot fly; we neither know the country, the language, nor -the watering-places, and we shall not attempt it. We have plenty of -different sorts of fire-arms, and your servants have often seen at -Masuah we are not ignorant in the use of them. We, it is true, may lose -our lives, that is in the hand of the Almighty; but we shall not fail -to leave enough on the spot, to give sufficient indication to the king -and Ras Michael, who it was that were our assassins, Janni of Adowa -will explain the rest.” - -I then rose very abruptly to go away. It is impossible to give one, -not conversant with these people, any conception what perfect matters -the most clownish and beastly among them are of dissimulation. The -countenance of the Naybe now changed in a moment. In his turn he burst -out into a loud fit of laughter, which surprised me full as much as -mine, some time before, had done him. Every feature of his treacherous -countenance was altered and softened into complacency; and he, for the -first time, bore the appearance of a man. - -“What I mentioned about the Shiho, he then said, was but to try you; -all is peace. I only wanted to keep you here, if possible, to cure my -nephew Achmet, and his uncle Emir Mahomet; but since you are resolved -to go, be not afraid; the roads are safe enough. I will give you a -person to conduct you, that will carry you in safety, even if there -was danger; only go and prepare such remedies as may be proper for the -Emir, and leave them with my nephew Achmet, while I finish my letters.” -This I willingly consented to do, and at my return I found every thing -ready. - -Our guide was a handsome young man, to whom, though a Christian, -the Naybe had married his sister; his name was Saloomé. The common -price paid for such a conductor is three pieces of blue Surat cotton -cloth. The Naybe, however, obliged us to promise thirteen to his -brother-in-law, with which, to get rid of him with some degree of good -grace, we willingly complied. - -Before our setting out I told this to Achmet, who said, that the -man was not a bad one naturally, but that his uncle the Naybe made -all men as wicked as himself. He furnished me with a man to shew me -where I should pitch my tent; and told me he should now take my final -deliverance upon himself, for we were yet far, according to the Naybe’s -intentions, from beginning our journey to Gondar. - -Arkeeko consists of about 400 houses, a few of which are built of -clay, the rest of coarse grass like reeds. The Naybe’s house is of -these last-named materials, and not distinguished from any others in -the town; it stands upon the S. W. side of a large bay. There is water -enough for large ships close to Arkeeko, but the bay being open to the -N. E. makes it uneasy riding in blowing weather. Besides, you are upon -a lee-shore; the bottom is composed of soft sand. In standing in upon -Arkeeko from the sea through the canal between Shekh Seide and the main -land, it is necessary to range the coast about a third nearer the main -than the island. The point, or Shekh Seide, stretches far out, and has -shallow water upon it. - -The Cape that forms the south-west side of the large bay is called _Ras -Gedem_, being the rocky base of a high mountain of that name, seen a -considerable distance from sea, and distinguished by its form, which is -that of a hog’s back. - - - - -CHAP. III. - -_Journey from Arkeeko, over the mountain Taranta, to Dixan._ - - -According to Achmet’s desire, we left Arkeeko the 15th, taking our -road southward, along the plain, which is not here above a mile broad, -and covered with short grass nothing different from ours, only that -the blade is broader. After an hour’s journey I pitched my tent at -Laberhey, near a pit of rain-water. The mountains of Abyssinia have a -singular aspect from this, as they appear in three ridges. The first -is of no considerable height, but full of gullies and broken ground, -thinly covered with shrubs; the second, higher and steeper, still more -rugged and bare; the third is a row of sharp, uneven-edged mountains, -which would be counted high in any country in Europe. Far above the top -of all, towers that stupendous mass, the mountain of Taranta, I suppose -one of the highest in the world, the point of which is buried in the -clouds, and very rarely seen but in the clearest weather; at other -times abandoned to perpetual mist and darkness, the seat of lightning, -thunder, and of storm. - -Taranta is the highest of a long, steep ridge of mountains, the -boundary between _the opposite seasons_. On its east side, or towards -the Red Sea, the rainy season is from October to April; and, on the -western, or Abyssinian side, cloudy, rainy, and cold weather prevails -from May to October. - -In the evening, a messenger from the Naybe found us at our tent at -Laberhey, and carried away our guide Saloomé. It was not till the next -day that he appeared again, and with him Achmet, the Naybe’s nephew. -Achmet made us deliver to him the thirteen pieces of Surat cloth, which -was promised Saloomè for his hire, and this, apparently, with that -person’s good-will. He then changed four of the men whom the Naybe had -furnished us for hire to carry our baggage, and put four others in -their place; this, not without some murmuring on their part; but he -peremptorily, and in seeming anger, dispatched them back to Arkeeko. - -Achmet now came into the tent, called for coffee, and, while drinking -it, said, “You are sufficiently persuaded that I am your friend; if you -are not, it is too late now to convince you. It is necessary, however, -to explain the reasons of what you see. You are not to go to Dobarwa, -though it is the best road, the safest being preferable to the easiest. -Saloomé knows the road by Dixan as well as the other. You will be apt -to curse me when you are toiling and sweating ascending Taranta, the -highest mountain in Abyssinia, and on this account worthy your notice. -You are then to consider if the fatigue of body you then suffer in that -passage is not overpaid by the absolute safety you will find yourselves -in. Dobarwa belongs to the Naybe, and I cannot answer for the orders -he may have given to his own servants; but Dixan is mine, although -the people are much worse than those of Dobarwa. I have written to my -officers there; they will behave the better to you for this; and, as -you are strong and robust, the best I can do for you is to send you by -a rugged road, and a safe one.” - -Achmet again gave his orders to Saloomé, and we, all rising, said the -fedtah, or _prayer of peace_; which being over, his servant gave him a -narrow web of muslin, which, with his own hands, he wrapped round my -head in the manner the better sort of Mahometans wear it at Dixan. He -then parted, saying, “He that is your enemy is mine also; you shall -hear of me by Mahomet Gibberti.” - -This finished a series of trouble and vexation, not to say danger, -superior to any thing I ever before had experienced, and of which -the bare recital (though perhaps too minute a one) will give but an -imperfect idea. These wretches possess talents for tormenting and -alarming, far beyond the power of belief; and, by laying a true sketch -of them before a traveller, an author does him the most real service. -In this country the more truly we draw the portrait of man, the more -we seem to fall into caricature. - -On the 16th, in the evening, we left Laberhey; and, after continuing -about an hour along the plain, our grass ended, the ground becoming -dry, firm, and gravelly, and we then entered into a wood of -acacia-trees of considerable size. We now began to ascend gradually, -having Gedem, the high mountain which forms the bay of Arkeeko, on -our left, and these same mountains, which bound the plain of Arkeeko -to the west, on our right. We encamped this night on a rising-ground -called Shillokeeb, where there is no water, though the mountains were -everywhere cut through with gullies and water courses, made by the -violent rains that fall here in winter. - -The 17th, we continued along the same plain, still covered thick with -acacia-trees. They were then in blossom, had a round yellow flower, but -we saw no gum upon the trees. Our direction had hitherto been south. We -turned westerly through an opening in the mountains, which here stand -so close together as to leave no valley or plain space between them but -what is made by the torrents, in the rainy season, forcing their way -with great violence to the sea. - -The bed of the torrent was our only road; and, as it was all sand, -we could not wish for a better. The moisture it had strongly imbibed -protected it from the sudden effects of the sun, and produced, all -alongst its course, a great degree of vegetation and verdure. Its banks -were full of rack-trees, capers, and tamarinds; the two last bearing -larger fruit than I had ever before seen, though not arrived to their -greatest size or maturity. - -We continued this winding, according to the course of the river, among -mountains of no great height, but bare, stony, and full of terrible -precipices. At half past eight o’clock we halted, to avoid the heat of -the sun, under shade of the trees before mentioned, for it was then -excessively hot, though in the month of November, from ten in the -morning till two in the afternoon. We met this day with large numbers -of Shiho, having their wives and families along with them, descending -from the tops of the high mountains of Habesh, with their flocks to -pasture, on the plains below near the sea, upon grass that grows up in -the months of October and November, when they have already consumed -what grew in the opposite season on the other side of the mountains. - -This change of domicil gives them a propensity to thieving and -violence, though otherwise a cowardly tribe. It is a proverb in -Abyssinia, “Beware of men that drink _two_ waters,” meaning these, and -all the tribes of _Shepherds_, who were in search of pasture, and who -have lain under the same imputation from the remotest antiquity. - -The Shiho were once very numerous; but, like all these nations having -communication with Masuah, have suffered much by the ravages of the -small-pox. The Shiho are the blackest of the tribes bordering upon the -Red Sea. They were all clothed; their women in coarse cotton shifts -reaching down to their ancles, girt about the middle with a leather -belt, and having very large sleeves; the men in short cotton breeches -reaching to the middle of their thighs, and a goat’s skin cross their -shoulders. They have neither tents nor cottages, but either live in -caves in the mountains under trees, or in small conical huts built with -a thick grass like reeds. - -This party consisted of about fifty men, and, I suppose, not more than -thirty women; from which it seemed probable the Shiho are Monogam, as -afterwards, indeed, I knew them to be. Each of them had a lance in his -hand, and a knife at the girdle which kept up the breeches. They had -the superiority of the ground, as coming down the mountain which we -were ascending; yet I observed them to seem rather uneasy at meeting -us; and so far from any appearance of’ hostility, that, I believe, had -we attacked briskly, they would have fled without much resistance. -They were, indeed, incumbered with a prodigious quantity of goats and -other cattle, so were not in a fighting trim. I saluted the man that -seemed to be their chief, and asked him if he would sell us a goat. -He returned my salute; but either could not speak Arabic, or declined -further conversation. However, those of our people behind, that were of -a colour nearer to themselves, bought us a goat that was lame, (dearly -they said) for some antimony, four large needles, and some beads. Many -of them asked us for _kisserah_, or bread. This being an Arabic word, -and their having no other word in their language signifying bread, -convinces me they were Icthyophagi; as, indeed, history says all those -Troglydite nations were who lived upon the Red Sea. It could not indeed -be otherwise: the rich, when trade flourished in these parts, would -probably get corn from Arabia or Abyssinia; but, in their own country, -no corn would grow. - -At 2 o’clock in the afternoon we resumed our journey through a very -stony, uneven road, till 5 o’clock, when we pitched our tent at a place -called Hamhammou, on the side of a small green hill some hundred yards -from the bed of the torrent. The weather had been perfectly good since -we left Masuah: this afternoon, however, it seemed to threaten rain; -the high mountains were quite hid, and great part of the lower ones -covered with thick clouds; the lightning was very frequent, broad, and -deep tinged with blue; and long peals of thunder were heard, but at a -distance. This was the first sample we had of Abyssinian bad weather. - -The river scarcely ran at our passing it; when, all of a sudden, we -heard a noise on the mountains above, louder than the loudest thunder. -Our guides, upon this, flew to the baggage, and removed it to the top -of the green hill; which was no sooner done, than we saw the river -coming down in a stream about the height of a man, and breadth of the -whole bed it used to occupy. The water was thick tinged with red earth, -and ran in the form of a deep river, and swelled a little above its -banks, but did not reach our station on the hill. - -An antelope, surprised by the torrent, and I believe hurt by it, was -forced over into the peninsula where we were, seemingly in great -distress. As soon as my companions saw there was no further danger from -the river, they surrounded this innocent comrade in misfortune, and put -him to death with very little trouble to themselves. The acquisition -was not great; it was lean, had a musky taste, and was worse meat than -the goat we had bought from the Shiho. The torrent, though now very -sensibly diminished, still preserved a current till next morning. - -Between Hamhammou and Shillokeeb we first saw the dung of elephants, -full of pretty thick pieces of indigested branches. We likewise, in -many places, saw the tracks thro’ which they had passed; some trees -were thrown down from the roots, some broken in the middle, and -branches half-eaten strewed on the ground. - -Hamhammou is a mountain of black stones, almost calcined by the -violent heat of the sun. This is the boundary of the district; Samhar, -inhabited by the Shiho from Hamhammou to Taranta, is called Hadassa; it -belongs to the Hazorta. - -This nation, though not so numerous as the Shiho, are yet their -neighbours, live in constant defiance of the Naybe, and are of a colour -much resembling new copper; but are inferior to the Shiho in size, -though very agile. All their substance is in cattle; yet they kill none -of them, but live entirely upon milk. They, too, want also an original -word for bread in their language, for the same reason, I suppose, as -the Shiho. They have been generally successful against the Naybe, and -live either in caves, or in cabannes, like cages, just large enough to -hold two persons, and covered with an ox’s hide. Some of the better -sort of women have copper bracelets upon their arms, beads in their -hair, and a tanned hide wrapt about their shoulders. - -The nights are cold here--even in summer, and do not allow the -inhabitants to go naked as upon the rest of the coast; however, the -children of the Shiho, whom we met first, were all naked. - -The 18th, at half past five in the morning, we left our station on -the side of the green hill at Hamhammou: for some time our road lay -through a plain so thick set with acacia-trees that our hands and faces -were all torn and bloody with the strokes of their thorny branches. We -then resumed our ancient road in the bed of the torrent, now nearly -dry, over stones which the rain of the preceding night had made very -slippery. - -At half past seven we came to the mouth of a narrow valley, through -which a stream of water ran very swiftly over a bed of pebbles. It -was the first clear water we had seen since we left Syria, and gave -us then unspeakable pleasure. It was in taste excellent. The shade of -the tamarind-tree, and the coolness of the air, invited us to rest on -this delightful spot, though otherwise, perhaps, it was not exactly -conformable to the rules of prudence, as we saw several huts and -families of the Hazorta along the side of the stream, with their flocks -feeding on the branches of trees and bushes, entirely neglectful of the -grass they were treading under foot. - -The caper-tree here grows as high as the tallest English elm; its -flower is white, and its fruit, though not ripe, was fully as large as -an apricot. - -I went some distance to a small pool of water in order to bathe, and -took my firelock with me; but none of the savages stirred from their -huts, nor seemed to regard me more than if I had lived among them all -their lives, though surely I was the most extraordinary sight they had -ever seen; whence I concluded that they are a people of small talents -or genius, having no curiosity. - -At two o’clock we continued our journey, among large timber trees, till -half past three, along the side of the rivulet, when we lost it. At -half past four we pitched our tent at Sadoon, by the side of another -stream, as clear, as shallow, and as beautiful as the first; but the -night here was exceedingly cold, though the sun had been hot in the -day-time. Our desire for water was, by this time, considerably abated. -We were everywhere surrounded by mountains, bleak, bare, black, and -covered with loose stones, entirely destitute of soil; and, besides -this gloomy prospect, we saw nothing but the heavens. - -On the 19th, at half past six in the morning, we left Sadoon, our road -still winding between mountains in the bed, or torrent of a river, -bordered on each side with rack and sycamore trees of a good size. -I thought them equal to the largest trees I had ever seen; but upon -considering, and roughly measuring some of them, I did not find one 7½ -feet diameter; a small tree in comparison of those that some travellers -have observed, and much smaller than I expected; for here every cause -concurred that should make the growth of these large bodies excessive. - -At half past eight o’clock, we encamped at a place called Tubbo, where -the mountains are very steep, and broken, very abruptly, into cliffs -and precipices. Tubbo was by much the most agreeable station we had -seen; the trees were thick, full of leaves, and gave us abundance -of very dark shade. There was a number of many different kinds so -closely planted that they seemed to be intended for natural arbours. -Every tree was full of birds, variegated with an infinity of colours, -but destitute of song; others, of a more homely and more European -appearance, diverted us with a variety of wild notes, in a stile of -music still distinct and peculiar to Africa; as different in the -composition from our linnet and goldfinch, as our English language -is to that of Abyssinia: Yet, from very attentive and frequent -observation, I found that the sky-lark at Masuah sang the same notes as -in England. It was observable, that the greatest part of the beautiful -painted birds were of the jay, or magpie kind: nature seemed, by the -fineness of their dress, to have marked them for children of noise -and impertinence, but never to have intended them for pleasure or -meditation. - -The reason of the Hazorta making, as it were, a fixed station here at -Tubbo, seems to be the great exuberancy of the foliage of these large -trees. Their principal occupation seemed to be to cut down the branches -most within their reach; and this, in a dry season, nearly stripped -every tree; and, upon failure of these, they remove their flocks, -whatever quantity of grass remained. - -The sycamores constitute a large proportion of these trees, and they -are everywhere loaded with figs; but the process of caprification being -unknown to these savages, these figs come to nothing, which else might -be a great resource for food at times, in a country which seems almost -destitute of the necessaries of life. - -We left Tubbo at three o’clock in the afternoon, and we wished to leave -the neighbourhood of the Hazorta. At four, we encamped at Lila, where -we passed the night in a narrow valley, full of trees and brushwood, -by the side of a rivulet. These small, but delightful streams, which -appear on the plain between Taranta and the sea, run only after -October. When the summer rains in Abyssinia are ceasing, they begin -again on the east side of the mountains; at other times, no running -water is to be found here, but it remains stagnant in large pools, -whilst its own depth, or the shade of the mountains and trees, prevent -it from being exhaled by the heat of the sun till they are again -replenished with fresh supplies, which are poured into them upon return -of the rainy season. Hitherto we had constantly ascended from our -leaving Arkeeko, but it was very gradually, indeed almost imperceptibly. - -On the 20th, at six o’clock in the morning, we left our station at -Lila, and about seven we began to ascend the hills, or eminences, which -serve as the roots or skirts of the great mountain Taranta. The road -was on each side bordered with nabca, or jujeb trees of great beauty, -and sycamores perfectly deprived of their verdure and branches. - -We saw to-day plenty of game. The country here is everywhere deprived -of the shade it would enjoy from these fine trees, by the barbarous -axes of the Hazorta. We found everywhere immense flocks of antelopes; -as also partridges of a small kind that willingly took refuge upon -trees; neither of these seemed to consider us as enemies. The antelopes -let us pass through their flocks, only removing to the right or to the -left, or standing still and gazing upon us till we passed. But, as we -were then on the confines of Tigrè, or rather on the territory of the -Baharnagash, and as the Hazorta were in motion everywhere removing -towards the coast, far from the dominions of the Abyssinians to which -we were going, a friend of their own tribe, who had joined us for -safety, knowing how little trust was to be put in his countrymen when -moving in this contrary direction, advised us by no means to fire, or -give any unnecessary indication of the spot where we were, till we -gained the mountain of Taranta, at the foot of which we halted at nine -in the morning. - -At half past two o’clock in the afternoon we began to ascend the -mountain, through a most rocky, uneven road, if it can deserve the -name, not only from its incredible steepness, but from the large holes -and gullies made by the torrents, and the huge monstrous fragments of -rocks which, loosened by the water, had been tumbled down into our -way. It was with great difficulty we could creep up, each man carrying -his knapsack and arms; but it seemed beyond the possibility of human -strength to carry our baggage and instruments. Our tent, indeed, -suffered nothing by its falls; but our telescopes, time-keeper, and -quadrant, were to be treated in a more deliberate and tender manner. - -Our quadrant had hitherto been carried by eight men, four to relieve -each other; but these were ready to give up the undertaking upon -trial of the first few hundred yards. A number of expedients, such as -trailing it on the ground, (all equally fatal to the instrument) were -proposed. At last, as I was incomparably the strongest of the company, -as well as the most interested, I, and a stranger Moor who had followed -us, carried the head of it for about 400 yards over the most difficult -and steepest part of the mountain, which before had been considered as -impracticable by all. - -Yasine was the name of that Moor, recommended to me by Metical Aga, -of whom I have already spoken a little, and shall be obliged to say -much more; a person whom I had discovered to be a man of a most -sagacious turn of mind, firm heart, and strenuous nerves; never more -distinguished for all these qualities than in the hour of imminent -danger; at other times remarkable for quietness and silence, and a -constant study of his Koran. - -We carried it steadily up the steep, eased the case gently over the -big stones on which, from time to time, we rested it; and, to the -wonder of them all, placed the head of the three-foot quadrant, with -its double case, in safety far above the stony parts of the mountain. -At Yasine’s request we again undertook the next most difficult -task, which was to carry the iron foot of the quadrant in a single -deal-case, not so heavy, indeed, nor so liable to injury, but still -what had been pronounced impossible to carry up so steep and rugged a -mountain; and refusing then the faint offers of those that stood gazing -below, excusing themselves by foretelling an immediate and certain -miscarriage, we placed the second case about ten yards above the first -in perfect good condition. - -Declaring ourselves now without fear of contradiction, and, by the -acknowledgment of all, upon fair proof, the two best men in the -company, we returned, bearing very visibly the characters of such an -exertion; our hands and knees were all cut, mangled, and bleeding, -with sliding down and clambering over the sharp points of the rocks; -our clothes torn to pieces; yet we professed our ability, without any -reproaches on our comrades, to carry the two telescopes and time-keeper -also. Shame, and the proof of superior constancy, so much humbled the -rest of our companions, that one and all put their hands so briskly to -work, that, with infinite toil, and as much pleasure, we advanced so -far as to place all our instruments and baggage, about two o’clock in -the afternoon, near half way up this terrible mountain of Taranta. - -There were five asses, two of which belonged to Yasine, and these were -fully as difficult to bring up the mountain as any of our burdens. Most -of their loading, the property of Yasine, we carried up the length of -my instruments; and it was proposed, as a thing that one man could do, -to make the unladen light asses follow, as they had been well taken -care of, were vigorous and young, and had not suffered by the short -journies we had made on plain ground. They no sooner, however, found -themselves at liberty, and that a man was compelling them with a stick -to ascend the mountain, than they began to bray, to kick, and to bite -each other; and, as it were with one consent, not only ran down the -part of the hill we had ascended, but, with the same jovial cries as -before, (smelling, I suppose, some of their companions) they continued -on at a brisk trot; and, as we supposed, would never stop till they -came to Tubbo, and the huts of the Hazorta. - -All our little caravan, and especially the masters of these animals, -saw from above, in despair, all our eagerness to pass Taranta defeated -by the secession of the most obstinate of the brute creation. But there -was no mending this by reflection; at the same time, we were so tired -as to make it impossible for the principals to give any assistance. -Bread was to be baked, and supper to be made ready, after this -fatiguing journey. - -At length four Moors, one of them a servant of Yasine, with one -firelock, were sent down after the asses; and the men were ordered to -fire at a distance, so as to be heard in case any thing dishonest was -offered on the part of the Hazorta. But luckily the appetite of the -asses returning, they had fallen to eat the bushes, about half way to -Lila, where they were found a little before sun-set. - -The number of hyænas that are everywhere among the bushes, had, as we -supposed, been seen by these animals, and had driven them all into a -body. It was probable that this, too, made them more docile, so that -they suffered themselves to be driven on before their masters. The -hyænas, however, followed them step by step, always increasing in -number; and, the men, armed only with lances, began to be fully as -much afraid for themselves as for the asses. At last the hyænas became -so bold, that one of them seized the ass belonging to the poor Moor, -whose cargo was yet lying at the foot of Taranta, and pulled him down, -though the man ran to him and relieved him with lances. This would have -begun a general engagement with the hyænas, had not Yasine’s man that -carried the firelock discharged it amongst them, but missed them all. -However, it answered the purpose; they disappeared, and left the asses -and ass-drivers to pursue their way. - -The shot, for a moment, alarmed us all upon the mountain. Every man -ran to his arms to prepare for the coming of the Hazorta; but a -moment’s reflection upon the short time the men had been away, the -distance between us and Tubbo, and the small space that it seemed to -be from where the gun was fired, made us all conclude the man had only -intended by the shot to let us know they were at hand, tho’ it was -not till near midnight before our long-eared companions joined their -masters. - -We found it impossible to pitch our tents, from the extreme weariness -in which our last night’s exertion had left us: But there was another -reason also; for there was not earth enough covering the bare sides of -Taranta to hold fast a tent-pin; but there were variety of caves near -us, and throughout the mountain, which had served for houses to the old -inhabitants; and in these found a quiet and not inconvenient place of -repose, the night of the 20th of November. - -All this side of the mountain of Taranta, which we had passed, was -thick-set with a species of tree which we had never before seen, but -which was of uncommon beauty and curious composition of parts; its name -is _kol-quall_[3]. Though we afterwards met it in several places of -Abyssinia, it never was in the perfection we now saw it in Taranta. - -On the 21st, at half past six in the morning, having encouraged my -company with good words, increase of wages, and hopes of reward, we -began to encounter the other half of the mountain, but, before we set -out, seeing that the ass of the stranger Moor, which was bit by the -hyæna, was incapable of carrying his loading further, I desired the -rest every one to bear a proportion of the loading till we should -arrive at Dixan, where I promised to procure him another which might -enable him to continue his journey. - -This proposal gave universal satisfaction to our Mahometan attendants. -Yasine swore that my conduct was a reproach to them all, for that, -though a Christian, I had set them an example of charity to their poor -brother, highly necessary to procure God’s blessing upon their journey, -but which should properly have come first from themselves. After a -great deal of strife of kindness, it was agreed that I should pay -one-third, that the lame ass should go for what it was worth, and the -Moors of the caravan make up the difference. - -This being ended, I soon perceived the good effect. My baggage moved -much more briskly than the preceding day. The upper part of the -mountain was, indeed, steeper, more craggy, rugged, and slippery than -the lower, and impeded more with trees, but not embarrassed so much -with large stones and holes. Our knees and hands, however, were cut -to pieces by frequent falls, and our faces torn by the multitude of -thorny bushes. I twenty times now thought of what Achmet had told me -at parting, that I should curse him for the bad road shewn to me over -Taranta; but bless him for the quiet and safety attending me in that -passage. - -The middle of the mountain was thinner of trees than the two extremes; -they were chiefly wild olives which bear no fruit. The upper part -was close covered with groves of the oxy cedrus, the Virginia, or -berry-bearing cedar, in the language of the country called Arz. At -last we gained the top of the mountain, upon which is situated a small -village called Halai, the first we had seen since our leaving Masuah. -It is chiefly inhabited by poor servants and shepherds keeping the -flocks of men of substance living in the town of Dixan. - -The people here are not black, but of a dark complexion bordering very -much upon yellow. They have their head bare; their feet covered with -sandals; a goat’s skin upon their shoulders; a cotton cloth about their -middle; their hair short and curled like that of a negroe’s in the -west part of Africa; but this is done by art, not by nature, each man -having a wooden stick with which he lays hold of the lock and twists -it round a screw, till it curls in the form he desires[4]. The men -carry in their hands two lances and a large shield of bull’s hide. A -crooked knife, the blade in the lower part about three inches broad, -but diminishing to a point about sixteen inches long, is stuck at their -right side, in a girdle of coarse cotton cloth, with which their middle -is swathed, going round them six times. - -All sorts of cattle are here in great plenty; cows and bulls of -exquisite beauty, especially the former; they are, for the most part, -completely white, with large dewlaps hanging down to their knees; their -heads, horns, and hoofs perfectly well-turned; the horns wide like our -Lincolnshire kine; and their hair like silk. Their sheep are large, -and all black. I never saw one of any other colour in the province of -Tigré. Their heads are large; their ears remarkably short and small; -instead of the wool they have hair, as all the sheep within the tropics -have, but this is remarkable for its lustre and softness, without any -bristly quality, such as those in Beja, or the country of Sennaar; but -they are neither so fat, nor is their flesh so good, as that of the -sheep in the warmer country. The goats here, too, are of the largest -size; but they are not very rough, nor is their hair long. - -The plain on the top of the mountain Taranta was, in many places, sown -with wheat, which was then ready to be cut down, though the harvest was -not yet begun. The grain was clean, and of a good colour, but inferior -in size to that of Egypt. It did not, however, grow thick, nor was the -stalk above fourteen inches high. The water is very bad on the top of -Taranta, being only what remains of the rain in the hollows of the -rocks, and in pits prepared for it. - -Being very tired, we pitched our tent on the top of the mountain. -The night was remarkably cold, at least appeared so to us, whose -pores were opened by the excessive heat of Masuah; for at mid-day the -thermometer stood 61°, and at six in the evening 59°; the barometer, at -the same time, 18½ inches French. The dew began to fall strongly, and -so continued till an hour after sun-set, though the sky was perfectly -clear, and the smallest stars discernible. - -I killed a large eagle here this evening, about six feet ten inches -from wing to wing. It seemed very tame till shot. The ball having -wounded it but slightly, when on the ground it could not be prevented -from attacking the men or beasts near it with great force and -fierceness, so that I was obliged to stab it with a bayonet. It was -of a dirty white; only the head and upper part of its wings were of a -light brown. - -On the 22d, at eight in the morning, we left our station on the top of -Taranta, and soon after began to descend on the side of Tigré through a -road the most broken and uneven that ever I had seen, always excepting -the ascent of Taranta. After this we began to mount a small hill, from -which we had a distinct view of Dixan. - -The cedar-trees, so tall and beautiful on the top of Taranta, and also -on the east side, were greatly degenerated when we came to the west, -and mostly turned into small shrubs and scraggy bushes. We pitched -our tent near some marshy ground for the sake of water, at three -quarters past ten, but it was very bad, having been, for several weeks, -stagnant. We saw here the people busy at their wheat harvest; others, -who had finished theirs, were treading it out with cows or bullocks. -They make no use of their straw; sometimes they burn it, and sometimes -leave it on the spot to rot. - -We set out from this about ten minutes after three, descending gently -through a better road than we had hitherto seen. At half past four in -the evening, on the 22d of November, we came to Dixan. Halai was the -first village, so is this the first town in Abyssinia, on the side of -Taranta. Dixan is built on the top of a hill, perfectly in form of a -sugar loaf; a deep valley surrounds it everywhere like a trench, and -the road winds spirally up the hill till it ends among the houses. - -This town, with a large district, and a considerable number of -villages, belonged formerly to the Baharnagash, and was one of the -strong places under his command. Afterwards, when his power came to -be weakened, and his office in disrepute by his treasonable behaviour -in the war of the Turks, and civil war that followed it, during the -Portuguese settlement in the reign of Socinios, the Turks possessing -the sea ports, and being often in intelligence with him, it was thought -proper to wink at the usurpations of the governors of Tigrè, who, -little by little, reduced this office to be dependent on their power. - -Dixan, presuming upon its strength, declared for independence in the -time the two parties were contending; and, as it was inhabited mostly -by Mahometans, it was secretly supported by the Naybe. Michael Suhul, -however, governor of Tigré, in the reign of king Yasous II. invested it -with a large army of horse and foot; and, as it had no water but what -was in the valley below, the general defect of these lofty situations, -he surrounded the town, encamping upon the edge of the valley, and -inclosed all the water within his line of circumvallation, making -strong posts at every watering-place, defended by fire-arms. - -He then sent to them a buffoon, or dwarf, desiring them to surrender -within two hours. The passions of the inhabitants were, however, raised -by expectations of succour from the Naybe; and they detested Michael -above every thing that could be imagined. They, therefore, whipt the -dwarf, and inflicted other marks of contumely upon him. Michael -bore this with seeming indifference. He sent no more summonses, but -strengthened his posts, and ordered them to be continually visited. -Several attacks of no consequence were made by the besieged following -large stones, which were rolled down into the trench, but all to no -purpose. A general attack, however, from the town, was tried the third -day, by which one well was carried, and many relieved their thirst; -many died there, and the rest were forced back into the town. A -capitulation was now offered; but Michael answered, he waited for the -coming of the Naybe. About 700 people are said to have died, during the -siege, with thirst; and at last, there being no prospect of relief, -twelve of the leaders were delivered and hanged up at the wells. The -town surrendered at discretion, and the soldiers finished those whom -thirst had spared. - -Michael then farmed Dixan to the Naybe, who repeopled it. There was a -high and low town, divided from each other by a considerable space. -In the lower abode Christians, at least so calling themselves; on the -top of the hill were the Naybe’s party, who had dug for themselves a -scanty well. Saloomé, our guide, was son of the governor for the Naybe. -Achmet was the person the Moors in the low town had confided in; and -the Christian chief was a dependent upon Janni, our Greek friend at -Adowa, who had direction of all the custom-houses in Tigrè, and of that -at Dixan among the rest. - -Our baggage had passed the trench, and had reached the low town through -which Saloomè had conducted me, under pretence of getting a speedy -shelter from the heat: but he overacted his part; and Janni, his -servant, who spoke Greek, giving me a hint to go no farther, I turned -short towards the house, and sat down with my firelock upon a stone at -the door. Our baggage quickly followed, and all was put safe in a kind -of a court inclosed with a sufficient stone-wall. - -It was not long till Hagi Abdelcader, Achmet’s friend, came to us, -inviting me civilly to his house, and declaring to me the friendly -orders he had received from Achmet concerning me; bringing along with -him also a goat, some butter and honey. I excused myself from leaving -Janni’s friend, the Christian, where I had first alighted; but I -recommended Yasine to him, for he had begun to shew great attachment -to me. In about a quarter of an hour came Saloomé, with about twenty -men, and demanded us, in the name of the Naybe, as his strangers: -he said we owed him money for conducting us, and likewise for the -customhouse dues. In a moment near a hundred men were assembled round -Hagi Abdelcader, all with shields and lances, and we expected to see -a fray of the most serious kind. But Abdelcader, with a switch in his -hand, went gravely up to Saloomè, and, after chiding his party with -great authority, he held up his stick twice over Saloomé’s head, as if -to strike him; then ordered him, if he had any demands, to come to him -in the evening; upon which both parties dispersed, and left us in peace. - -The matter was settled in the evening with Saloomé in an amicable -manner. It was proved that thirteen pieces of blue cloth were the hire -agreed on, and that it had been paid by his order to Achmet; and, -though he deserved nothing for his treacherous inclinations towards -us, yet, for Achmet’s sake, and our friend Hagi Abdelcader’s, we made -him a present of three pieces more. - -It is true of Dixan as, I believe, of most frontier towns, that the -bad people of both contiguous countries resort thither. The town, as -I before have said, consists of Moors and Christians, and is very -well peopled; yet the only trade of either of these sects is a very -extraordinary one, that of selling of children. The Christians bring -such as they have stolen in Abyssinia to Dixan as to a sure deposit; -and the Moors receive them there, and carry them to a certain market -at Masuah, whence they are sent over to Arabia or India. The priests -of the province of Tigré, especially those near the rock Damo, are -openly concerned in this infamous practice; and some of these have been -licensed by Michael to carry it on as a fair trade, upon paying so many -firelocks for each dozen or score of slaves. - -Nothing can elucidate the footing upon which this trade stands better -than a transaction which happened while I was in Ethiopia, and which -reached Gondar by way of complaint from Masuah, and was told me by -Michael himself. - -Two priests of Tigrè, whose names I have forgot, had been long intimate -friends. They dwelt near the rock Damo. The youngest was married, and -had two children, both sons; the other was old, and had none. The -old one reproved his friend one day for keeping his children at home -idle, and not putting them to some profession by which they might -gain their bread. The married priest pleaded his poverty and his -want of relations that could assist him; on which, the old priest -offered to place his eldest son with a rich friend of his own, who had -no children, and where he should want for nothing. The proposal was -accepted, and the young lad, about ten years of age, was delivered by -his father to the old priest, to carry him to this friend, who sent the -boy to Dixan and sold him there. Upon the old priest’s return, after -giving the father a splendid account of his son’s reception, treatment, -and prospects, he gave him a piece of cotton cloth, as a present from -his son’s patron. - -The younger child, about eight years old, hearing the good fortune of -his elder brother, became so importunate to be allowed to go and visit -him, that the parents were obliged to humour him, and consent. But the -old priest had a scruple, saying he would not take the charge of so -young a boy, unless his mother went with him. This being settled, the -old priest conveyed them to the market at Dixan, where he sold both the -mother and the remaining child. - -Returning to the father, the old priest told him, that his wife would -stay only so long, and expected he would then fetch her upon a certain -day, which was named. The day being come, the two priests went together -to see this happy family; and, upon their entering Dixan, it was found -that the old priest had sold the young one, but not to the same Moor -to whom he had sold his family. Soon after, these two Moors, who had -bought the Christians, becoming partners in the venture, the old priest -was to receive forty cotton-cloths, that is, L. 10 Sterling, for the -husband, wife, and children. - -The payment of the money, perhaps the resentment of the family -trepanned, and the appearance of equity which the thing itself bore, -suggested to the Moorish merchants that there was some more profit, -and not more risk, if they carried off the old priest likewise. But as -he had come to Dixan, as it were under public faith, in a trade that -greatly interested the town, they were afraid to attempt any thing -against him whilst there. They began then as it were to repent of their -bargain, from a pretended apprehension that they might be stopped and -questioned at going out of town, unless he would accompany them to some -small distance; in consideration of which, they would give him, at -parting, two pieces of cloth to be added to the other forty, which he -was to take back to Tigré with him upon his return. - -The beginning of such expeditions is in the night. When all were -asleep, they set out from Dixan; the buyers, the seller, and the family -sold; and, being arrived near the mountain where the way turns off to -the desert, the whole party fell upon the old priest, threw him down, -and bound him. The woman insisted that she might be allowed to cut, -or tear off the little beard he had, in order, as she said, to make -him look younger; and this demand was reckoned too just to be denied -her. The whole five were then carried to Masuah; the woman and her -two children were sold to Arabia; the two priests had not so ready a -market, and they were both in the Naybe’s house when I was at Masuah, -though I did not then know it. - -The Naybe, willing to ingratiate himself with Ras Michael at a small -expence, wrote to him an account of the transaction, and offered, as -they were priests, to restore them to him. But the Ras returned for -answer, that the Naybe should keep them to be his chaplains; as he -hoped, some day, he would be converted to the Christian faith himself; -if not, he might send them to Arabia with the rest; they would serve to -be carriers of wood and drawers of water; and that there still remained -at Damo enough of their kind to carry on the trade with Dixan and -Masuah. - -This story I heard from Ras Michael himself, at his grand-daughter’s -marriage, when he was feasting, and in great spirits. He, and all the -company, laughed heartily; and although there were in the room at least -two dozen of priests, none of them seemed to take this incident more -seriously than the rest of the company. From this we may guess at the -truth of what the Catholic writers advance, with regard to the respect -and reverence shown to the priesthood by the government and great men -in Abyssinia. - -The priest of Axum, and those of the monastery of Abba Garima, are -equally infamous with those of Damo for this practice, which is winked -at by Ras Michael, as contributing to his greatness, by furnishing -fire-arms to his province of Tigré, which gives him a superiority over -all Abyssinia. As a return for this article, about five hundred of -these unfortunate people are exported annually from Masuah to Arabia; -of which three hundred are Pagans, and come from the market at Gondar; -the other two hundred are Christian children, kidnapped by some such -manner as this we have spoken of, and in times of scarcity four times -that number. The Naybe receives six patakas of duty for each one -exported. Dixan is in lat. 14° 57´ 55´´ North, and long. 40° 7´ 30´´ -east of the meridian of Greenwich. - -From Dixan we discovered great part of the province of Tigrè full of -high dreadful mountains. We, as yet, had seen very little grain, unless -by the way-side from Taranta, and a small flat called Zarai, about four -miles S. S. W. of the town. - - - - -CHAP. IV. - -_Journey from Dixan to Adowa, Capital of Tigrè._ - - -It was on Nov. 25th, at ten in the morning, we left Dixan, descending -the very steep hill on which the town is situated. It produces nothing -but the Kol-quall tree all around it. We passed a miserable village -called Hadhadid, and, at eleven o’clock, encamped under a daroo tree, -one of the finest I have seen in Abyssinia, being 7½ feet diameter, -with a head spreading in proportion, standing alone by the side of -a river which now ran no more, though there is plenty of fine water -still stagnant in its bed. This tree and river is the boundary of the -territory, which the Naybe farms from Tigré, and stands within the -province of Baharnagash, called Midrè Bahar. - -Hagi Abdelcader had attended us thus far before he left us; and the -noted Saloomè came likewise, to see if some occasion would offer of -doing us further mischief; but the king’s servants, now upon their own -ground, began to take upon them a proper consequence. One of them went -to meet Saloomé at the bank of the river, and making a mark on the -ground with his knife, declared that his patience was quite exhausted -by what he had been witness to at Masuah and Dixan; and if now Saloomé, -or any other man belonging to the Naybe, offered to pass that mark, -he would bind him hand and foot, and carry him to a place where he -should be left tied to a tree, a prey to the lion and hyæna. They all -returned, and there our persecution from the Naybe ended. But it was -very evident, from Achmet’s behaviour and discourse, had we gone by -Dobarwa, which was the road proposed by the Naybe, our sufferings would -not have been as yet half finished, unless they had ended with our -lives. - -We remained under this tree the night of the 25th; it will be to me a -station ever memorable, as the first where I recovered a portion of -that tranquillity of mind to which I had been a stranger ever since -my arrival at Masuah. We had been joined by about twenty loaded asses -driven by Moors, and two loaded bulls; for there is a small sort of -this kind called Ber, which they make use of as beasts of burden. I -called all these together to recommend good order to them, desiring -every one to leave me that was not resolved to obey implicitly the -orders I should give them, as to the hours and places of encamping, -keeping watch at night, and setting out in the morning. I appointed -Yasine the judge of all disputes between them; and, if the difference -should be between Yasine and any one of them, or, if they should not -be content with his decision, then my determination was to be final. -They all consented with great marks of approbation. We then repeated -the fedtah, and swore to stand by each other till the last, without -considering who the enemy might be, or what his religion was, if he -attacked us. - -The 26th, at seven in the morning, we left our most pleasant quarters -under the daroo-tree, and set forward with great alacrity. About a -quarter of a mile from the river we crossed the end of the plain -Zarai, already mentioned. Though this is but three miles long, and -one where broadest, it was the largest plain we had seen since our -passing Taranta, whose top was now covered wholly with large, black, -and very heavy clouds, from which we heard and saw frequent peals of -thunder, and violent streams of lightning. This plain was sown partly -with wheat, partly with Indian corn; the first was cut down, the other -not yet ripe. Two miles farther we passed Addicota, a village planted -upon a high rock; the sides towards us were as if cut perpendicular -like a wall. Here was one refuge of the Jesuits when banished Tigrè by -Facilidas, when they fled to the rebel John Akay. We after this passed -a variety of small villages on each side of us, all on the top of -hills; Darcotta and Embabuwhat on the right, Azaria on the left. - -At half an hour past eleven we encamped under a mountain, on the top -of which is a village called Hadawi, consisting of no more than eighty -houses, though, for the present, it is the seat of the Baharnagash. The -present Baharnagash had bought the little district that he commanded, -after the present governor of Tigré, Michael Suhul, had annexed to his -own province what he pleased of the old domains, and farmed the other -part to the Naybe for a larger revenue than he ever could get from any -other tenant. The Naybe had now no longer a naval force to support -him, and the fear of Turkish conquest had ceased in Tigrè. The Naybe -could be reduced within any bounds that the governor of Tigrè might -please to prescribe him; and the Baharnagash was a servant maintained -to watch over him, and starve him into obedience, by intercepting his -provisions whenever the governor of Tigré commanded him. - -This nobleman paid me a visit in my tent, and was the first Abyssinian -I had seen on horseback; he had seven attendant horsemen with him, and -about a dozen of others on foot, all of a beggarly appearance, and very -ill-armed and equipped. He was a little man, of an olive complexion, -or rather darker; his head was shaved close, with a cowl, or covering, -upon it; he had a pair of short trousers; his feet and legs were bare; -the usual coarse girdle was wrapt several times about him, in which he -stuck his knife; and the ordinary web of cotton cloth, neither new nor -clean, was thrown about him. His parts seemed to be much upon the level -with his appearance. He asked me, if I had ever seen horses before? I -said, Very seldom. He then described their qualities in such a manner -as would never have given me any idea of the animal if I had seen it -seldom. He excused himself for not having sent us provisions, because -he had been upon an expedition against some rebellious villages, and -was then only just returned. - -To judge by his present appearance, he was no very respectable -personage; but in this I was mistaken, as I afterwards found. I gave -him a present in proportion to the first idea, with which he seemed -very well content, till he observed a number of fire-arms tied up to -the pillar in the middle of the tent, among which were two large -ship-blunderbusses. He asked me if there was no danger of their going -off? I said, that it happened every now and then, when their time was -come. A very little after this, he took the cushion upon which he sat, -went out, and placed himself at the door of the tent. There the king’s -servant got hold of him, and told him roundly, he must furnish us with -a goat, a kid, and forty loaves, and that immediately, and write it off -in his deftar, or account-book, if he pleased. He then went away and -sent us a goat and fifty cakes of teff bread. - -But my views upon him did not end here. His seven horses were all -in very bad order, though there was a black one among them that -had particularly struck my fancy. In the evening I sent the king’s -servants, and Janni’s, for a check, to try if he would sell that black -horse. The bargain was immediately made for various pieces of goods, -part of which I had with me, and part I procured from my companions -in the caravan. Every thing was fashionable and new from Arabia. The -value was about L. 12. Sterling, forty shillings more than our friend -at Dixan had paid for a whole family of four persons. The goods were -delivered, and the horse was to be sent in the evening, when he proved -a brown one, old, and wanting an eye. I immediately returned the horse, -insisting on the black one; but he protested the black horse was not -his own; that he had returned it to its master; and, upon a little -further discourse, said, that it was a horse he intended as a present -for the king. - -My friends treated this with great indifference, and desired their -goods back again, which were accordingly delivered. But they were no -sooner in the tent, when the black horse was sent, and refused. The -whole, however, was made up, by sending us another goat, which I gave, -to Yasine, and two jars of bouza, which we drank among us, promising, -according to the Baharnagash’s request, we would represent him well -at court. We found, from his servants, that he had been upon no -expedition, nor one step from home for three months past. - -I was exceedingly pleased with this first acquisition. The horse was -then lean, as he stood about sixteen and a half hands high, of the -breed of Dongola. Yasine, a good horseman, recommended to me one of his -servants, or companions, to take care of him. He was an Arab, from the -neighbourhood of Medina, a superior horseman himself, and well-versed -in every thing that concerned the animal. I took him immediately into -my service. We called the horse Mirza, a name of good fortune. Indeed, -I might say, I acquired that day a companion that contributed always -to my pleasure, and more than once to my safety; and was no slender -means of acquiring me the first attention of the king. I had brought my -Arab stirrups, saddle, and bridle with me, so that I was now as well -equipped as a horseman could be. - -On the 27th we left Hadawi, continuing our journey down a very steep -and narrow path between two stony hills; then ascended one still -higher, upon the top of which stands the large village of Goumbubba, -whence we have a prospect over a considerable plain all sown with -the different grain this country produces, wheat, barley, teff, and -tocusso; simsim, (or sesame) and nook; the last is used for oil. - -We passed the village of Dergate, then that of Regticat, on the top of -a very high hill on the left, as the other was on our right. We pitched -our tent about half a mile off the village called Barranda, where we -were overtaken by our friend the Baharnagash, who was so well pleased -with our last interview, especially the bargain of the horse, that he -sent us three goats, two jars of honey-wine, and some wheat-flour. I -invited him to my tent, which he immediately accepted. He was attended -by two servants on foot, with lances and shields; he had no arms -himself, but, by way of amends, had two drums beating, and two trumpets -blowing before him, sounding a charge. - -He seemed to be a very simple, good-natured man, indeed, remarkably so; -a character rarely found in any degree of men in this country. He asked -me how I liked my horse? said, he hoped I did not intend to mount it -myself? I answered, God forbid; I kept him as a curiosity. He commended -my prudence very much, and gave me a long detail about what horses had -done, and would do, on occasions. Some of the people without, however, -shewed his servants my saddle, bridle, and stirrups, which they well -knew, from being neighbours to the Arabs of Sennaar, and praised me -as a better horseman by far than any one in that country; this they -told to the Baharnagash, who, nothing offended, laughed heartily at -the pretended ignorance I had shewn him, and shook me very kindly by -the hand, and told me he was really poor, or he would have taken no -money from me for the horse. He shewed so much good nature, and open -honest behaviour, that I gave him a present better than the first, and -which was more agreeable, as less expected. Razors, knives, steels for -striking fire, are the most valuable presents in this country, of the -hardware kind. - -The Baharnagash now was in such violent good spirits, that he would not -go home till he had seen a good part of his jar of hydromel finished; -and he little knew, at that time, he was in the tent with a man who -was to be his chief customer for horses hereafter. I saw him several -times after at court, and did him some services, both with the king and -Ras Michael. He had a quality which I then did not know: With all his -simplicity and buffoonery, no one was braver in his own person than he; -and, together with his youngest son, he died afterwards in the king’s -defence, fighting bravely at the battle of Serbraxos. - -At five o’clock this afternoon we had a violent shower of hailstones. -Nothing is more common than aggravation about the size of hail; but, -stooping to take up one I thought as large as a nutmeg, I received a -blow from another just under my eye, which I imagined had blinded me, -and which occasioned a swelling all the next day. - -I had gained the Baharnagash’s heart so entirely that it was not -possible to get away the next day. We were upon the very verge of his -small dominions, and he had ordered a quantity of wheat-flour to be -made for us, which he sent in the evening, with a kid. For my part, the -share I had taken yesterday of his hydromel had given me such a pain in -my head that I scarce could raise it the whole day. - -It was the 29th we left our station at Barranda, and had scarcely -advanced a mile when we were overtaken by a party of about twenty -armed men on horseback. The Shangalla, the ancient Cushites, are all -the way on our right hand, and frequently venture incursions into the -flat country that was before us. This was the last piece of attention -of the Baharnagash, who sent his party to guard us from danger in the -plain. It awakened us from our security; we examined carefully the -state of our fire-arms; cleaned and charged them anew, which we had not -done since the day we left Dixan. - -The first part of our journey to-day was in a deep gully; and, in half -an hour, we entered into a very pleasant wood of acacia-trees, then -in flower. In it likewise was a tree, in smell like a honeysuckle, -whose large white flower nearly resembles that of a caper. We came out -of this wood into the plain, and ascended two easy hills; upon the -top of these were two huge rocks, in the holes of which, and within a -large cave, a number of the blue fork-tailed swallows had begun their -nests. These, and probably many, if not all the birds of passage, breed -twice in the year, which seems a provision against the losses made by -emigration perfectly consonant to divine wisdom. These rocks are, by -some, said to be the boundaries of the command of the Baharnagash on -this side; though others extend them to the Balezat. - -We entered again a straggling wood, so overgrown with wild oats that -it covered the men and their horses. The plain here is very wide. It -reaches down on the west to Serawé, then distant about twelve miles. It -extends from Goumbubba as far south as Balezat. The soil is excellent; -but such flat countries are very rare in Abyssinia. This, which is one -of the finest and widest, is abandoned without culture, and is in a -state of waste. The reason of this is, an inveterate feud between the -villages here and those of Serawé, so that the whole inhabitants on -each side go armed to plow and to sow in one day; and it is very seldom -either of them complete their harvest without having a battle with -their enemies and neighbours. - -Before we entered this wood, and, indeed, on the preceding day, from -the time we left Hadawi, we had seen a very extraordinary bird at a -distance, resembling a wild turkey, which ran exceedingly fast, and -appeared in great flocks. It is called Erkoom[5], in Amhara; Abba -Gumba, in Tigrè; and, towards the frontiers of Sennaar, Tier el Naciba, -or, the Bird of Destiny. - -Our guides assembled us all in a body, and warned us that the river -before us was the place of the rendezvous of the Serawè horse, where -many caravans had been entirely cut off. The cavalry is the best on -this side of Abyssinia. They keep up the breed of their horses by their -vicinity to Sennaar whence they get supply. Nevertheless, they behaved -very ill at the battle of Limjour; and I cannot say I remember them to -have distinguished themselves any where else. They were on our right at -the battle of Serbraxos, and were beat by the horse of Foggora and the -Galla. - -After passing the wood, we came to the river, which was then standing -in pools. I here, for the first time, mounted on horseback, to the -great delight of my companions from Barranda, and also of our own, -none of whom had ever before seen a gun fired from a horse galloping, -excepting Yasine and his servant, now my groom, but neither of these -had ever seen a double-barrelled gun. We passed the plain with all the -diligence consistent with the speed and capacity of our long-eared -convoy; and, having now gained the hills, we bade defiance to the -Serawè horse, and sent our guard back perfectly content, and full of -wonder at our fire-arms, declaring that their master the Baharnagash, -had he seen the black horse behave that day, would have given me -another much better. - -We entered now into a close country covered with brushwood, wild oats, -and high bent-grass; in many places rocky and uneven, so as scarce -to leave a narrow part to pass. Just in the very entrance a lion had -killed a very fine animal called Agazan. It is of the goat kind; and, -excepting a small variety in colour, is precisely the same animal I had -seen in Barbary near Capsa. It might be about twelve stone weight, and -of the size of a large ass. (Whenever I mention a stone weight, I would -wish to be understood horseman’s weight, fourteen pound to the stone, -as most familiar to the generality of those who read these Travels.) -The animal was scarcely dead; the blood was running; and the noise of -my gun had probably frightened its conqueror away: every one with their -knives cut off a large portion of flesh; Moors and Christians did the -same; yet the Abyssinians aversion to any thing that is dead is such, -unless killed regularly by the knife, that none of them would lift any -bird that was shot, unless by the point or extreme feather of its wing. -Hunger was not the excuse, for they had been plentifully fed all this -journey; so that the distinction, in this particular case, is to be -found in the manners of the country. They say they may lawfully eat -what is killed by the lion, but not by the tiger, hyæna, or any other -beast. Where they learned this doctrine, I believe, would not be easy -to answer; but it is remarkable, even the Falasha themselves admit this -distinction in favour of the lions. - -At noon we crossed the river Balezat, which rises at Ade Shiho, a place -on the S. W. of the province of Tigrè; and, after no very long course, -having been once the boundary between Tigrè and Midré Bahar, (for so -the country of the Baharnagash was called) it falls into the Mareb, -or ancient Astusaspes. It was the first river, then actually running, -that we had seen since we passed Taranta; indeed, all the space is but -very indifferently watered. This stream is both clear and rapid, and -seems to be full of fish. We continued for some time along its banks, -the river on our left, and the mountains on our right, through a narrow -plain, till we came to Tomumbusso, a high pyramidal mountain, on the -top of which is a convent of monks, who do not, however, reside there, -but only come hither upon certain feasts, when they keep open house and -entertain all that visit them. The mountain itself is of porphyry. - -There we encamped by the river’s side, and were obliged to stay this -and the following day, for a duty, or custom, to be paid by all -passengers. These duties are called Awides, which signifies _gifts_; -though they are levied, for the most part, in a very rigorous and rude -manner; but they are established by usage in particular spots; and are, -in fact, a regality annexed to the estate. Such places are called Ber, -_passes_; which are often met with in the names of places throughout -Abyssinia, as Dingleber, Sankraber; and so forth. - -There are five of these Awides which, like turnpikes, are to be paid at -passing between Masuah and Adowa; one at Samhar, the second at Dixan, -the third at Darghat, the fourth here at Balezat, and the fifth at -Kella. The small village of Sebow was distant from us two miles to the -east; Zarow the same distance to the S. S. E. and Noguet, a village -before us, were the places of abode of these tax-gatherers, who farm -it for a sum from their superior, and divide the profit _pro rata_ of -the sums each has advanced. It is much of the same nature as the caphar -in the Levant, but levied in a much more indiscreet, arbitrary manner. -The farmer of this duty values as he thinks proper what each caravan -is to pay; there is no tariff, or restraint, upon him. Some have on -this account been detained months; and others, in time of trouble or -bad news, have been robbed of every thing: this is always the case upon -the least resistance; for then the villages around you rise in arms; -you are not only stript of your property, but sure to be ill-treated in -your person. - -As I was sent for by the king, and going to Ras Michael, in whose -province they were, I affected to laugh when they talked of detaining -me; and declared peremptorily to them, that I would leave all my -baggage to them with great pleasure, rather than that the king’s life -should be in danger by my stay. They were now staggered, and seemed -not prepared for an incident of this kind. As I kept up a high tone, -we were quit with being detained a day, by paying five pieces of -blue Surat cotton cloth, value 3/4 of a pataka each, and one piece -of white, value one pataka. Our companions, rather than stay behind, -made the best bargain they could; and we all decamped, and set forward -together. I was surprised to see, at the small village Zarow, several -families as black as perfect negroes, only they were not woolly-headed, -and had prominent features. I asked if they descended from slaves, -or sons of slaves? They said, No; their particular families of that -and the neighbouring village Sebow, were of that colour from time -immemorial; and that this did not change, though either the father or -mother were of another colour. - -On the 1st of December we departed from Balezat, and ascended a steep -mountain upon which stands the village Noguet, which we passed about -half an hour after. On the top of the hill were a few fields of teff. -Harvest was then ended, and they were treading out the teff with oxen. -Having passed another very rugged mountain, we descended and encamped -by the side of a small river, called Mai Kol-quall, from a number of -these trees growing about it. This place is named the Kella, or Castle, -because, nearly at equal distances, the mountains on each side run for -a considerable extent, straight and even, in shape like a wall; with -gapes at certain distances, resembling embrasures and bastions. This -rock is otherwise called Damo, anciently the prison of the collateral -heirs-male of the royal family. - -The river Kol-quall rises in the mountains of Tigrè, and, after a -course nearly N. W. falls into the Mareb. It was at Kella we saw, -for the first time, the roofs of the houses made in form of cones; a -sure proof that the tropical rains grow more violent as they proceed -westward. - -About half a mile on the hill above is the village Kaibara, wholly -inhabited by Mahometan Gibbertis; that is, native Abyssinians of that -religion. Kella being one of these bers, or passages, we were detained -there three whole days, by the extravagant demands of these farmers of -the Awide, who laughed at all the importance we gave ourselves. They -had reasons for our reasons, menaces for our menaces, but no civilities -to answer ours. What increased the awkwardness of our situation was, -they would take no money for provisions, but only merchandise by way of -barter. We were, indeed, prepared for this by information; so we began -to open shop by spreading a cloth upon the ground, at the sight of -which, hundreds of young women poured down upon us on every side from -villages behind the mountains which we could not see. The country is -surprisingly populous, notwithstanding the great emigration lately made -with Michael. Beads and antimony are the standard in this way-faring -commerce; but beads are a dangerous speculation. You lose sometimes -every thing, or gain more than honestly you should do; for all depends -upon fashion; and the fancies of a brown, or black beauty, there, gives -the _ton_ as decisively as does the example of the fairest in England. - -To our great disappointment, the person employed to buy our beads at -Jidda had not received the last list of fashions from this country; so -he had bought us a quantity beautifully flowered with red and green, -and as big as a large pea; also some large oval, green, and yellow -ones; whereas the _ton_ now among the beauties of Tigré were small -sky-coloured blue beads, about the size of small lead shot, or seed -pearls; blue bugles, and common white bugles, were then in demand, and -large yellow glass, flat in the side like the amber-beads formerly -used by the better sort of the old women-peasants in England. All -our beads were then rejected, by six or seven dozen of the shrillest -tongues I ever heard. They decried our merchandize in such a manner, -that I thought they meant to condemn them as unsaleable, to be -confiscated or destroyed. - -Let every man, travelling in such countries as these, remember, that -there is no person, however mean, who is in his company, that does not -merit attention, kindness, and complacency. Let no man in travelling -exalt himself above the lowest, in a greater degree than he is able to -do superior service; for many that have thought themselves safe, and -been inattentive to this, have perished by the unsuspected machinations -of the lowest and meanest wretch among them. Few have either made -such long or such frequent journies of this kind as I, and I scarcely -recollect any person so insignificant that, before the end of a -moderate journey, had not it in his power to return you like for like -for your charity or unkindness, be the difference of your quality and -condition what it would. - -Of all the men in our company, none had any stock of the true small -sky-blue beads, and no one had one grain of the large yellow-glass -ones, but the poor Moor, whose ass was bit by the hyæna near Lila, -and whose cargo, likely to be left behind at the foot of Taranta, -I had distributed among the rest of the asses of the caravan; and, -leaving the wounded one for the price he would fetch, had next day -bought him another at Halai, with which, since that time, he continued -his journey. That fellow had felt the obligation in silence; and not -one word, but Good-day, and Good-e’en, had passed between us since -conferring the favour. Understanding now what was the matter, he called -Yasine, and gave him a large package, which he imprudently opened, in -which was a treasure of all the beads in fashion, all but the white and -blue bugles, and these Yasine himself furnished us with afterwards. - -A great shout was set up by the women-purchasers, and a violent -scramble followed. Twenty or thirty threw themselves upon the parcel, -tearing and breaking all the strings as if they intended to plunder -us. This joke did not seem to be relished by the servants. Their -hard-heartedness before, in professing they would let us starve rather -than give us a handful of flour for all our unfashionable beads, had -quite extinguished the regard we else would have unavoidably shewn to -the fair sex. A dozen of whips and sticks were laid unmercifully upon -their hands and arms, till each dropped her booty. The Abyssinian men -that came with them seemed to be perfectly unconcerned at the fray, -and stood laughing without the least sign of wishing to interfere in -favour of either side. I believe the restitution would not have been -complete, had not Yasine, who knew the country well, fired one of the -ship-blunderbusses into the air behind their backs. At hearing so -unexpectedly this dreadful noise, both men and women fell flat on their -faces; the women were immediately dragged off the cloth, and I do not -believe there was strength left in any hand to grasp or carry away a -single bead. My men immediately wrapped the whole in the cloth, so for -a time our market ended. - -For my part, at the first appearance of the combat I had withdrawn -myself, and sat a quiet spectator under a tree. Some of the women were -really so disordered with the fright, that they made but very feeble -efforts in the market afterwards. The rest beseeched me to transfer the -market to the carpet I sat on under the tree. This I consented to; but, -growing wise by misfortune, my servants now produced small quantities -of every thing, and not without a very sharp contest and dispute, -somewhat superior in noise to that of our fish-women. We were, however, -plentifully supplied with honey, butter, flour, and pumpkins of an -exceeding good taste, scarcely inferior to melons. - -Our caravan being fully victualled the first and second day, our market -was not opened but by private adventurers, and seemingly savoured more -of gallantry than gain. There were three of them the most distinguished -for beauty and for tongue, who, by their discourse, had entertained me -greatly. I made each of them a present of a few beads, and asked them -how many kisses they would give for each? They answered very readily, -with one accord, “Poh! we don’t sell kisses in this country: Who would -buy them? We will give you as many as you wish for nothing.” And there -was no appearance but, in that bargain, they meant to be very fair and -liberal dealers. - -The men seemed to have no talent for marketing; nor do they in this -country either buy or sell. But we were surprised to see the beaux -among them come down to the tent, the second day after our arrival, -with each of them a single string of thin, white bugles tied about -their dirty, black legs, a little above their ancle; and of this they -seemed as proud as if the ornament had been gold or jewels. - -I easily saw that so much poverty, joined to so much avarice and -pride, made the possessor a proper subject to be employed. My young -favourite, who had made so frank an offer of her kindness, had brought -me her brother, begging that I would take him with me to Gondar to -Ras Michael, and allow him to carry one of my guns, no doubt with an -intention to run off with it by the way. I told her that was a thing -easily done; but I must first have a trial of his fidelity, which was -this, That he would, without speaking to anybody but me and her, go -straight to Janni at Adowa, and carry the letter I should give him, -and deliver it into his own hand, in which case I would give him a -large parcel of each of these beads, more than ever she thought to -possess in her lifetime. She frankly agreed, that my word was more to -be relied upon than either her own or her brother’s; and, therefore, -that the beads, once shewn to them both, were to remain a deposit in -my hand. However, not to send him away wholly destitute of the power -of charming, I presented him the single string of white bugles for -his ancle. Janni’s Greek servant gave him a letter, and he made such -diligence that, on the fourth day, by eight o’clock in the morning, he -came to my tent without ever having been missed at home. - -At the same time came an officer from Janni, with a violent mandate, -in the name of Ras Michael, declaring to the person that was the -cause of our detention, That, was it not for ancient friendship, the -present messenger should have carried him to Ras Michael in irons; -discharging me from all awides; ordering him, as Shum of the place, -to furnish me with provisions; and, in regard to the time he had -caused us to lose, fixing the awides of the whole caravan at eight -piasters, not the twentieth part of what he would have exacted. One -reason of this severity was, that, while I was in Masuah, Janni had -entertained this man at his own house; and, knowing the usual vexations -the caravans met with at Kella, and the long time they were detained -there at considerable expence, had obtained a promise from the Shum, -in consideration of favours done him, that he should let us pass -freely, and, not only so, but should shew us some little civility. This -promise, now broken, was one of the articles of delinquency for which -he was punished. - -Cohol, large needles, goats skins, coarse scissars, razors, and steels -for striking fire, are the articles of barter at Kella. An ordinary -goat’s skin is worth a quart of wheat-flour. As we expected an order -of deliverance, all was ready upon its arrival. The Moors with their -asses, grateful for the benefit received, began to bless the moment -they joined us; hoping, in my consideration, upon our arrival at the -customhouse of Adowa, they might meet with further favour. - -Yasine, in the four days we had staid at Kella, had told me his whole -history. It seems he had been settled in a province of Abyssinia, -near to Sennaar, called Ras el Feel; had married Abd el Jilleel, the -Shekh’s daughter; but, growing more popular than his father-in-law, -he had been persecuted by him, and obliged to leave the country. He -began now to form hopes, that, if I was well received, as he saw, in -all appearance, I was to be, he might, by my interest, be appointed -to his father-in-law’s place; especially if there was war, as every -thing seemed to indicate. Abd el Jilleel was a coward, and incapable -of making himself of personal valued to any party. On the contrary, -Yasine was a tried man, an excellent horseman, strong, active, and -of known courage, having been twice with the late king Yasous in -his invasions of Sennaar, and both times much wounded there. It was -impossible to dispute his title to preferment; but I had not formed -that idea of my own success that I should be able to be of any use or -assistance to him in it. Kella is in lat. 14° 24´ 34´´ North. - -It was in the afternoon of the 4th that we set out from Kella; our -road was between two hills covered with thick wood. On our right was a -cliff, or high rock of granite, on the top of which were a few houses -that seemed to hang over the cliff rather than stand upon it. A few -minutes after three o’ clock we passed a rivulet, and a quarter of -an hour afterwards another, both which run into the Mareb. We still -continued to descend, surrounded on all sides with mountains covered -with high grass and brushwood, and abounding with lions. At four, we -arrived at the foot of the mountain, and passed a small stream which -runs there. - -We had seen no villages after leaving Kella. At half past four o’clock -we came to a considerable river called Angueah, which we crossed, and -pitched our tent on the farther side of it. It was about fifty feet -broad and three in depth. It was perfectly clear, and ran rapidly over -a bed of white pebbles, and was the largest river we had yet seen in -Habesh. In summer there is very little plain ground near it but what is -occupied by the stream; it is full of small fish, in great repute for -their goodness. - -This river has its name from a beautiful tree, which covers both its -banks. This tree, by the colour of its bark and richness of its flower, -is a great ornament to the banks of the river. A variety of other -flowers fill the whole level plain between the mountain and the river, -and even some way up the mountains. In particular, great variety of -jessamin, white, yellow, and party-coloured. The country seemed now to -put on a more favourable aspect; the air was much fresher, and more -pleasant, every step we advanced after leaving Dixan; and one cause was -very evident; the country where we now passed was well-watered with -clear running streams; whereas, nearer Dixan, there were few, and all -stagnant. - -The 5th, we descended a small mountain for about twenty minutes, and -passed the following villages, Zabangella, about a mile N. W.; at a -quarter of an hour after, Moloxito, half a mile further S. E.; and -Mansuetemen, three quarters of a mile E. S. E. These villages are all -the property of the Abuna; who has also a duty upon all merchandise -passing there; but Ras Michael had confiscated these last villages on -account of a quarrel he had with the last Abuna, _Af-Yagoube_. - -We now began first to see the high mountains of Adowa, nothing -resembling in shape to those of Europe, nor, indeed, any other country. -Their sides were all perpendicular rocks, high like steeples, or -obelisks, and broken into a thousand different forms. - -At half past eight o’clock we left the deep valley, wherein runs the -Mareb W. N. W.; at the distance of about nine miles above it is the -mountain, or high hill, on which stands Zarai, now a collection of -villages, formerly two convents built by Lalibala; though the monks -tell you a story of the queen of Saba residing there, which the reader -may be perfectly satisfied she never did in her life. - -The Mareb is the boundary between Tigré and the Baharnagash, on this -side. It runs over a bed of soil; is large, deep, and smooth; but, upon -rain falling, it is more dangerous to pass than any river in Abyssinia, -on account of the frequent holes in its bottom. We then entered the -narrow plain of Yeeha, wherein runs the small river, which either gives -its name to, or takes it from it. The Yeeha rises from many sources in -the mountains to the west; it is neither considerable for size nor its -course, and is swallowed up in the Mareb. - -The harvest was in great forwardness in this place. The wheat was -cut, and a considerable share of the teff in another part; they were -treading out this last-mentioned grain with oxen. The Dora, and a small -grain called telba, (of which they make oil) was not ripe. - -At eleven o’clock we rested by the side of the mountain whence the -river falls. All the villages that had been built here bore the marks -of the justice of the governor of Tigré. They had been long the most -incorrigible banditti in the province. He surrounded them in one night, -burnt their houses, and extirpated the inhabitants; and would never -suffer any one since to settle there. At three o’clock in the afternoon -we ascended what remained of the mountain of Yeeha; came to the plain -upon its top; and, at a quarter before four, passed the village of -that name, leaving it to the S. E. and began the most rugged and -dangerous descent we had met with since Taranta. - -At half past five in the evening we pitched our tent at the foot of the -hill, close by a small, but rapid and clear stream, which is called -Ribieraini. This name was given it by the banditti of the villages -before mentioned, because from this you see two roads; one leading from -Gondar, that is, from the westward; the other from the Red Sea to the -eastward. One of the gang that used to be upon the out-look from this -station, as soon as any caravan came in sight, cried out, Ribieraini, -which in Tigrè signifies _they are coming this way_; upon which notice -every one took his lance and shield, and stationed himself properly -to fall with advantage upon the unwary merchant; and it was a current -report, which his present greatness could not stifle, that, in his -younger days, Ras Michael himself frequently was on these expeditions -at this place. On our right was the high, steep, and rugged mountain -of Samayat, which the same Michael, being in rebellion, chose for his -place of strength, and was there besieged and taken prisoner by the -late king Yasous. - -The rivulet of Ribieraini is the source of the fertility of the country -adjoining, as it is made to overflow every part of this plain, and -furnishes a perpetual store of grass, which is the reason of the -caravans chusing to stop here. Two or three harvests are also obtained -by means of this river; for, provided, there is water, they sow in -Abyssinia in all seasons. We perceived that we were now approaching -some considerable town, by the great care with which every small piece -of ground, and even the steep sides of the mountains, were cultivated, -though they had ever so little soil. - -On Wednesday the 6th of December, at eight o’clock in the morning, we -set out from Ribieraini; and in about three hours travelling on a very -pleasant road, over easy hills and through hedge-rows of jessamin, -honey-suckle, and many kinds of flowering shrubs we arrived at Adowa, -where once resided Michael Suhul, governor of Tigrè. It was this day we -saw, for the first time, the small, long-tailed green paroquet, from -the hill of Shillodee, where, as I have already mentioned, we first -came in sight of the mountains of Adowa. - - - - -CHAP. V. - -_Arrive at Adowa--Reception there--Visit Fremona and Ruins of -Axum--Arrive at Siré._ - - -Adowa is situated on the declivity of a hill, on the west side of a -small plain surrounded everywhere by mountains. Its situation accounts -for its name, which signifies _pass_, or _passage_, being placed on the -flat ground immediately below Ribieraini; the pass through which every -body must go in their way from Gondar to the Red Sea. - -This plain is watered by three rivulets which are never dry in the -midst of summer; the Assa, which we cross just below the town when -coming from the eastward; the Mai Gogua, which runs below the hill -whereon stands the village of the same name formerly, though now it -is called Fremona, from the monastery of the Jesuits built there; -and the Ribieraini, which, joining with the other two, falls into -the river Mareb, about 22 miles below Adowa. There are fish in -these three streams, but none of them remarkable for their size, -quantity, or goodness. The best are those of Mai Gogua, a clear and -pleasant rivulet, running very violently and with great noise. This -circumstance, and ignorance of the language, has misled the reverend -father Jerome, who says, that the water of Mai Gogua is called so -from the noise that it makes, which, in common language, is called -_guggling_. This is a mistake, for Mai Gogua signifies _the river of -owls_. - -There are many agreeable spots to the south-east of the convent, on the -banks of this river, which are thick-shaded with wood and bushes. Adowa -consists of about 300 houses, and occupies a much larger space than -would be thought necessary for these to stand on, by reason that each -house has an inclosure round it of hedges and trees; the last chiefly -the wanzey. The number of these trees so planted in all the towns, -screen them so, that, at a distance, they appear so many woods. Adowa -was not formerly the capital of Tigré, but has accidentally become -so upon the accession of this governor, whose property, or paternal -estate, lay in and about it. His mansion-house is not distinguished -from any of the others in the town unless by its size; it is situated -upon the top of the hill. The person who is Michael’s deputy, in his -absence, lives in it. It resembles a prison rather than a palace; for -there are in and about it above three hundred persons in irons, some -of whom have been there for twenty years, mostly with a view to extort -money from them; and, what is the most unhappy, even when they have -paid the sum of money which he asks, do not get their deliverance from -his merciless hands; most of them are kept in cages like wild beasts, -and treated every way in the same manner. - -But what deservedly interested us most was, the appearance of our kind -and hospitable landlord, Janni. He had sent servants to conduct us -from the passage of the river, and met us himself at the outer-door of -his house. I do not remember to have seen a more respectable figure. -He had his own short white hair, covered with a thin muslin turban, a -thick well-shaped beard, as white as snow, down to his waist. He was -clothed in the Abyssinian dress, all of white cotton, only he had a -red silk sash, embroidered with gold, about his waist, and sandals -on his feet; his upper garment reached down to his ancles. He had a -number of servants and slaves about him of both sexes; and, when I -approached him, seemed disposed to receive me with marks of humility -and inferiority, which mortified me much, considering the obligations -I was under to him, the trouble I had given, and was unavoidably still -to give him. I embraced him with great acknowledgments of kindness and -gratitude, calling him father; a title I always used in speaking either -to him or of him afterwards, when I was in higher fortune, which he -constantly remembered with great pleasure. - -He conducted us through a court yard planted with jessamin, to a -very neat, and, at the same, time, large room, furnished with a silk -sofa; the floor was covered with Persian carpets and cushions. All -round, flowers and green leaves were strewed upon the outer yard; -and the windows and sides of the room stuck full of evergreens, in -commemoration of the Christmas festival that was at hand. I stopt at -the entrance of this room; my feet were both dirty and bloody; and -it is not good-breeding to show or speak of your feet in Abyssinia, -especially if any thing ails them, and, at all times, they are -covered. He immediately perceived the wounds that were upon mine. Both -our cloaths and flesh were torn to pieces at Taranta, and several other -places; but he thought we had come on mules furnished us by the Naybe. -For the young man I had sent to him from Kella, following the genius -of his countrymen, tho’ telling truth was just as profitable to him as -lying, had chosen the latter, and seeing the horse I had got from the -Baharnagash, had figured in his own imagination, a multitude of others, -and told Janni that there were with me horses, asses, and mules in -great plenty; so that when Janni saw us passing the water, he took me -for a servant, and expected, for several minutes, to see the splendid -company arrive, well mounted upon horses and mules caparisoned. - -He was so shocked at my saying that I performed this terrible journey -on foot, that he burst into tears, uttering a thousand reproaches -against the Naybe for his hard heartedness and ingratitude, as he had -twice, as he said, hindered Michael from going in person and sweeping -the Naybe from the face of the earth. Water was immediately procured to -wash our feet. And here began another contention, Janni insisted upon -doing this himself; which made me run out into the yard, and declare -I would not suffer it. After this, the like dispute took place among -the servants. It was always a ceremony in Abyssinia, to wash the feet -of those that come from Cairo, and who are understood to have been -pilgrims at Jerusalem. - -This was no sooner finished, than a great dinner was brought, -exceedingly well dressed. But no consideration or intreaty could -prevail upon my kind landlord to sit down and partake with me. He -would stand, all the time, with a clean towel in his hand, though -he had plenty of servants; and afterwards dined with some visitors, -who had come out of curiosity, to see a man arrived from so far. -Among these was a number of priests; apart of the company which I -liked least, but who did not shew any hostile appearance. It was long -before I cured my kind landlord of these respectful observances, which -troubled me very much; nor could he wholly ever get rid of them, his -own kindness and good heart, as well as the pointed and particular -orders of the Greek patriarch, Mark, constantly suggesting the same -attention. - -In the afternoon, I had a visit from the governor, a very graceful man, -of about sixty years of age, tall and well favoured. He had just then -returned from an expedition to the Tacazzè, against some villages of -Ayto Tesfos[6], which he had destroyed, slain 120 men, and driven off -a number of cattle. He had with him about sixty musquets, to which, -I understood, he had owed his advantage. These villages were about -Tubalaque, just as you ascend the farther bank of the Tacazzé. He said -he doubted much if we should be allowed to pass through Woggora, unless -some favourable news came from Michael; for Tesfos of Samen, who kept -his government after Joas’s death, and refused to acknowledge Michael, -or to submit to the king, in conjunction with the people of Woggora, -acted now the part of robbers, plundering all sorts of people, that -carried either provisions, or any thing else, to Gondar, in order to -distress the king and Michael’s Tigré soldiers, who were then there. - -The church of Mariam is on the hill S. S. W. of the town, and east -of Adowa; on the other side of the river, is the other church, -called Kedus Michael. About nine miles north, a little inclined to -the east, is Bet Abba Garima, one of the most celebrated monasteries -in Abyssinia. It was once a residence of one of their kings; and -it is supposed that, from this circumstance ill understood, former -travellers[7], have said the metropolis of Abyssinia was called Germè. - -Adowa is the seat of a very valuable manufacture of coarse cotton -cloth, which circulates all over Abyssinia instead of silver money; -each web is sixteen peek long of 1¾ width, their value a pataka; that -is, ten for the ounce of gold. The houses of Adowa are all of rough -stone, cemented with mud instead of morter. That of lime is not used -but at Gondar, where it is very bad. The roofs are in the form of -cones, and thatched with a reedy sort of grass, something thicker than -wheat straw. The Falasha, or Jews, enjoy this profession of thatching -exclusively; they begin at the bottom, and finish at the top. - -Excepting a few spots taken notice of as we came along from Ribieraini -to Adowa, this was the only part of Tigrè where there was soil -sufficient to yield corn; the whole of the province besides is one -entire rock. There are no timber trees in this part of Tigrè unless a -daroo or two in the valleys, and wanzeys in towns about the houses. - -At Adowa, and all the neighbourhood, they have three harvests annually. -Their first seed time is in July and August; it is the principal one -for wheat, which they then sow in the middle of the rains. In the same -season they sow tocusso, teff, and barley. From the 20th of November -they reap first their barley, then their wheat, and last of all their -teff. In room of these they sow immediately upon the same ground, -without any manure, barley, which they reap in February; and then often -sow teff, but more frequently a kind of veitch, or pea, called Shimbra; -these are cut down before the first rains, which are in April. With all -these advantages of triple harvests, which cost no fallowing, weeding, -manure, or other expensive processes, the farmer in Abyssinia is always -poor and miserable. - -In Tigré it is a good harvest that produces nine after one, it scarcely -ever is known to produce ten; or more than three after one, for peas. -The land, as in Egypt, is set to the highest bidder yearly; and like -Egypt it receives an additional value, depending on the quantity of -rain that falls and its situation more or less favourable for leading -water to it. The landlord furnishes the seed under condition to receive -half the produce; but I am told he is a very indulgent master that does -not take another quarter for the risk he has run; so that the quantity -that comes to the share of the husbandman is not more than sufficient -to afford sustenance for his wretched family. - -The soil is white clay, mixed with sand, and has as good appearance as -any I have seen. I apprehend a deficiency of the crop is not from the -barrenness of the soil, but from the immense quantity of field-rats and -mice that over-run the whole country, and live in the fissures of the -earth. To kill these, they set fire to their straw, the only use they -make of it. - -The cattle roam at discretion through the mountains. The herdsmen -set fire to the grass, bent, and brushwood, before the rains, and an -amazing verdure immediately follows. As the mountains are very steep -and broken, goats are chiefly the flocks that graze upon them. - -The province of Tigré is all mountainous; and it has been said, without -any foundation in truth, that the Pyrenees, Alps, and Apennines, are -but mole-hills compared to them. I believe, however, that one of the -Pyrenees above St John Pied de Port, is much higher than Lamalmon; -and that the mountain of St Bernard, one of the Alps, is full as high -as Taranta, or rather higher. It is not the extreme height of the -mountains in Abyssinia that occasions surprise, but the number of -them, and the extraordinary forms they present to the eye. Some of -them are flat, thin, and square, in shape of a hearth-stone, or slab, -that scarce would seem to have base sufficient to resist the action of -the winds. Some are like pyramids, others like obelisks or prisms, and -some, the most extraordinary of all the rest, pyramids pitched upon -their points, with their base uppermost, which, if it was possible, as -it is not, they could have been so formed in the beginning, would be -strong objections to our received ideas of gravity. - -They tan hides to great perfection in Tigré, but for one purpose only. -They take off the hair with the juice of two plants, a species of -solanum, and the juice of the kol-quall; both these are produced in -abundance in the province. They are great novices, however, in dyeing; -the plant called Suf produces the only colour they have, which is -yellow. In order to obtain a blue, to weave as a border to their cotton -clothes, they unravel the blue threads of the Marowt, or blue cloth of -Surat, and then weave them again with the thread which they have dyed -with the suf. - -It was on the 10th of January 1770 I visited the remains of the -Jesuits convent of Fremona. It is built upon the even ridge of a -very high hill, in the middle of a large plain, on the opposite side -of which stands Adowa. It rises from the east to the west, and ends -in a precipice on the east; it is also very steep to the north, and -slopes gently down to the plain on the south. The convent is about -a mile in circumference, built substantially with stones, which are -cemented with lime-morter. It has towers in the flanks and angles; and, -notwithstanding the ill-usage it has suffered, the walls remain still -entire to the height of twenty-five feet. It is divided into three, -by cross walls of equal height. The first division seems to have been -destined for the convent, the middle for the church, and the third -division is separated from this by a wall, and stands upon a precipice. -It seems to me as if it was designed for a place of arms. All the walls -have holes for muskets, and, even now, it is by far the most defensible -place in Abyssinia. It resembles an ancient castle much more than a -convent. - -I can scarce conceive the reason why these reverend fathers -misrepresent and misplace this intended capital of Catholic Abyssinia. -Jerome Lobo calls this convent a collection of miserable villages. -Others place it fifty miles, when it is but two, from Adowa to the -north-east. Others say it is only five miles from the Red Sea, while it -is an hundred. It is very extraordinary, that these errors should occur -in the situation of a place built by their own hands, and where their -body long had its residence; and, what makes it more extraordinary -still, it was the domicil which they first occupied, and quitted last. - -The kindness, hospitality, and fatherly care of Janni never ceased a -moment. He had already represented me in the most favourable light to -the Iteghè, or queen-mother, (whose servant he had long been) to her -daughter Ozoro Esther, and Ozoro Altash; and, above all, to Michael, -with whom his influence was very great; and, indeed, to every body -he had any weight with; his own countrymen, Greeks, Abyssinians, and -Mahometans; and, as we found afterwards, he had raised their curiosity -to a great pitch. - -A kind of calm had spread itself universally over the country, without -apparent reason, as it has been in general observed to do immediately -before a storm. The minds of men had been wearied rather than amused, -by a constant series of new things, none of which had been foreseen, -and which generally ended in a manner little expected. Tired of -guessing, all parties seemed to agree to give it over, till the success -of the campaign should afford them surer grounds to go upon. Nobody -loved Michael, but nobody neglected their own safety so much as to do -or say any thing against him, till he either should lose or establish -his good fortune, by the gain or loss of a battle with Fasil. - -This calm I resolved to take advantage of, and to set out immediately -for Gondar. But the 17th of January was now at hand, on which the -Abyssinians celebrate the feast of the Epiphany with extraordinary -rejoicings, and as extraordinary ceremonies, if we believe what their -enemies have said about their yearly repetition of baptism. This I -was resolved to verify with my own eyes; and as Alvarez, chaplain to -the embassy from Don Emanuel, king of Portugal, to king David III. -says he was likewise present at it, the public will judge between two -eye-witnesses which is likeliest to be true, when I come to give an -account of the religious rites of this people. Adowa is in lat. 14° 7´ -57´´ north. - -On the 17th, we set out from Adowa, resuming our journey to Gondar; -and, after passing two small villages Adega Net, and Adega Daid, the -first about half a mile on our left, the second about three miles -distant on our right, we decamped at sun set near a place called Bet -Hannes, in a narrow valley, at the foot of two hills, by the side of a -small stream. - -On the 8th, in the morning, we ascended one of these hills, through a -very rough stony road, and again came into the plain, wherein stood -Axum, once the capital of Abyssinia, at least as it is supposed. For -my part, I believe it to have been the magnificent metropolis of the -trading people, or Troglodyte Ethiopians called properly Cushites, for -the reason I have already given, as the Abyssinians never built any -city, nor do the ruins of any exist at this day in the whole country. -But the black, or Troglodyte part of it, called in the language of -scripture Cush, in many places have buildings of great strength, -magnitude, and expence, especially at Azab, worthy the magnificence and -riches of a state, which was from the first ages the emporium of the -Indian and African trade, whose sovereign, though a Pagan, was thought -an example of reproof to the nations, and chosen as an instrument to -contribute materially to the building of the first temple which man -erected to the true God. - -The ruins of Axum are very extensive; but, like the cities of ancient -times, consist altogether of public buildings. In one square, which -I apprehend to have been the center of the town, there are forty -obelisks, none of which have any hieroglyphics upon them[8]. There is -one larger than the rest still standing, but there are two still larger -than this fallen. They are all of one piece of granite; and on the top -of that which is standing there is a patera exceedingly well carved -in the Greek taste. Below, there is the door-bolt and lock, which -Poncet speaks of, carved on the obelisk, as if to represent an entrance -through it to some building behind. The lock and bolt are precisely the -same as those used at this day in Egypt and Palestine, but were never -seen, as far as I know, in Ethiopia, or at any time in use there. - -I apprehend this obelisk, and the two larger that are fallen, to be -the works of Ptolemy Evergetes. There is a great deal of carving upon -the face of the obelisk in a Gothic taste, something like metopes, -triglyphs, and guttæ, disposed rudely, and without order, but there are -no characters or figures. The face of this pyramid looks due south; -has been placed with great exactness, and preserves its perpendicular -position till this day. As this obelisk has been otherwise described as -to its ornaments, I have given a geometrical elevation of it servilely -copied, without shading or perspective, that all kind of readers may -understand it. - -After passing the convent of Abba Pantaleon, called in Abyssinia, -Mantilles, and the small obelisk situated on a rock above, we proceed -south by a road cut in a mountain of red marble, having on the left a -parapet-wall about five feet high, solid, and of the same materials. -At equal distances there are hewn in this wall solid pedestals, upon -the tops of which we see the marks where stood the Colossal statues of -Syrius the Latrator Anubis, or Dog Star. One hundred and thirty-three -of these pedestals, with the marks of the statues I just mentioned, -are still in their places; but only two figures of the dog remained -when I was there, much mutilated, but of a taste easily distinguished -to be Egyptian. These are composed of granite, but some of them appear -to have been of metal. Axum, being the capital of Siris, or Sirè, from -this we easily see what connection this capital of the province had -with the dog-star, and consequently the absurdity of supposing that -the river derived its name from a Hebrew word[9], signifying _black_. - -[Illustration: _Obelisk at Axum._ - -_London Publish’d Dec^r. 1^{st}. 1789. by G. Robinson & Co._] - -There are likewise pedestals, whereon the figures pf the Sphinx have -been placed. Two magnificent flights of steps, several hundred feet -long, all of granite, exceedingly well-fashioned, and still in their -places, are the only remains of a magnificent temple. In the angle of -this platform where that temple stood, is the present small church of -Axum, in the place of a former one destroyed by Mahomet Gragné, in the -reign of king David III.; and which was probably remains of a temple -built by Ptolemy Evergetes, if not the work of times more remote. - -The church is a mean, small building, very ill kept, and full of -pigeons dung. In it are supposed to be preserved the ark of the -covenant, and copy of the law which Menilek son of Solomon is said, in -their fabulous legends, to have stolen from his father Solomon in his -return to Ethiopia, and these were reckoned as it were the palladia of -this country. Some ancient copy of the Old Testament, I do believe, was -deposited here, probably that from which the first version was made. -But whatever this might be, it was destroyed, with the church itself, -by Mahomet Gragnè, though pretended falsely to subsist there still. -This I had from the king himself. - -There was another relique of great importance that happened to escape -from being burnt, by having, in time, been transferred to a church in -one of the islands in the lake Tzana, called Selé Quarat Rasou. It is -a picture of Christ’s head crowned with thorns, said to be painted by -St Luke, which, upon occasions of the utmost importance, is brought -out and carried with the army, especially in a war with Mahometans -and Pagans. We have just seen, it was taken, upon Yasous’s defeat -at Sennaar, and restored afterwards upon an embassy sent thither on -purpose, no doubt, for a valuable consideration. - -Within the outer gate of the church, below the steps, are three small -square inclosures, all of granite, with small octagon pillars in the -angles, apparently Egyptian; on the top of which formerly were small -images of the dog-star, probably of metal. Upon a stone, in the middle -of one of these, the king sits, and is crowned, and always has been -since the days of Paganism; and below it, where he naturally places his -feet, is a large oblong slab like a hearth, which is not of granite, -but of free stone. The inscription, though much defaced, may safely be -restored. - - ΠΤΟΛΕΜΑΙΟΥ ΕΥΕΡΓΕΤΟΥ - ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ - -Poncet has mistaken this last word for Basilius; but he did not pretend -to be a scholar, and was ignorant of the history of this country. - -Axum is watered by a small stream, which flows all the year from a -fountain in the narrow valley, where stand the rows of obelisks. The -spring is received into a magnificent bason of 150 feet square, and -thence it is carried, at pleasure, to water the neighbouring gardens, -where there is little fruit, excepting pomegranates, neither are these -very excellent. - -The present town of Axum stands at the foot of the hill, and may have -about six hundred houses. There are several manufactures of coarse -cotton cloth; and here too the best parchment is made of goats skins, -which is the ordinary employment of the monks. Every thing seemed later -at Axum, and near it, than at Adowa; the teff was standing yet green. - -On the 19th of January, by a meridian altitude of the sun, and a mean -of several altitudes of stars by night, I found the latitude of Axum to -be 14° 6´ 36´´ north. - -The reader will have observed, that I have taken great pains in -correcting the geography of this country, and illustrating the accounts -given us by travellers, as well ancient as modern, and reconciling them -to each other. There are, however, in a very late publication, what I -must suppose to be errors, at least they are absolutely unintelligible -to me, whether they are to be placed to the account of Jerome Lobo, -the original, or to Dr Johnson the translator, or to the bookseller, -is what I am not able to say. But as the book itself is ushered in by -a very warm and particular recommendation of so celebrated an author -as Dr Johnson, and as I have in the course of this work spoke very -contemptibly of that Jesuit, I must, in my own vindication, make some -observations upon the geography of this book, which, introduced into -the world by such authority, might else bring the little we know of -this part of Africa into confusion, from which its maps are as yet very -far from being cleared. - -Caxume[10] is said to mean Axum, to be a city in Africa, capital of -the kingdom of Tigrè Mahon in Abyssinia. Now, long ago, Mr Ludolf had -shewn, from the testimony of Gregory the Abyssinian, that there was no -such place in Abyssinia as Tigrè Mahon. That there was, indeed, a large -province called Tigrè, of which Axum was the capital; and Le Grande, -the first publisher of Jerome Lobo, has repeatedly said the same. And -Ludolf has given a very probable conjecture, that the first Portuguese, -ignorant of the Abyssinian language, heard the officer commanding that -province called Tigrè Mocuonen, which is governor of Tigré, and had -mistaken the name of his office for that of his province. Be that as it -will, the reader may rest assured there is no such kingdom, province, -or town in all Abyssinia. - -There still remains, however, a difficulty much greater than this, and -an error much more difficult to be corrected. Lobo is said to have -sailed from the peninsula of India, and, being bound for Zeyla, to have -embarked in a vessel going to Caxume, or Axum, capital of Tigrè, and -to have arrived there safely,and been well accommodated. Now Zeyla, -he says, is a city in the kingdom of Adel, at the mouth of the Red -Sea[11]; and Axum, being two hundred miles inland, in the middle of -the kingdom of Tigrè, a ship going to Axum must have passed Zeyla 300 -miles, or been 300 miles to the westward of it. Zeyla is not a city, -as is said, but an island. It is not in the kingdom of Adel, but in -the bay of Tajoura, opposite to a kingdom of that name; but the island -itself belongs to the Imam of Sana, sovereign of Arabia Felix; so that -it is inexplicable, how a ship going to Zeyla should choose to land 300 -miles beyond it; and still more so, how, being once arrived at Axum, -they should seek a ship to carry them back again to Zeyla, 300 miles -eastward, when they were then going to Gondar, not much above a hundred -miles west of Axum. This seems to me absolutely impossible to explain. - -Still, however, another difficulty remains; Tigré is said, by the -Jesuits, and by M. Le Grande their historian, to be full of mountains, -so high that the Alps and Apennines were very inconsiderable in -comparison. And suppose it was otherwise, there is no navigable river, -indeed no river at all, that runs through Tigré into the Red Sea, and -there is the desert of Samhar to pass, where there is no water at all. -How is it possible a ship from the coast of Malabar should get up 200 -miles from any sea among the mountains of Tigré? I hope the publisher -will compare this with any map he pleases, and correct it in his -_errata_, otherwise his narrative is unintelligible, unless all this -was intended to be placed to the account of miracles--Peter walked upon -the water, and Lobo the Jesuit sailed upon dry land. - -Dr Johnson, or his publisher, involves his reader in another strange -perplexity. “Dancala is a city of Africa in Upper Ethiopia, upon the -Nile, in the tract of Nubia, of which it is the capital;” and the -emperor wrote, “that the missionaries might easily enter his dominions -by the way of Dancala[12].” It is very difficult to understand how -people, in a ship from India, could enter Abyssinia by the way of -Dancala, if that city is upon the Nile; because no where, that I know, -is that river in Abyssinia within 300 miles of any sea; and, still -more so, how it could be in Nubia, and yet in Upper Ethiopia. Dongola -is, indeed, the capital of Nubia; it is upon the Nile in 20° north -latitude; but then it cannot be in Upper Ethiopia, but certainly in the -Lower, and is not within a hundred miles of the Red Sea, and certainly -not the way for a ship from India to get to Abyssinia, which, sailing -down the Red Sea, it must have passed several hundred miles, and gone -to the northward: Dongola, besides, is in the heart of the great desert -of Beja, and cannot, with any degree of propriety, be said to be -easily accessible to any, no, not even upon camels, but impossible to -shipping, as it is not within 200 miles of any sea. On the other hand, -Dancali, for which it may have been mistaken, is a small kingdom on -the coast of the Red Sea, reaching to the frontiers of Abyssinia; and -through it the patriarch Mendes entered Abyssinia, as has been said in -my history; but then Dancali is in lat. 12°, it is not in Nubia, nor -upon the Nile, nor within several hundred miles of it. - -Again, Lobo has said, (p. 30. 31.) “that a Portuguese galliot was -ordered to set him ashore at Paté, whose inhabitants were man-eaters.” -This is a very whimsical choice of a place to land strangers in, among -man-eaters. I cannot conceive what advantage could be proposed by -landing men going to Abyssinia so far to the southward, among a people -such as this, who certainly, by their very manners, must be at war, -and unconnected with all their neighbours. And many ages have passed -without this reproach having fallen upon the inhabitants of the east -coast of the peninsula of Africa from any authentic testimony; and I -am confident, after the few specimens just given of the topographical -knowledge of this author, his present testimony will not weigh much, -from whatever hand this performance may have come. - -M. de Montesquieu, among all his other talents a most excellent and -accurate geographer, observes, that man-eaters were first mentioned -when the southern parts of the east coast of the peninsula of Africa -came to be unknown. Travellers of Jerome Lobo’s cast, delighting in the -marvellous, did place these unsociable people beyond the promontory -of Prassum, because nobody, at that time, did pass the promontory of -Prassum. - -Above 1200 years, these people were unknown, till Vasques de Gama -discovered their coast, and called them the civil or kind nation. By -some lucky revolution in that long period, when they were left to -themselves, they seem most unaccountably to have changed both their -diet and their manners. The Portuguese conquered them, built towns -among them, and, if they met with conspiracies and treachery, these all -originated in a mixture of Moors from Spain and Portugal, Europeans -that had settled among them, and not among the natives themselves. No -man-eaters appeared till after the discovery of the Cape of Good Hope, -when that of the new world, which followed it, made the Portuguese -abandon their settlements in the old; and this coast came as unknown to -them as it had been to the Romans, when they traded only to Raptum and -Prassum, and made Anthropophagi of all the rest. One would be almost -tempted to believe that Jerome Lobo was a man-eater himself, and had -taught this custom to these savages. They had it not before his coming; -they have never had it since; and it must have been with some sinister -intention like this, that a stranger would voluntarily seek a nation -of man-eaters. It is nonsense to say, that a traveller could propose, -as Lobo did, going into a far distant country, such as Abyssinia, under -so very questionable a protection as a man-eater. - -I will not take up my own, or the reader’s time, in going through the -multitude of errors in geography to be found in this book of Lobo’s; -I have given the reader my opinion of the author from the original, -before I saw the translation. I said it was a heap of fables, and full -of ignorance and presumption; and I confess myself disappointed that it -has come from so celebrated a hand as the translator, so very little -amended, if indeed it can be said to be amended at all. - -Dr Johnson, in the preface to the book, expresses himself in these -words:--“The Portuguese traveller (Jerome Lobo, his original) has -amused his reader with no romantic absurdities, or incredible fictions. -He seems to have described things as he saw them; to have copied nature -from the life; and to have consulted his senses, not his imagination. -He meets with no basilisks that destroy with their eyes; and his -cataracts fall from the rock, without deafening the neighbouring -inhabitants.” - -At first reading this passage, I confess I thought it irony. As to what -regards the cataract, one of the articles Dr Johnson has condescended -upon as truth, I had already spoken, while composing these memoirs in -Abyssinia, long before this new publication saw the light; and, upon a -cool revisal of the whole that I have said, I cannot think of receding -from any part of it, and therefore recommend it to the reader’s -perusal. What we have now only to note, is the fidelity of Jerome Lobo, -so strongly vouched in the words I have just cited, in the article -of basilisks, or serpents, which Dr Johnson has chosen as one of the -instances of his author’s adhering to fact, contrary to the custom of -other writers on such subjects. - -“In crossing a desert, which was two days journey over, I was in -great danger of my life; for, as I lay on the ground, I perceived -myself seized with a pain which forced me to rise, and saw, about four -yards from me, one of those serpents that _dart their poison from a -distance_. Although I rose before he came very near me, I yet felt the -effects of his poisonous breath; and, if I had lain a little longer, -had certainly died. I had recourse to bezoar, a sovereign remedy -against those poisons, which I always carried about me. These serpents -are not long, but have a body short and thick, their bellies speckled -with brown, black, and yellow. They have a wide mouth, with which they -draw in a great quantity of air, and, having retained it some time, -eject it with such force, that they kill at four yards distance. I only -escaped by being somewhat farther from him.” (Chap. xii. p. 124.) - -Now, as this is warranted, by one of such authority as Dr Johnson, to -be neither imagination nor falsehood, we must think it a new system of -natural philosophy, and consider it as such; and, in the first place, I -would wish to know from the author, who seems perfectly informed, what -species of serpent it is that he has quoted as darting their poison -at a distance. Again, what species it is that, at the distance of 12 -feet, kills a man by breathing on his back; also, what they call that -species of serpent that, drawing in the same outward air which Jerome -Lobo breathed, could so far pervert its quality as with it to kill at -the distance of four yards. Surely such a serpent, if he had no other -characteristic in the world, would be described by a naturalist as the -serpent with the foul stomach.--I never saw a poisonous serpent in -Abyssinia whose belly is not white; so this one being speckled, brown, -black, and yellow, will be a direction when any such is found, and -serve as a warning not to come near him, at least within the distance -of four yards. - -Jerome Lobo continues, “that this danger was not to be much regarded -in comparison of another his negligence brought him into. As he was -picking up a skin that lay upon the ground, he was stung by a serpent -that left its sting in his finger; he picked out an extraneous -substance about the bigness of an hair, which he imagined was the -sting. This slight wound he took little notice of, till his arm grew -inflamed all over; his blood was infected; he fell into convulsions, -which were interpreted as the signs of inevitable death.” (Chap. xii. -p. 125.) - -Now, with all submission to Jerome Lobo, the first serpent had brought -him within a near view of death; the second did no more, for it did not -kill him; how comes it that he says the first danger was nothing in -comparison to the second? The first would have certainly killed him, by -blowing upon his back, if he had been nearer than 12 feet. The other -had nearly killed him by a sting. Death was the end of them both. I -cannot see the difference between the two dangers. - -The first serpent was of a new species, that kills a man at the -distance of 12 feet by breathing upon him. The second was also new, -for he killed by a sting. We know of no such power that any of the -serpent kind have. If Dr Johnson believes this, I will not say that it -is the most improbable thing he ever gave credit to, but this I will -say, that it is altogether different from what at this day is taught -us by natural philosophy. We easily see, by the strain in which these -stories are told, that all these fables of Lobo would have passed -for miracles, had the conversion of Abyssinia followed. They were -preparatory steps for receiving him as confessor, had his merit not -been sufficient to have entitled him to a higher place in the kalendar. -Rainy, miry, and cold countries, are not the favourite habitation of -serpents. Abyssinia is deluged with six months rain every year while -the sun is passing over it. It only enjoys clear weather when the sun -is farthest distant from it in the southern hemisphere; the days and -nights are always nearly equal. Vipers are not found in a climate like -this. Accordingly, I can testify, I never saw one of the kind in the -high country of Abyssinia all the time I lived there; and Tigré, where -Jerome Lobo places the scene of his adventures, by being one of the -highest provinces in the country, is surely not one of the most proper. - -It was the 20th of January, at seven o’clock in the morning, we left -Axum; our road was at first sufficiently even, thro’ small vallies and -meadows; we began to ascend gently, but through a road exceedingly -difficult in itself, by reason of large stones standing on edge, -or heaped one upon another; apparently the remains of an old large -causeway, part of the magnificent works about Axum. - -The last part of the journey made ample amends for the difficulties -and fatigue we had suffered in the beginning. For our road, on every -side, was perfumed with variety of flowering shrubs, chiefly different -species of jessamin; one in particular of these called Agam (a small -four-leaved flower) impregnated the whole air with the most delicious -odour, and covered the small hills through which we passed, in such -profusion, that we were, at times, almost overcome with its fragrance. -The country all round had now the most beautiful appearance, and this -was heightened by the finest of weather, and a temperature of air -neither too hot nor too cold. - -Not long after our losing sight of the ruins of this ancient capital of -Abyssinia, we overtook three travellers driving a cow before them; they -had black goat skins upon their shoulders, and lances and shields in -their hands, in other respects were but thinly cloathed; they appeared -to be soldiers. The cow did not seem to be fatted for killing, and it -occurred to us all that it had been stolen. This, however, was not our -business, nor was such an occurrence at all remarkable in a country so -long engaged in war. We saw that our attendants attached themselves in -a particular manner to the three soldiers that were driving the cow, -and held a short conversation with them. Soon after, we arrived at the -hither most bank of the river, where I thought we were to pitch our -tent. The drivers suddenly tript up the cow, and gave the poor animal -a very rude fall upon the ground, which was but the beginning of her -sufferings. One of them sat across her neck, holding down her head -by the horns, the other twisted the halter about her forefeet, while -the third, who had a knife in his hand, to my very great surprise, in -place of taking her by the throat got astride upon her belly before -her hind-legs, and gave her a very deep wound in the upper part of her -buttock. - -From the time I had seen them throw the beast upon the ground, I had -rejoiced, thinking, that when three people were killing a cow, they -must have agreed to sell part of her to us; and I was much disappointed -upon hearing the Abyssinians say, that we were to pass the river to -the other side, and not encamp where I intended. Upon my proposing -they should bargain for part of the cow, my men answered what they -had already learned in conversation, that they were not then to kill -her, that she was not wholly theirs, and they could not sell her. This -awakened my curiosity; I let my people go forward, and staid myself, -till I saw, with the utmost astonishment, two pieces, thicker, and -longer than our ordinary beef steaks, cut out of the higher part of the -buttock of the beast. How it was done I cannot positively say, because -judging the cow was to be killed from the moment I saw the knife drawn, -I was not anxious to view that catastrophe, which was by no means an -object of curiosity; whatever way it was done, it surely was adroitly, -and the two pieces were spread upon the outside of one of their shields. - -One of them still continued holding the head, while the other two -were busied in curing the wound. This too was done not in an ordinary -manner; the skin which had covered the flesh that was taken away was -left entire, and flapped over the wound, and was fastened to the -corresponding part by two or more small skewers, or pins. Whether they -had put any thing under the skin between that and the wounded flesh I -know not, but at the river side where they were, they had prepared a -cataplasm of clay, with which they covered the wound; they then forced -the animal to rise, and drove it on before them, to furnish them with a -fuller meal when they should meet their companions in the evening. - -I could not but admire a dinner so truly soldier-like, nor did I ever -see so commodious a manner of carrying provisions along on the road as -this was. I naturally attributed this to necessity, and the love of -expedition. It was a liberty, to be sure, taken with Christianity; but -what transgression is not warranted to a soldier when distressed by -his enemy in the field? I could not as yet conceive that this was the -ordinary banquet of citizens, and even of priests, throughout all this -country. In the hospitable, humane house of Janni, these living feasts -had never appeared. It is true we had seen raw meat, but no part of an -animal torn from it with the blood. The first shocked us as uncommon, -but the other as impious. - -When first I mentioned this in England, as one of the singularities -which prevailed in this barbarous country, I was told by my friends -it was not believed. I asked the reason of this disbelief, and was -answered, that people who had never been out of their own country, and -others well acquainted with the manners of the world, for they had -travelled as far as France, had agreed the thing was impossible, and -therefore it was so. My friends counselled me further, that as these -men were infallible, and had each the leading of a circle, I should by -all means obliterate this from my journal, and not attempt to inculcate -in the minds of my readers the belief of a thing that men who had -travelled pronounced to be impossible. They suggested to me, in the -most friendly manner, how rudely a very learned and worthy traveller -had been treated for daring to maintain that he had eat part of a lion, -a story I have already taken notice of in my introduction. They said, -that, being convinced by these connoisseurs his having eat any part of -a lion was _impossible_, he had abandoned this assertion altogether, -and after only mentioned it in an appendix; and this was the farthest I -could possibly venture. - -Far from being a convert to such prudential reasons, I must for ever -profess openly, that I think them unworthy of me. To represent as truth -a thing I know to be a falsehood, not to avow a truth which I know I -ought to declare; the one is fraud, the other cowardice; I hope I am -equally distant from them both; and I pledge myself never to retract -the fact here advanced, that the Abyssinians do feed in common upon -live flesh, and that I myself have, for several years, been partaker of -that disagreeable and beastly diet. On the contrary, I have no doubt, -when time shall be given to read this history to an end, there will -be very few, if they have candour enough to own it, that will not be -ashamed of ever having doubted. - -At 11 o’clock of the 20th, we pitched our tent in a small plain, by the -banks of a quick clear running stream; the spot is called Mai-Shum. -There are no villages, at least that we saw, here. A peasant had made a -very neat little garden on both sides of the rivulet, in which he had -sown abundance of onions and garlic, and he had a species of pumpkin, -which I thought was little inferior to a melon. This man guessed by our -arms and horses that we were hunters, and he brought us a present of -the fruits of his garden, and begged our assistance against a number -of wild boars, which carried havoc and desolation through all his -labours, marks of which were, indeed, too visible everywhere. Such -instances of industry are very rare in this country, and demanded -encouragement. I paid him, therefore, for his greens; and sent two of -my servants with him into the wood, and got on horseback myself. Mirza, -my horse, indeed, as well as his master, had recruited greatly during -our stay at Adowa, under the hospitable roof of our good friend Janni,. - -Amongst us we killed five boars, all large ones, in the space of about -two hours; one of which measured six feet nine inches; and, though he -ran at an amazing speed near two miles, so as to be with difficulty -overtaken by the horse, and was struck through and through with two -heavy lances loaded at the end with iron, no person dared to come near -him on foot, and he defended himself above half an hour, till, having -no other arms left, I shot him with a horse-pistol. But the misfortune -was, that, after our hunting had been crowned with such success, we did -not dare to partake of the excellent venison we had acquired; for the -Abyssinians hold pork of all kinds in the utmost detestation; and I -was now become cautious, lest I should give offence, being at no great -distance from the capital. - -On the 21st we left Mai-Shum at seven o’clock in the morning, -proceeding through an open country, part sown, with teff, but mostly -overgrown with wild oats and high grass. We afterwards travelled among -a number of low hills, ascending and descending many of them, which -occasioned more pleasure than fatigue. The jessamin continued to -increase upon us, and it was the common bush of the country. Several -new species appeared, with five, nine, eleven petals, and plenty of the -agam with four, these being all white. We found also large bushes of -yellow, and orange and yellow jessamin, besides fine trees of kummel, -and the boha, both of the largest size, beautifully covered with fruit -and flowers, which we never before had seen. - -We now descended into a plain called Selech-lecha, the village of that -name being two miles east of us. The country here has an air of gaiety -and chearfulness superior to any thing we had ever yet seen. Poncet[13] -was right when he compared it to the most beauteous part of Provence. -We crossed the plain through hedge-rows of flowering shrubs, among -which the honeysuckle now made a principal figure, which is of one -species only, the same known in England; but the flower is larger and -perfectly white, not coloured on the outside as our honeysuckle is. -Fine trees of all sizes were everywhere interspersed; and the vine, -with small black grapes of very good flavour, hung in many places in -festoons, joining tree to tree, as if they had been artificially twined -and intended for arbours. - -After having passed this plain, we again entered a close country -through defiles between mountains, thick covered with wood and bushes. -We pitched our tent by the water-side judiciously enough as travellers, -being quite surrounded with bushes, which prevented us from being seen -in any direction. - -As the boha was the principal tree here, and in great beauty, being -then in flower, I let the caravan pass, and alighted to make a proper -choice for a drawing, when I heard a cry from my servants, “Robbers! -Robbers!” I immediately got upon my mule to learn what alarm this might -be, and saw, to my great surprise, part of my baggage strewed on the -ground, the servants running, some leading, others on foot driving -such of their mules as were unloaded before them; in a word, every -thing in the greatest confusion possible. Having got to the edge of -the wood, they faced about, and began to prepare their fire-arms; but -as I saw the king’s two servants, and the man that Janni sent with us, -endeavouring all they could to pitch the tent, and my horse standing -peaceably by them, I forbade our fugitives to fire, till they should -receive orders from me. I now rode immediately up to the tent, and in -my way was saluted from among the bushes with many stones, one of which -gave me a violent blow upon the foot. At the same instant I received -another blow with a small unripe pumpkin, just upon the belly, where I -was strongly defended by the coarse cotton cloth wrapped several times -about me by way of sash or girdle. As robbers fight with other arms -than pumpkins, when I saw this fall at my feet I was no longer under -apprehension. - -Notwithstanding this disagreeable reception, I advanced towards them, -crying out, We were friends, and Ras Michael’s friends; and desired -only to speak to them, and would give them what they wanted. A few -stones were the only answer, but they did no hurt. I then gave Yasine -my gun, thinking that might have given offence. The top of the tent -being now up, two men came forward making great complaints, but of -what I did not understand, only that they seemed to accuse us of having -wronged them. In short, we found the matter was this; one of the Moors -had taken a heap of straw which he was carrying to his ass but the -proprietor, at seeing this, had alarmed the village. Every body had -taken lances and shields, but, not daring to approach for fear of -the fire-arms, they had contented themselves with showering stones -at us from their hiding-places, at a distance from among the bushes. -We immediately told them, however, that though, as the king’s guest, -I had a title to be furnished with what was necessary, yet, if they -were averse to it, I was very well content to pay for every thing they -furnished, both for my men and beasts; but that they must throw no -stones, otherwise we would defend ourselves. - -Our tent being now pitched, and every thing in order, a treaty soon -followed. They consented to sell us what we wanted, but at extravagant -prices, which, however, I was content to comply with. But a man of the -village, acquainted with one of the king’s servants, had communicated -to him, that the pretence of the Moor’s taking the straw was not really -the reason of the uproar, for they made no use of it except to burn; -but that a report had been spread abroad, that an action had happened -between Fasil and Ras Michael, in which the latter had been defeated, -and the country no longer in fear of the Ras, had indulged themselves -in their usual excesses, and; taking us for a caravan of Mahometans -with merchandise, had resolved to rob us. - -Welleta Michael, grandson to Ras Michael, commanded this part of the -province; and being but thirteen years of age, was not with his -grandfather in the army, nor was he then at home, but at Gondar. -However, his mother, Ozoro Welleta Michael, was at home, and her house -just on the hill above. One of the king’s servants had stolen away -privately, and told her what had happened. The same evening, a party -was sent down to the village, who took the ringleaders and carried them -away, and left us for the night. They brought us a present also of -provisions, and excuses for what had happened, warning us to be upon -our guard the rest of the way, but they gave us positive assurance, -at the same time, that no action had happened between Fasil and Ras -Michael; on the contrary, it was confidently reported, that Fasil had -left Buré, and retired to Metchakel, where, probably, he would repass -the Nile into his own country, and stay there till the rains should -oblige Michael to return to Gondar. - -On the 22d, we left Selech-lecha at seven o’clock in the morning, and, -at eight, passed a village two hundred yards on our left, without -seeing any one; but, advancing half a mile further, we saw a number of -armed men from sixty to eighty, and we were told they were resolved to -oppose our passage, unless their comrades, taken the night before, were -released. The people that attended us on the part of Welleta Michael, -as our escort, considered this as an insult, and advised me by all -means to turn to the left to another village immediately under the -hill, on which the house of Welleta Michael, mother to Welleta Gabriel -their governor, was situated; as there we should find sufficient -assistance to force these opponents to reason. We accordingly turned -to the left, and marching through thick bushes, came to the top of the -hill above the village, in sight of the governor’s house, just as -about twenty men of the enemy’s party reached the bottom of it. - -The governor’s servants told us, that now was the time if they advanced -to fire upon them, in which case they would instantly disperse, or -else they would cut us off from the village. But I could not enter -into the force of this reasoning, because, if this village was strong -enough to protect us, which was the cause of our turning to the left -to seek it, these twenty men, putting themselves between us and the -village, took the most dangerous step for themselves possible, as they -must unavoidably be destroyed; and, if the village was not strong -enough to protect us, to begin with bloodshed was the way to lose our -lives before a superior enemy. I therefore called to the twenty men -to stop where they were, and send only one of their company to me; -and, upon their not paying any attention, I ordered Yasine to fire a -large blunderbuss over their heads, so as not to touch them. Upon the -report, they all fled, and a number of people flocked to us from other -villages; for my part, I believe some who had appeared against us came -afterwards and joined us. We soon seemed to have a little army, and, in -about half an hour, a party came from the governor’s house with twenty -lances and shields, and six firelocks, and, presently after, the whole -multitude dispersed. It was about ten o’clock when, under their escort, -we arrived at the town of Sirè, and pitched our tent in a strong -situation, in a very deep gully on the west extremity of the town. - - - - -CHAP. VI. - -_Journey from Siré to Addergey, and Transactions there._ - - -The province of Siré, properly so called, reaches from Axum to -the Tacazzé. The town of Sirè is situated on the brink of a very -steep, narrow valley, and through this the road lies which is almost -impassable. In the midst of this valley runs a brook bordered with -palm-trees, some of which are grown to a considerable size, but bear no -fruit; they were the first we had seen in Abyssinia. - -The town of Sirè is larger than that of Axum; it is in form of a -half-moon fronting the plain, but its greatest breadth is at the -west end; all the houses are of clay, and thatched; the roofs are in -form of cones, as, indeed, are all in Abyssinia. Sirè is famous for -a manufacture of coarse cotton cloths, which pass for current money -through all the province of Tigré, and are valued at a drachm, the -tenth-part of a wakea of gold, or near the value of an imperial dollar -each; their breadth is a yard and quarter. Besides these, beads, -needles, cohol, and incense at times only, are considered as money. The -articles depend greatly on chance, which or whether any are current for -the time or not; but the latter is often not demanded; and, for the -first, there are modes and fashions among these barbarians, and all, -except those of a certain colour and form, are useless. We have already -spoken of the fashions, such as we have found them, at Kella, and we -heard they were the same here at Siré. But these people were not of a -humour to buy and sell with us. They were not perfectly satisfied that -Michael was alive, and waited only a confirmation of the news of his -defeat, to make their own terms with all strangers unfortunate enough -to fall into their hands. On the other hand, we were in possession of -superior force, and, knowing their inclinations, we treated them pretty -much in the manner they would have done us. - -On the 22d of January, at night, I observed the passage of many stars -over the meridian, and, after that, of the sun on the 23d at noon; -taking a medium of all observations, I determined the latitude of Siré -to be 14° 4´ 35´´ north. The same evening, I observed an immersion of -the first satellite of Jupiter, by which I concluded its longitude to -be 38° 0´ 15´´ east of the meridian of Greenwich. - -Although Sirè is situated in one of the finest countries in the world, -like other places it has its inconveniencies. Putrid fevers, of the -very worst kind, are almost constant here; and there did then actually -reign a species of these that swept away a number of people daily. I -did not think the behaviour of the inhabitants of this province to me -was such as required my exposing myself to the infection for the sake -of relieving them; I, therefore, left the fever and them to settle -accounts together, without anywise interfering. - -At Siré we heard the good news that Ras Michael, on the 10th of this -month, had come up with Fasil at Fagitta, and entirely dispersed his -army, after killing 10,000 men. This account, though not confirmed by -any authority, struck all the mutinous of this province with awe; and -every man returned to his duty for fear of incurring the displeasure of -this severe governor, which they well knew would instantly be followed -by more than an adequate portion of vengeance, especially against those -that had not accompanied him to the field. - -On the 24th, at seven o’clock in the morning, we struck our tent at -Siré, and passed through a vast plain. All this day we could discern no -mountains, as far as eye could reach, but only some few detached hills, -standing separate on the plain, covered with high grass, which they -were then burning, to produce new with the first rains. The country to -the north is altogether flat, and perfectly open; and though we could -not discover one village this day, yet it seemed to be well-inhabited, -from the many people we saw on different parts of the plain, some at -harvest, and some herding their cattle. The villages were probably -concealed from us on the other side of the hills. - -At four o’clock, we alighted at Maisbinni at the bottom of a high, -steep, bare cliff of red marble, bordering on purple, and very hard. -Behind this is the small village of Maisbinni; and, on the south, -another still higher hill, whose top runs in an even ridge like a -wall. At the bottom of this cliff, where our tent was pitched, the -small rivulet Maisbinni rises, which, gentle and quiet as it then was, -runs very violently in winter, first north from its source, and then -winding to S. W. it falls in several cataracts, near a hundred feet -high, into a narrow valley, through which it makes its way into the -Tacazzé. Maisbinni, for wild and rude beauties, may compare with any -place we had ever seen. - -This day was the first cloudy one we had met with, or observed this -year. The sun was covered for several hours, which announced our being -near the large river Tacazzè. - -On the 25th, at seven in the morning, leaving Maisbinni, we continued -on our road, shaded with trees of many different kinds. At half an -hour after eight we passed the river, which at this place runs west; -our road this day was thro’ the same plain as yesterday, but broken -and full of holes. At ten o’clock we rested in a large plain called -Dagashaha; a hill in form of a cone stood single about two miles north -from us; a thin straggling wood was to the S. E.; and the water, rising -in spungy, boggy, and dirty ground, was very indifferent; it lay to the -west of us. - -Dagashaha is a bleak and disagreeable quarter; but the mountain -itself, being seen far off, was of great use to us in adjusting our -bearings; the rather that, taking our departure from Dagashaha, we came -immediately in sight of the high mountain of Samen, where Lamalmon, one -of that ridge, is by much the most conspicuous; and over this lies the -passage, or high road, to Gondar. We likewise see the rugged, hilly -country of Salent, adjoining to the foot of the mountains of Samen. We -observed no villages this day from Maisbinni to Dagashaha; nor did we -discern, in the face of the country, any signs of culture or marks of -great population. We were, indeed, upon the frontiers of two provinces -which had for many years been at war. - -On the 26th, at six o’clock in the morning, we left Dagashaha. Our road -was through a plain and level country, but, to appearance, desolated -and uninhabited, being overgrown with high bent grass and bushes, as -also destitute of water. We passed the solitary village Adega, three -miles on our left, the only one we had seen. At eight o’clock we came -to the brink of a prodigious valley, in the bottom of which runs the -Tacazzè, next to the Nile the largest river in Upper Abyssinia. It -rises in Angot (at least its principal branch) in a plain champain -country, about 200 miles S. E. of Gondar, near a spot called Souami -Midre. It has three spring heads, or sources, like the Nile; near it is -the small village Gourri[14]. - -Angot is now in possession of the Galla, whose chief, Guangoul, is -the head of the western Galla, once the most formidable invader of -Abyssinia. The other branch of the Tacazzé rises in the frontiers of -Begemder, near Dabuco; whence, running between Gouliou, Lasta, and -Belessen, it joins with the Angot branch, and becomes the boundary -between Tigré and the other great division of the country called -Amhara. This division arises from language only, for the Tacazzé passes -nowhere near the province of Amhara; only all to the east of the -Tacazzè is, in this general way of dividing the country, called Tigrè, -and all to the westward, from the Tacazzé to the Nile, Gojam, and -the Agows, is called Amhara, because the language of that province is -there spoken, and not that of Tigré or Geez. But I would have my reader -on his guard against the belief that no languages but these two are -spoken in these divisions; many different dialects are spoken in little -districts in both, and, in some of them, neither the language of Tigrè -nor that of Amhara is understood. - -I have already sufficiently dwelt upon the ancient history, the names, -manners, and people that inhabit the banks of this river. It was the -Siris (or river of the dog-star) whilst that negro, uncivilized people, -the Cushites of the island of Meroë, resided upon its banks. It was -then called the Tan-nush Abay, or the lesser of two rivers that swelled -with the tropical rains, which was the name the peasants, or unlearned, -gave it, from comparison with the Nile. It was the Tacazzè in Derkin -or the dwelling of the Taka, before it joined the Nile in Beja, and it -was the Astaboras of those of the ancients that took the Nile for the -Siris. It is now the Atbara, giving its name to that peninsula, which -it incloses on the east as the Nile does on the west, and which was -formerly the island of Meroë; but it never was the Tekesel, as authors -have called it, deriving the name from the Ethiopic word Taka, which -undoubtedly signifies, fear, terror, distress, or sadness; I mean, this -was never the derivation of its name. Far from this idea, our Tacazzé -is one of the pleasantest rivers in the world, shaded with fine lofty -trees, its banks covered with bushes inferior in fragrance to no garden -in the universe; its stream is the most limpid, its water excellent, -and full of good fish of great variety, as its coverts are of all sorts -of game. - -It must be confessed, that, during the inundation, these things wear a -contrary face. It carries in its bed near one-third of all the water -that falls in Abyssinia; and we saw the mark the stream had reached the -preceding year, eighteen feet above the bottom of the river, which we -do not know was the highest point that it arrived at. But three fathoms -it certainly had rolled in its bed; and this prodigious body of water, -passing furiously from a high ground in a very deep descent, tearing -up rocks and large trees in its course, and forcing down their broken -fragments scattered on its stream, with a noise like thunder echoed -from a hundred hills, these very naturally suggest an idea, that, from -these circumstances, it is very rightly called the _terrible_. But then -it must be considered, that all rivers in Abyssinia at the same time -equally overflow; that every stream makes these ravages upon its banks; -and that there is nothing in this that peculiarly affects the Tacazzè, -or should give it this special name: at least, such is my opinion; -though it is with great willingness I leave every reader in possession -of his own, especially in etymology. - -At half an hour past eight we began a gradual descent, at first easily -enough, till we crossed the small brook called Maitemquet, or, _the -water of baptism_. We then began to descend very rapidly in a narrow -path, winding along the side of the mountain, all shaded with lofty -timber-trees of great beauty. About three miles further we came to the -edge of the stream at the principal ford of the Tacazzé, which is very -firm and good; the bottom consists of small pebbles, without either -sand or large stones. The river here at this time was fully 200 yards -broad, the water perfectly clear, and running very swiftly; it was -about three feet deep. This was the dry season of the year, when most -rivers in Abyssinia ran now no more. - -In the middle of the stream we met a deserter from Ras Michael’s army, -with his firelock upon his shoulder, driving before him two miserable -girls about ten years old, stark-naked, and almost famished to death, -the part of the booty which had fallen to his share in laying waste the -country of Maitsha, after the battle. We asked him of the truth of this -news, but he would give us no satisfaction; sometimes he said there had -been a battle, sometimes none. He apparently had some distrust, that -one or other of the facts, being allowed to be true, might determine -us as to some design we might have upon him and his booty. He had not, -in my eyes, the air of a conqueror, but rather of a coward that had -sneaked away, and stolen these two miserable wretches he had with him. -I asked where Michael was? If at Buré? where, upon defeat of Fasil, -he naturally would be. He said, No; he was at Ibaba, the capital of -Maitsha; and this gave us no light, it being the place he would go to -before, while detachments of his army might be employed in burning and -laying waste the country of the enemy he had determined to ruin, rather -than return to it some time after a battle. At last we were obliged to -leave him. I gave him some flour and tobacco, both which he took very -thankfully; but further intelligence he would not give. - -The banks of the Tacazzé are all covered, at the water’s edge, with -tamarisks; behind which grow high and straight trees, that seem to have -gained additional strength from having often resisted the violence of -the river. Few of these ever lose their leaves, but are either covered -with fruit, flower, or foliage the whole year; indeed, abundantly with -all three during the six months fair weather. The Bohabab, indeed, -called, in the Amharic language, Dooma, loses its leaf; it is the -largest tree in Abyssinia; the trunk is never high; it diminishes very -regularly from the top to the bottom, but not beautifully; it has -the appearance of a large cannon, and puts out a multitude of strong -branches, which do not fall low, or nearly horizontal, but follow a -direction, making all of them smaller angles than that of 45°. The -fruit is of the shape of a melon, rather longer for its thickness; -within are black seeds in each of the cells, into which it is divided, -and round them a white substance, very like fine sugar, which is sweet, -with a small degree of very pleasant acid. I never saw it either in -leaf or flower; the fruit hang dry upon the branches when they are -deprived of both. The wood of this tree is soft and spungy, and of no -use. The wild bees perforate the trunk, and lodge their honey in the -holes made in it; and this honey is preferred to any other in Abyssinia. - -Beautiful and pleasant, however, as this river is, like every thing -created, it has its disadvantages. From the falling of the first rains -in March till November it is death to sleep in the country adjoining to -it, both within and without its banks; the whole inhabitants retire and -live in villages on the top of the neighbouring mountains; and _these_ -are all robbers and assassins, who descend from their habitations on -the heights to lie in wait for, and plunder the travellers that pass. -Notwithstanding great pains have been taken by Michael, his son, and -grandson, governors of Tigré and Siré, this passage had never been so -far cleared but, every month, people are cut off. - -The plenty of fish in this river occasions more than an ordinary number -of crocodiles to resort hither. These are so daring and fearless, that -when the river swells, so as to be passable only by people upon rafts, -or skins blown up with wind, they are frequently carried off by these -voracious and vigilant animals. There are also many hippopotami, which, -in this country, are called Gomari. I never saw any of these in the -Tacazzè; but at night we heard them snort, or groan, in many parts of -the river near us. There are also vast multitudes of lions and hyænas -in all these thickets. We were very much disturbed by them all night. -The smell of our mules and horses had drawn them in numbers about our -tent, but they did us no further harm, except obliging us to watch. I -found the latitude of the ford, by many observations, the night of the -26th, taking a medium of them all, to be 13° 42´ 45´´ north. - -The river Tacazzè is, as I have already said, the boundary of the -province of Sirè. We now entered that of Samen, which was hostile to -us, being commanded by Ayto Tesfos, who, since the murder of Joas, had -never laid down his arms, nor acknowledged his neighbour, Michael, as -Ras, nor Hannes the king, last made, as sovereign. He had remained on -the top of a high rock called _the Jews Rock_, about eight miles from -the ford. For these reasons, as well as that it was the most agreeable -spot we had ever yet seen, we left our station on the Tacazzè with -great regret. - -On the 27th of January, a little past six in the morning, we continued -some short way along the river’s side, and, at forty minutes past -six o’clock, came to Ingerohha, a small rivulet rising in the plain -above, which, after a short course through a deep valley, joins the -Tacazzè. At half past seven we left the river, and began to ascend the -mountains, which forms the south side of the valley, or banks of that -river. The path is narrow, winds as much, and is as steep as the other, -but not so woody. What makes it, however, still more disagreeable is, -that every way you turn you have a perpendicular precipice into a deep -valley below you. At half past eight we arrived at the top of the -mountain; and, at half past nine, halted, at Tabulaqué, having all the -way passed among ruined villages, the monuments of Michael’s cruelty -or justice; for it is hard to say whether the cruelty, robberies, -and violence of the former inhabitants did not deserve the severest -chastisement. - -We saw many people feeding cattle on the plain, and we again opened a -market for flour and other provisions, which we procured in barter for -cohol, incense, and beads. None but the young women appeared. They were -of a lighter colour, taller, and in general more beautiful than those -at Kella. Their noses seemed flatter than those of the Abyssinians we -had yet seen. Perhaps the climate here was beginning that feature so -conspicuous in the negroes in general, and particularly of those in -this country called Shangalla, from whose country these people are not -distant above two days journey. They seemed inclined to be very hard in -all bargains but those of one kind, in which they were most reasonable -and liberal. They all agreed, that these favours ought to be given and -not sold, and that all coyness and courtship was but loss of time, -which always might be employed better to the satisfaction of both. -These people are less gay than those at Kella, and their conversation -more rough and peremptory. They understood both the Tigrè language and -Amharic, although we supposed it was in compliance to us that they -conversed chiefly in the former. - -Our tent was pitched at the head of Ingerohha, on the north of the -plain of Tabulaqué. This river rises among the rocks at the bottom of -a little eminence, in a small stream, which, from its source, runs -very swiftly, and the water is warm. The peasants told us, that, in -winter, in time of the rains, it became hot, and smoked. It was in -taste, however, good; nor did we perceive any kind of mineral in it. -Tabulaqué, Anderassa, and Mentesegla belong to the Shum of Addergey, -and the viceroy of Samen, Ayto Tesfos. The large town of Hauza is about -eight miles south-and-by-east of this. - -On the 28th, at forty minutes past six o’clock in the morning, we -continued our journey; and, at half past seven, saw the small village -Motecha on the top of the mountain, half a mile south from us. At -eight, we crossed the river Aira; and, at half past eight, the river -Tabul, the boundary of the district of Tabulaqué thick covered with -wood, and especially a sort of cane, or bamboo, solid within, called -there Shemale, which is used in making shafts for javelins, or light -darts thrown from the hand, either on foot or on horseback, at hunting -or in war. - -We alighted on the side of Anderassa, rather a small stream, and which -had now ceased running, but which gives the name to the district -through which we were passing. Its water is muddy and ill-tasted, -and falls into the Tacazzè, as do all the rivers we had yet passed. -Dagashaha bears N. N. E. from this station. A great dew fell this -night; the first we had yet observed. - -The 29th, at six o’clock in the morning, we continued our journey from -Anderassa, through thick woods of small trees, quite overgrown, and -covered with wild oats, reeds, and long grass, so that it was very -difficult to find a path through them. We were not without considerable -apprehension, from our nearness to the Shangalla, who were but two -days journey distant from us to the W. N. W. and had frequently made -excursions to the wild country where we now were. Hauza was upon a -mountain south from us; after travelling along the edge of a hill, with -the river on our left hand, we crossed it: it is called the Bowiha, and -is the largest we had lately seen. - -At nine o’clock we encamped upon the small river Angari, that gives its -name to a district which begins at the Bowiha where Anderassa ends. The -river Angari is much smaller than the Bowiha: it rises to the westward -in a plain near Mentesegla; after running half a mile, it falls down -a steep precipice into a valley, then turns to the N. E. and, after a -course of two miles and a half farther, joins the Bowiha a little above -the ford. - -The small village Angari lies about two miles S. S. W. on the top of a -hill. Hauza (which seems a large town formed by a collection of many -villages) is six miles south, pleasantly situated among a variety -of mountains, all of different and extraordinary shapes; some are -straight like columns, and some sharp in the point, and broad in the -base, like pyramids and obelisks, and some like cones. All these, for -the most part inaccessible, unless with pain and danger to those that -know the paths, are places of refuge and safety in time of war, and are -agreeably separated from each other by small plains producing grain. -Some of these, however, have at the top water and small flats that can -be sown, sufficient to maintain a number of men, independent of what -is doing below them. Hauza signifies _delight_, or _pleasure_, and, -probably, such a situation of the country has given the name to it. It -is chiefly inhabited by Mahometan merchants, is the _entre-pot_ between -Masuah and Gondar, and there are here people of very considerable -substance. - -The 30th, at seven in the morning, we left Angari, keeping along the -side of the river. We then ascended a high hill covered with grass and -trees, through a very difficult and steep road; which ending, we came -to a small and agreeable plain, with pleasant hills on each side; this -is called Mentesegla. At half past seven we were in the middle of three -villages of the same name, two to the right and one on the left, about -half a mile distance. At half past nine we passed a small river called -Daracoy, which serves as the boundary between Addergey and this small -district Mentesegla. At a quarter past ten, we incamped at Addergey, -near a small rivulet called Mai-Lumi, the river of limes, or lemons, in -a plain scarce a mile square, surrounded on each side with very thick -wood in form of an amphitheatre. Above this wood, are bare, rugged, -and barren mountains. Midway in the cliff is a miserable village, that -seems rather to hang than to stand there, scarce a yard of level -ground being before it to hinder its inhabitants from falling down the -precipice. The wood is full of lemons and wild citrons, from which it -acquires its name. Before the tent, to the westward, was a very deep -valley, which terminated this little plain in a tremendous precipice. - -The river Mai-Lumi, rising above the village, falls into the wood, and -there it divides itself in two; one branch surrounds the north of the -plain, the other the south, and falls down a rock on each side of the -valley, where they unite, and, after having run about a quarter of a -mile further, are precipitated into a cataract of 150 feet high, and -run in a direction south-west into the Tacazzé. The river Mai-Lumi was, -at this time, but small, although it is violent in winter; beyond this -valley are five hills, and on the top of each is a village. The Shum -resides in the one that is in the middle. He bade us a seeming hearty -welcome, but had malice in his heart against us, and only waited to -know for certainty if it was a proper time to gratify his avarice. A -report was spread about with great confidence, that Ras Michael had -been defeated by Fasil; that Gondar had rebelled, and Woggora was all -in arms; so that it was certain loss of life to attempt the passage of -Lamalmon. - -For our part, we conceived this story to be without foundation, and -that, on the contrary, the news were true which we had heard at Siré -and Adowa, _viz._ That Michael was victorious, and Fasil beaten; and we -were, therefore, resolved to abide by this, as well knowing, that, if -the contrary had happened, every place between the Tacazzè and Gondar -was as fatal to us as any thing we were to meet with on Lamalmon -could be; the change of place made no difference; the dispositions -of the people towards Michael and his friends we knew to be the same -throughout the kingdom, and that our only safety remained on certain -and good news coming from the army, or in the finishing our journey -with expedition, before any thing bad happened, or was certainly known. - -The hyænas this night devoured one of the best of our mules. They are -here in great plenty, and so are lions; the roaring and grumbling -of the latter, in the part of the wood nearest our tent, greatly -disturbed our beasts, and prevented them from eating their provender. I -lengthened the strings of my tent, and placed the beasts between them. -The white ropes, and the tremulous motion made by the impression of the -wind, frightened the lions from coming near us. I had procured from -Janni two small brass bells, such as the mules carry. I had tied these -to the storm-strings of the tent, where their noise, no doubt, greatly -contributed to our beasts safety from these ravenous, yet cautious -animals, so that we never saw them; but the noise they made, and, -perhaps, their smell, so terrified the mules, that, in the morning, -they were drenched in sweat as if they had been a long journey. - -The brutish hyæna was not so to be deterred. I shot one of them dead on -the night of the 31st of January, and, on the 2d of February, I fired -at another so near, that I was confident of killing him. Whether the -balls had fallen out, or that I had really missed him with the first -barrel, I know not, but he gave a snarl and a kind of bark upon the -first shot, advancing directly upon me as if unhurt. The second shot, -however, took place, and laid him without motion on the ground. Yasine -and his men killed another with a pike; and such was their determined -coolness, that they stalked round about us with the familiarity of a -dog, or any other domestic animal brought up with man. - -But we were still more incommoded by a lesser animal, a large, black -ant, little less than an inch long, which, coming out from under the -ground, demolished our carpets, which they cut all into shreds, and -part of the lining of our tent likewise, and every bag or sack they -could find. We had first seen them in great numbers at Angari, but here -they were intolerable. Their bite causes a considerable inflammation, -and the pain is greater than that which arises from the bite of a -scorpion; they are called _gundan_. - -On the 1st of February the Shum sent his people to value, as he said, -our merchandise, that we might pay custom. Many of the Moors, in our -caravan, had left us to go a near way to Hauza. We had at most five -or six asses, including those belonging to Yasine. I humoured them -so far as to open the cases where were the telescopes and quadrant, -or, indeed, rather shewed them open, as they were not shut from the -observation I had been making. They could only wonder at things they -had never before seen. - -On the 2d of February the Shum came himself, and a violent altercation -ensued. He insisted upon Michael’s defeat: I told him the contrary news -were true, and begged him to beware lest it should be told to the Ras -upon his return that he had propagated such a falsehood. I told him -also we had advice that the Ras’s servants were now waiting for us at -Lamalmon, and insisted upon his suffering us to depart. On the other -hand, he threatened to send us to Ayto Tesfos. I answered, “Ayto Tesfos -was a friend to Ayto Aylo, under whose protection I was, and a servant -to the Iteghé, and was likelier to punish him for using me ill, than -to approve of it, but that I would not suffer him to send me either to -Ayto Tesfos, or an inch out of the road in which I was going.” He said, -“That I was mad;” and held a consultation with his people for about -half an hour, after which he came in again, seemingly quite another -man, and said, he would dispatch us on the morrow, which was the 3d, -and would send us that evening some provisions. And, indeed, we now -began to be in need, having only flour barely sufficient to make bread -for one meal next day. The miserable village on the clift had nothing -to barter with us; and none from the five villages about the Shum had -come near us, probably by his order. As he had softened his tone, so -did I mine. I gave him a small present, and he went away repeating his -promises. But all that evening passed without provision, and all next -day without his coming, so we got every thing ready for our departure. -Our supper did not prevent our sleeping, as all our provision was gone, -and we had tasted nothing all that day since our breakfast. - -The country of the Shangalla lies forty miles N. N. W. of this, or -rather more westerly. All this district from the Tacazzé is called, in -the language of Tigré, Salent, and Talent in Amharic. This probably -arises from the name being originally spelled with (Tz), which has -occasioned the difference, the one language omitting the first letter, -the other the second. - -At Addergey, the 31st day of January, at noon, I observed the meridian -altitude of the sun, and, at night, the passage of seven different -stars over the meridian, by a medium of all which, I found that the -latitude of Addergey is 13° 24´ 56´´ North. And on the morning of the -1st of February, at the same place, I observed an immersion of the -second satellite of Jupiter, by which I concluded the longitude of -Addergey to be 37° 57´ east of the meridian of Greenwich. - -On the 4th of February, at half past nine in the morning, we left -Addergey: hunger pressing us, we were prepared to do it earlier, and -for this we had been up since five in the morning; but our loss of a -mule obliged us, when we packed up our tent, to arrange our baggage -differently. While employed at making ready for our departure, which -was just in the dawn of day, a hyæna, unseen by any of us, fastened -upon one of Yasine’s asses, and had almost pulled his tail away. I was -busied at gathering the tent-pins into a sack, and had placed my musket -and bayonet ready against a tree, as it is at that hour, and the close -of the evening, you are always to be on guard against banditti. A boy, -who was servant to Yasine, saw the hyæna first, and flew to my musket. -Yasine was disjoining the poles of the tent, and, having one half of -the largest in his hand, he ran to the assistance of his ass, and in -that moment the musket went off, luckily charged with only one ball, -which gave Yasine a flesh wound between the thumb and forefinger of his -left hand. The boy instantly threw down the musket, which had terrified -the hyæna and made him let go the ass; but he stood ready to fight -Yasine, who, not amusing himself with the choice of weapons, gave him -so rude a blow with the tent-pole upon his head, that it felled him to -the ground; others, with pikes, put an end to his life. - -We were then obliged to turn our cares towards the wounded. Yasine’s -wound was soon seen to be a trifle; besides, he was a man not easily -alarmed on such occasions. But the poor ass was not so easily -comforted. The stump remained, the tail hanging by a piece of it, which -we were obliged to cut off. The next operation was actual cautery; but, -as we had made no bread for breakfast, our fire had been early out. We, -therefore, were obliged to tie the stump round with whip-cord, till we -could get fire enough to heat an iron. - -What sufficiently marked the voracity of these beasts, the hyænas, was, -that the bodies of their dead companions, which we hauled a long way -from us, and left there, were almost entirely eaten by the survivors -the next morning; and I then observed, for the first time, that the -hyæna of this country was a different species from those I had seen in -Europe, which had been brought from Asia or America. - - - - -CHAP. VII. - -_Journey over Lamalmon to Gondar._ - - -It was on account of these delays that we did not leave Addergey till -near ten o’clock in the forenoon of the 4th of February. We continued -our journey along the side of a hill, through thick wood and high -grass; then descended into a deep, narrow valley, the sides of which -had been shaded with high trees, but in burning the grass the trees -were consumed likewise; and the shoots from the roots were some of -them above eight feet high since the tree had thus suffered that same -year. The river Angueah runs through the middle of this valley; after -receiving the small streams, before mentioned, it makes its way into -the Tacazzé. It is a very clear, swift-running river, something less -than the Bowiha. - -When we had just reached the river-side, we saw the Shum coming from -the right hand across us. There were nine horsemen in all, and -fourteen or fifteen beggarly foot-men. He had a well-dressed young man -going before him carrying his gun, and had only a whip in his own hand; -the rest had lances in theirs; but none of the horsemen had shields. -It was universally agreed, that this seemed to be a party set for us, -and that he probably had others before appointed to join him, for we -were sure his nine horse would not venture to do any thing. Upon the -first appearance, we had stopped on this side of the river; but Welleta -Michael’s men, who were to accompany us to Lamalmon, and Janni’s -servant, told us to cross the river, and make what speed we could, as -the Shum’s government ended on this side. - -Our people were now all on foot, and the Moors drove the beasts before -them. I got immediately upon horseback, when they were then about five -hundred yards below, or scarcely so much. As soon as they observed us -drive our beasts into the river, one of their horsemen came galloping -up, while the others continued at a smart walk. When the horseman -was within twenty yards distance of me, I called upon him to stop, -and, as he valued his life, not approach nearer. On this he made no -difficulty to obey, but seemed rather inclined to turn back. As I saw -the baggage all laid on the ground at the foot of a small round hill, -upon the gentle ascent of which my servants all stood armed, I turned -about my horse, and with Yasine, who was by my side, began to cross -the river. The horseman upon this again advanced; again I cried to him -to stop. He then pointed behind him, and said, “The Shum!” I desired -him peremptorily to stop, or I would fire; upon which he turned round, -and the others joining him, they held a minute’s counsel together, -and came all forward to the river, where they paused a moment as if -counting our number, and then began to enter the stream. Yasine now -cried to them in Amharic, as I had done before in Tigré, desiring them, -as they valued their lives, to come no nearer. They stopt, a sign of no -great resolution; and, after some altercation, it was agreed the Shum, -and his son with the gun, should pass the river. - -The Shum complained violently that we had left Addergey without his -leave, and now were attacking him in his own government upon the -high-road. “A pretty situation,” said I, “was ours at Addergey, where -the Shum left the king’s stranger no other alternative but dying with -hunger, or being ate by the hyæna.” - -“This is not your government,” says Janni’s servant; “you know my -master, Ayto Aylo, commands here.”--“And who is attacking you on -the road?” says the Sirè servant. “Is it like peaceable people, or -banditti, to come mounted on horseback and armed as you are? Would not -your mules and your foot-servants have been as proper? and would not -you have been better employed, with the king and Ras Michael, fighting -the Galla, as you gave your promise, than here molesting passengers on -the road?”--“You lie,” says the Shum, “I never promised to go with your -Ras;” and on this he lifted up his whip to strike Welleta Michael’s -servant; but that fellow, though quiet enough, was not of the kind to -be beaten. “By G--d! Shum,” says he, “offer to strike me again, and I -will lay you dead among your horse’s feet, and my master will say I did -well. Never call for your men; you should have taken the red slip off -your gun before you came from home to-day to follow us. Why, if you -was to shoot, you would be left alone in our hands, as all your fellows -on the other side would run at the noise even of your own gun. - -“Friends, said I, you understand one another’s grievances better than -I do. My only business here is to get to Lamalmon as soon as possible. -Now, pray, Shum, tell me what is your business with me? and why have -you followed me beyond your government, which is bounded by that -river?”--He said, “That I had stolen away privately, without paying -custom.”--“I am no merchant, replied I; I am the king’s guest, and pay -no custom; but as far as a piece of red Surat cotton cloth will content -you, I will give it you, and we shall part friends.”--He then answered, -“That two ounces of gold were what my dues had been rated at, and would -either have that, or he would follow me to Debra Toon.”--“Bind him and -carry him to Debra Toon, says the Siré servant, or I shall go and bring -the Shum of Debra Toon to do it. By the head of Michael, Shum, it shall -not be long before I take you out of your bed for this.” - -I now gave orders to my people to load the mules. At hearing this, -the Shum made a signal for his company to cross; but Yasine, who was -opposite to them, again ordered them to stop. “Shum, said I, you intend -to follow us, apparently with a design to do us some harm. Now we are -going to Debra Toon, and you are going thither. If you chuse to go -with us, you may in all honour and safety; but your servants shall not -be allowed to join you, nor you join them; and if they but attempt to -do us harm, we will for certain revenge ourselves on you. There is a -piece of ordnance,” continued I, shewing him a large blunderbuss, “a -cannon, that will sweep fifty such fellows as you to eternity in a -moment. This shall take the care of them, and we shall take the care of -you; but join you shall not till we are at Debra Toon.” - -The young man that carried the gun, the case of which had never been -off, desired leave to speak with his father, as they now began to -look upon themselves as prisoners. The conversation lasted about five -minutes; and our baggage was now on the way, when the Shum said, he -would make a proposal:--“Since I had no merchandise, and was going to -Ras Michael, he would accept of the red cloth, its value being about -a crown, provided we swore to make no complaint of him at Gondar, nor -speak of what had happened at Debra Toon; while he likewise would -swear, after having joined his servants, that he would not again pass -that river.” Peace was concluded upon these terms. I gave him a piece -of red Surat cotton cloth, and added some cohol, incense, and beads for -his wives. I gave to the young man that carried the gun two strings -of bugles to adorn his legs, for which he seemed most wonderfully -grateful. The Shum returned, not with a very placid countenance; his -horsemen joined him in the middle of the stream, and away they went -soberly together, and in silence. - -Hauza was from this S. E. eight miles distant. Its mountains, of so -many uncommon forms, had a very romantic appearance. At one o’clock we -alighted at the foot of one of the highest, called Debra Toon, about -half way between the mountain and village of that name, which was on -the side of the hill about a mile N. W. Still further to the N. W. is -a desert, hilly district, called Adebarea, the country of the slaves, -as being the neighbourhood of the Shangalla, the whole country between -being waste and uninhabited. - -The mountains of Waldubba, resembling those of Adebarea, lay north of -us about four or five miles. Waldubba, which signifies _the Valley -of the Hyæna_, is a territory entirely inhabited by the monks, who, -for mortification’s sake, have retired to this unwholesome, hot, and -dangerous country, voluntarily to spend their lives in penitence, -meditation, and prayer. This, too, is the only retreat of great men -in disgrace or in disgust. These first shave their hair, and put on a -cowl like the monks, renouncing the world for solitude, and taking vows -which they resolve to keep no longer than exigencies require; after -which they return to the world again, leaving their cowl and sanctity -in Waldubba. - -These monks are held in great veneration; are believed by many to have -the gift of prophecy, and some of them to work miracles, and are very -active instruments to stir up the people in time of trouble. Those that -I have seen out of Waldubba in Gondar, and about Koscam, never shewed -any great marks of abstinence; they ate and drank every thing without -scruple, and in large quantities too. They say they live otherwise in -Waldubba, and perhaps it may be so. There are women, also, whom we -should call Nuns, who, though not residing in Waldubba, go at times -thither, and live in a familiarity with these saints, that has very -little favour of spirituality; and many of these, who think the living -in community with this holy fraternity has not in it perfection enough -to satisfy their devotion, retire, one of each sex, a hermit and a nun, -sequestering themselves for months, to eat herbs together in private -upon the top of the mountains. These, on their return, are shewn as -miracles of holiness,--lean, enervated, and exhausted. Whether this is -wholly to be laid to the charge of the herbs, is more than I will take -upon me to decide, never having been at these retirements of Waldubba. - -Violent fevers perpetually reign there. The inhabitants are all of the -colour of a corpse; and their neighbours, the Shangalla, by constant -inroads, destroy many of them, though lately they have been stopped, as -they say, by the prayers of the monks. I suppose their partners, the -nuns, had their share in it, as both of them are said to be equally -superior in holiness and purity of living to what their predecessors -formerly were. But, not to derogate from the efficaciousness of their -prayers, the _natural cause_ why the Shangalla molest them no more, is -the small-pox, which has greatly reduced their strength and number, and -extinguished, to a man, whole tribes of them. - -The water is both scarce and bad at Debra Toon, there being but one -spring, or fountain, and it was exceedingly ill-tasted. We did not -intend to make this a station; but, having sent a servant to Hauza to -buy a mule in room of that which the hyæna had eaten, we were afraid -to leave our man, who was not yet come forward, lest he should fall in -with the Shum of Addergey, who might stop the mule for our arrears of -customs. - -The pointed mountain of Dagashaha continued still visible; I set it -this day by the compass, and it bore due N. E. We had not seen any -cultivated ground since we passed the Tacazzè. - -The 5th, at seven o’clock in the morning, we left Debra Toon, and came -to the edge of a deep valley bordered with wood, the descent of which -is very steep. The Anzo, larger and more rapid than the Angueah, runs -through the middle of this valley; its bed is full of large, smooth -stones, and the sides composed of hard rock, and difficult to descend; -the stream is equally clear and rapid with the other. We ascended -the valley on the other side, through the most difficult road we had -met with since that of the valley of Sirè. At ten o’clock we found -ourselves in the middle of three villages, two to the right, and one on -the left; they are called Adamara, from Adama a mountain, on the east -side of which is Tchober. At eleven o’clock we encamped at the foot of -the mountain Adama, in a small piece of level ground, after passing a -pleasant wood of no considerable extent. Adama, in Amharic, signifies -_pleasant_; and nothing can be more wildly so than the view from this -station. - -Tchober is close at the foot of the mountain, surrounded on every side, -except the north, by a deep valley covered with wood. On the other side -of this valley are the broken hills which constitute the rugged banks -of the Anzo. On the point of one of these, most extravagantly shaped, -is the village Shahagaanah, projecting as it were over the river; and, -behind these, the irregular and broken mountains of Salent appear, -especially those around Hauza, in forms which European mountains never -wear; and still higher, above these, is the long ridge of Samen, which -run along in an even stretch till they are interrupted by the high -conical top of Lamalmon, reaching above the clouds, and reckoned to be -the highest hill in Abyssinia, over the steepest part of which, by -some fatality, the reason I do not know, the road of all caravans to -Gondar must lie. - -As soon as we passed the Anzo, immediately on our right is that part of -Waldubba, full of deep valleys and woods, in which the monks used to -hide themselves from the incursions of the Shangalla, before they found -out the more convenient defence by the prayers and superior sanctity -of the present saints. Above this is Adamara, where the Mahometans -have considerable villages, and, by their populousness and strength, -have greatly added to the safety of the monks, perhaps not altogether -completed yet by the purity of their lives. Still higher than these -villages is Tchober, where we now encamped. - -On the left hand, after passing the Anzo, all is Shahagaanah, till you -come to the river Zarima. It extends in an east and west direction, -almost parallel to the mountains of Samen, and in this territory are -several considerable villages; the people are much addicted to robbery, -and rebellion, in which they were engaged at this time. Above Salent -is Abbergalè, and above that Tamben, which is one of the principal -provinces in Tigrè, commanded at present by Kefla Yasous, an officer of -the greatest merit and reputation in the Abyssinian army. - -On the 6th, at six o’clock in the morning, we left Tchober, and passed -a wood on the side of the mountain. At a quarter past eight we crossed -the river Zarima, a clear stream running over a bottom of stones. It -is about as large as the Anzo. On the banks of this river, and all -this day, we passed under trees larger and more beautiful than any we -had seen since leaving the Tacazzé. After having crossed the Zarima, -we entered a narrow defile between two mountains, where ran another -rivulet: we continued advancing along the side of it, till the valley -became so narrow as to leave no room but in the bed of the rivulet -itself. It is called Mai-Agam, or the water or brook of jessamin and -falls into the Zarima, at a small distance from the place wherein we -passed it. It was dry at the mouth, (the water being there absorbed -and hid under the sand) but above, where the ground was firmer, there -ran a brisk stream of excellent water, and it has the appearance of -being both broad, deep, and rapid in winter. At ten o’clock we encamped -upon its banks, which are here bordered with high trees of cummel, at -this time both loaded with fruit and flowers. There are also here a -variety of other curious trees and plants; in no place, indeed, had we -seen more, except on the banks of the Tacazzé. Mai-Agam consists of -three villages; one, two miles distant, east-and-by-north, one at same -distance, N. N. W.; the third at one mile distance, S. E. by south. - -On the 7th, at six o’clock in the morning, we began to ascend the -mountain; at a quarter past seven the village Lik lay east of us. -Murass, a country full of low but broken mountains, and deep narrow -valleys, bears N. W. and Walkayt in the same direction, but farther -off. At a quarter past eight, Gingerohha, distant from us about a mile -S. W. it is a village situated upon a mountain that joins Lamalmon. Two -miles to the N. E. is the village Taguzait on the mountain which we -were ascending. It is called Guza by the Jesuits, who strangely say, -that the Alps and Pyreneans are inconsiderable eminences to it. Yet, -with all deference to this observation, Taguzait, or Guza, though -really the base of Lamalmon, is not a quarter of a mile high. - -Ten minutes before nine o’clock we pitched our tent on a small plain -called Dippebaha, on the top of the mountain, above a hundred yards -from a spring, which scarcely was abundant enough to supply us with -water, in quality as indifferent as it was scanty. The plain bore -strong marks of the excessive heat of the sun, being full of cracks and -chasms, and the grass burnt to powder. There are three small villages -so near each other that they may be said to compose one. Near them is -the church of St George, on the top of a small hill to the eastward, -surrounded with large trees. - -Since passing the Tacazzé we had been in a very wild country, left so, -for what I know, by nature, at least now lately rendered more so by -being the theatre of civil war. The whole was one wilderness without -inhabitants, unless at Addergey. The plain of Dippebaha had nothing of -this appearance; it was full of grass, and interspersed with flowering -shrubs, jessamin, and roses, several kinds of which were beautiful, but -only one fragrant. The air was very fresh and pleasant; and a great -number of people, passing to and fro, animated the scene. - -We met this day several monks and nuns of Waldubba, I should say -_pairs_, for they were two and two together. They said they had been at -the market of Dobarké on the side of Lamalmon, just above Dippebaha. -Both men and women, but especially the latter, had large burdens of -provisions on their shoulders, bought that day, as they said, at -Dobarkè, which shewed me they did not wholly depend upon the herbs of -Waldubba for their support. The women were stout and young, and did -not seem, by their complexion, to have been long in the mortifications -of Waldubba. I rather thought that they had the appearance of healthy -mountaineers, and were, in all probability, part of the provisions -bought for the convent; and, by the sample, one would think the monks -had the first choice of the market, which was but fit, and is a custom -observed likewise in Catholic countries. The men seemed very miserable, -and ill-clothed, but had a great air of ferocity and pride in their -faces. They are distinguished only from the laity by a yellow cowl, or -cap, on their head. The cloth they wear round them is likewise yellow, -but in winter they wear skins dyed of the same colour. - -On the 8th, at three quarters past six o’clock in the morning, we left -Dippebaha, and, at seven, had two small villages on our left; one on -the S. E. distant two miles, the other on the south, one mile off. -They are called Wora, and so is the territory for some space on each -side of them; but, beyond the valley, all is Shahagaanah to the root -of Lamalmon. At a quarter past seven, the village of Gingerohha was -three miles on our right; and we were now ascending Lamalmon, through -a very narrow road, or rather path, for it scarcely was two feet wide -any where. It was a spiral winding up the side of the mountain, always -on the very brink of a precipice. Torrents of water, which in winter -carry prodigious stones down the side of this mountain, had divided -this path into several places, and opened to us a view of that dreadful -abyss below, which few heads can (mine at least could not) bear to -look down upon. We were here obliged to unload our baggage, and, by -slow degrees, crawl up the hill, carrying them little by little upon -our shoulders round these chasms where the road was intersected. The -mountains grow steeper, the paths narrower, and the breaches more -frequent as we ascend. Scarce were our mules, though unloaded, able -to scramble up, but were perpetually falling; and, to increase our -difficulties, which, in such cases, seldom come single, a large number -of cattle was descending, and seemed to threaten to push us all into -the gulf below. After two hours of constant toil, at nine o’clock we -alighted in a small plain called Kedus, or St Michael, from a church -and village of that name, neither beast nor man being able to go a step -further. - -The plain of St Michael, where we now were, is at the foot of a -steep cliff which terminates the west side of Lamalmon. It is here -perpendicular like a wall, and a few trees only upon the top of the -cliff. Over this precipice flow two streams of water, which never are -dry, but run in all seasons. They fall into a wood at the bottom of -this cliff, and preserve it in continual verdure all the year, tho’ -the plain itself below, as I have said, is all rent into chasms, and -cracked by the heat of the sun. These two streams form a considerable -rivulet in the plain of St Michael, and are a great relief both to men -and cattle in this tedious and difficult passage over the mountain. - -The air on Lamalmon is pleasant and temperate. We found here our -appetite return, with a chearfulness, lightness of spirits, and agility -of body, which indicated that our nerves had again resumed their wonted -tone, which they had lost in the low, poisonous, and sultry air on the -coast of the Red Sea. The sun here is indeed hot, but in the morning a -cool breeze never fails, which increases as the sun rises high. In the -shade it is always cool. The thermometer, in the shade, in the plain of -St Michael, this day, was 76°, wind N. W. - -Lamalmon, as I have said, is the pass through which the road of all -caravans to Gondar lies. It is here they take an account of all baggage -and merchandise, which they transmit to the Negadé Ras, or chief -officer of the customs at Gondar, by a man whom they send to accompany -the caravan. There is also a present, or awide, due to the private -proprietor of the ground; and this is levied with great rigour and -violence, and, for the most part, with injustice; so that this station, -which, by the establishment of the customhouse, and nearness to the -capital, should be in a particular manner attended to by government, is -always the place where the first robberies and murders are committed -in unsettled times. Though we had nothing with us which could be -considered as subject to duty, we submitted every thing to the will -of the robber of the place, and gave him his present. If he was not -satisfied, he seemed to be so, which was all we wanted. - -We had obtained leave to depart early in the morning of the 9th, but it -was with great regret we were obliged to abandon our Mahometan friends -into hands that seemed disposed to shew them no favour. The king was in -Maitsha, or Damot, that is to say, far from Gondar, and various reports -were spread abroad about the success of the campaign; and these people -only waited for an unfavourable event to make a pretence for robbing -our fellow-travellers of every thing they had. - -The persons whose right it was to levy these contributions were two, a -father and son; the old man was dressed very decently, spoke little, -but smoothly, and had a very good carriage. He professed a violent -hatred to all Mahometans, on account of their religion, a sentiment -which seemed to promise nothing favourable to our friend Yasine and -his companions: but, in the evening, the son, who seemed to be the -active man, came to our tent, and brought us a quantity of bread and -bouza, which his father had ordered before. He seemed to be much taken -with our fire-arms, and was very inquisitive about them. I gave him -every sort of satisfaction, and, little by little, saw I might win his -heart entirely; which I very much wished to do, that I might free our -companions from bondage. - -The young man it seems was a good soldier; and, having been in several -actions under Ras Michael, as a fusileer, he brought his gun, and -insisted on shooting at marks. I humoured him in this; but as I used -a rifle, which he did not understand, he found himself overmatched, -especially by the greatness of the range, for he shot straight enough. -I then shewed him the manner we shot flying, there being quails in -abundance, and wild pigeons, of which I killed several, on wing, -which left him in the utmost astonishment. Having got on horseback, -I next went through the exercise of the Arabs, with a long spear and -a short javelin. This was more within his comprehension, as he had -seen something like it; but he was wonderfully taken with the fierce -and fiery appearance of my horse, and, at the same time, with his -docility, the form of his saddle, bridle, and accoutrements. He threw -at last the sandals off his feet, twisted his upper garment into -his girdle, and set off at so furious a rate, that I could not help -doubting whether he was in his sober understanding. - -It was not long till he came back, and with him a man-servant carrying -a sheep and a goat, and a woman carrying a jar of honey-wine. I had -not yet quitted the horse; and when I saw what his intention was, I -put Mirza to a gallop, and, with one of the barrels of the gun, shot -a pigeon, and immediately fired the other into the ground. There was -nothing after this that could have surprized him, and it was repeated -several times at his desire; after which he went into the tent, where -he invited himself to my house at Gondar. There I was to teach him -every thing he had seen. We now swore perpetual friendship; and a -horn or two of hydromel being emptied, I introduced the case of our -fellow-travellers, and obtained a promise that we should have leave to -set out together. He would, moreover, take no awide, and said he would -be favourable in his report to Gondar. - -Matters were so far advanced, when a servant of Michael’s arrived, sent -by Petros, (Janni’s brother) who had obtained him from Ozoro Esther. -This put an end to all our difficulties. Our young soldier also kept -his word, and a mere trifle of awide was given, rather by the Moor’s -own desire than from demand, and the report of our baggage, and dues -thereon, were as low as could be wished. Our friend likewise sent his -own servant to Gondar with the billet to accompany the caravan. But -the news brought by his servant were still better than all this. Ras -Michael had actually beaten Fasil, and forced him to retire to the -other side of the Nile, and was then in Maitsha, where it was thought -he would remain with the army all the rainy season. This was just what -I could have wished, as it brought me at once to the neighbourhood of -the sources of the Nile, without the smallest shadow of fear or danger. - -On the 9th of February, at seven o’clock, we took leave of the friends -whom we had so newly acquired at Lamalmon, all of us equally joyful -and happy at the news. We began to ascend what still remained of -the mountain, which, though steep and full of bushes, was much less -difficult than that which we had passed. At a quarter past seven we -arrived at the top of Lamalmon, which has, from below, the appearance -of being sharp-pointed. On the contrary, we were much surprised to find -there a large plain, part in pasture, but more bearing grain. It is -full of springs, and seems to be the great reservoir from whence arise -most of the rivers that water this part of Abyssinia. A multitude of -streams issue from the very summit in all directions; the springs boil -out from the earth in large quantities, capable of turning a mill. They -plow, sow, and reap here at all seasons; and the husbandman must blame -his own indolence, and not the soil, if he has not three harvests. We -saw, in one place, people busy cutting down wheat; immediately next to -it, others at the plough; and the adjoining field had green corn in the -ear; a little further, it was not an inch above the ground. - -Lamalmon is on the N. W. part of the mountains of Samen. That of -Gingerohha, with two pointed tops, joins it on the north, and ends -these mountains here, and is separated from the plain of St Michael by -a very deep gully. Neither Lamalmon nor Gingerohha, though higher than -the mountains of Tigré, are equal in height to some of those of Samen. -I take those to the S. E. to be much higher, and, above all, that -sharp-pointed hill Amba Gideon, the present residence of the governor -of Samen, Ayto Tesfos. This is otherwise called the _Jews-Rock_, famous -in the history of this country for the many revolts of the Jews against -the Abyssinian kings. - -The mountain is everywhere so steep and high, that it is not enough -to say against the will, but without the assistance of those above, -no one from below can venture to ascend. On the top is a large plain, -affording plenty of pasture, as well as room for plowing and sowing -for the maintenance of the army; and there is water, at all seasons, -in great plenty, and even fish in the streams upon it; so that, -although the inhabitants of the mountain had been often besieged for -a considerable time together, they suffered little inconvenience from -it, nor ever were taken unless by treason; except by Christopher de -Gama and his Portuguese, who are said, by their own historians, to have -stormed this rock, and put the Mahometan garrison to the sword. No -mention of this honourable conquest is made in the annals of Abyssinia, -though they give the history of this campaign of Don Christopher in the -life of Claudius, or Atzenaf Segued. - -On the top of the cliff where we now were, on the left hand of the road -to Gondar, we filled a tube with quick-silver, and purged it perfectly -of outward air; it stood this day at 20⅞ English inches. Dagashaha -bears N. E. by E. from our present station upon Lamalmon. The language -of Lamalmon is Amharic; but there are many villages where the language -of the Falasha is spoken. These are the ancient inhabitants of the -mountains, who still preserve the religion, language, and manners of -their ancestors, and live in villages by themselves. Their number -is now considerably diminished, and this has proportionally lowered -their power and spirit. They are now wholly addicted to agriculture, -hewers of wood and carriers of water, and the only potters and masons -in Abyssinia. In the former profession they excel greatly, and, in -general, live better than the other Abyssinians; which these, in -revenge, attribute to a skill in magic, not to superior industry. Their -villages are generally strongly situated out of the reach of marching -armies, otherwise they would be constantly rifled, partly from hatred, -and partly from hopes of finding money. - -On the 10th, at half past seven in the morning, we continued along -the plain on the top of Lamalmon; it is called Lama; and a village of -the same name bore about two miles east from us. At eight o’clock we -passed two villages called Mocken, one W. by N. at one mile and a half, -the other S. E. two miles distant. At half past eight we crossed the -river Macara, a considerable stream running with a very great current, -which is the boundary between Woggora and Lamalmon. At nine o’clock we -encamped at some small villages called Macara, under a church named -Yasous. On the 11th of February, by the meridian altitude of the sun at -noon, and that of several fixed stars proper for observation, I found -the latitude of Macara to be 13° 6´ 8´´. The ground was everywhere -burnt up; and, though the nights were very cold, we had not observed -the smallest dew since our first ascending the mountain. The province -of Woggora begins at Macara; it is all plain, and reckoned the granary -of Gondar on this side, although the name would denote no such thing, -for Woggora signifies the _stony_, or _rocky province_. - -The mountains of Lasta and Belessen bound our view to the south; the -hills of Gondar on the S. W.; and all Woggora lies open before us to -the south, covered, as I have said before, with grain. But the wheat -of Woggora is not good, owing probably to the height of that province. -It makes an indifferent bread, and is much less esteemed than that of -Foggora and Dembea, low, flat provinces, sheltered with hills, that lie -upon the side of the lake Tzana. - -On the 12th we left Macara at seven in the morning, still travelling -through the plain of Woggora. At half past seven saw two villages -called Erba Tensa, one of them a mile distant, the other half a mile -on the N. W. At eight o’clock we came to Woken, five villages not two -hundred yards distant from one another. At a quarter past eight we saw -five other villages to the S. W. called Warrar, from one to four miles -distant, all between the points of east and south. The country now -grows inconceivably populous; vast flocks of cattle of all kinds feed -on every side, having large and beautiful horns, exceedingly wide, and -bosses upon their backs like camels; their colour is mostly black. - -At a quarter past eight we passed Arena, a village on our left. At -nine we passed the river Girama, which runs N. N. W. and terminates -the district of Lamalmon, beginning that of Giram. At ten the church -of St George remained on our right, one mile from us; we crossed a -river called Shimbra Zuggan, and encamped about two hundred yards from -it. The valley of that name is more broken and uneven than any part -we had met with since we ascended Lamalmon. The valley called also -Shimbra Zuggan, is two miles and a half N. by E. on the top of a hill -surrounded with trees. Two small brooks, the one from S. S. E. the -other from S. E. join here, then fall into the rivulet. - -The 13th, at seven in the morning, we proceeded still along the plain; -at half past seven came to Arradara; and afterwards saw above twenty -other villages on our right and left, ruined and destroyed from the -lowest foundation by Ras Michael in his late march to Gondar. At half -past eight the church of Mariam was about a hundred yards on our left. -At ten we encamped under Tamamo. The country here is full of people; -the villages are mostly ruined, which, in some places, they are -rebuilding. It is wholly sown with grain of different kinds, but more -especially with wheat. For the production of this, they have everywhere -extirpated the wood, and now labour under a great scarcity of fuel. -Since we passed Lamalmon, the only substitute for this was cows and -mules dung, which they gather, make into cakes, and dry in the sun. -From Addergey hither, salt is the current money, in large purchases, -such as sheep or other cattle; cohol, and pepper, for smaller articles, -such as flour, butter, fowls, &c. At Shimbra Zuggan they first began to -inquire after red Surat cotton cloth for which they offered us thirteen -bricks of salt; four peeks of this red cloth are esteemed the price of -a goat. We began to find the price of provisions augment in a great -proportion as we approached the capital. - -This day we met several caravans going to Tigré, a certain sign -of Michael’s victory; also vast flocks of cattle driven from the -rebellious provinces, which were to pasture on Lamalmon, and had been -purchased from the army. Not only the country was now more cultivated, -but the people were cleanlier, better dressed, and apparently better -fed, than those in the other parts we had left behind us. Indeed, from -Shimbra Zuggan hither, there was not a foot, excepting the path on -which we trode, that was not sown with some grain or other. - -On the 14th, at seven o’clock in the morning, we continued our journey. -At ten minutes past seven, we had five villages of Tamamo three miles -on our left; our road was through gentle rising hills, all pasture -ground. At half past seven, the village of Woggora was three miles on -our right; and at eight, the church of St George a mile on our left, -with a village of the same name near it; and, ten minutes after, Angaba -Mariam, a church dedicated to the virgin, so called from the small -territory Angaba, which we are now entering. At fifty minutes past -eight, we came to five villages called Angaba, at small distances from -each other. At nine o’clock we came to Kossogué, and entered a small -district of that name. The church is on a hill surrounded with trees. -On our left are five villages all called Kossoguè, and as it were on a -line, the farthest at 3 miles distance; near ten we came to the church -of Argiff, in the midst of many ruined villages. Three miles on our -left hand are several others, called Appano. - -After having suffered, with infinite patience and perseverance, the -hardships and danger of this long and painful journey, at forty -minutes past ten we were gratified, at last, with the sight of Gondar, -according to my computation about ten miles distant. The king’s palace -(at least the tower of it) is distinctly seen, but none of the other -houses, which are covered by the multitude of wanzey-trees growing -in the town, so that it appears one thick, black wood. Behind it is -Azazo, likewise covered with trees. On a hill is the large church of -Tecla Haimanout, and the river below it makes it distinguishable; still -further on is the great lake Tzana, which terminates our horizon. - -At forty-five minutes past ten we began to ascend about two miles -through a broken road, having on our right, in the valley below, -the river Tchagassa; and here begins the territory of that name. At -fifty-five minutes past ten, descending still the hill, we passed -a large spring of water, called Bambola, together with several -plantations of sugar-canes which grow here _from the seed_. At eleven -o’clock the village Tchagassa was about half a mile distant from us -on our right, on the other side of the river. It is inhabited by -Mahometans, as is Waalia, another small one near it. At twelve o’clock -we passed the river Tchagassa over a bridge of three arches, the middle -of which is Gothic, the two lesser Roman. This bridge, though small, is -solid and well cemented, built with stone by order of Facilidas, who -probably employed those of his subjects who had retained the arts of -the Portuguese, but not their religion. - -The Tchagassa has very steep, rocky banks: It is so deep, though -narrow, that, without this bridge, it scarce would be passable. We -encamped at a small distance from it, but nearer Gondar. Here again -we met with trees, (small ones indeed) but the first we had seen since -leaving Lamalmon, excepting the usual groves of cedars. It is the -Virginia cedar, or oxy-cedros, in this country called _Arz_, with which -their churches are constantly surrounded. - -On the 15th, at ten minutes past seven, we began to ascend the -mountain; and, at twenty minutes after seven, passed a village on -our left. At seven and three quarters we passed Tiba and Mariam, two -churches, the one on our right, the other on our left, about half -a mile distant; and near them several small villages, inhabited by -Falasha, masons and thatchers of houses, employed at Gondar. At half -past eight we came to the village Tocutcho, and, in a quarter of an -hour, passed the river of that name, and in a few minutes rested on the -river Angrab, about half a mile from Gondar. - -Tchacassa is the last of the many little districts which, together, -compose Woggora, generally understood to be dependent on Samen, -though often, from the turbulent spirit of its chiefs, struggling -for independency, as at the present time, but sure to pay for it -immediately after. In fact, though large, it is too near Gondar to be -suffered to continue in rebellion; and, being rich and well cultivated, -it derives its support from the capital, as being the mart of its -produce. It is certainly one of the fruitfulest provinces in Abyssinia, -but the inhabitants are miserably poor, notwithstanding their threefold -harvests. Whereas, in Egypt, beholden to this country alone for its -fertility, one moderate harvest gives plenty everywhere. - -Woggora is full of large ants, and prodigious swarms of rats and -mice, which consume immense quantities of grain; to these plagues may -be added still one, the greatest of them all, bad government, which -speedily destroys all the advantages they reap from nature, climate, -and situation. - - - - -CHAP. VIII. - -_Reception at Gondar--Triumphal Entry of the King--The Author’s first -Audience._ - - -We were much surprised at arriving on the Angrab, that no person had -come to us from Petros, Janni’s brother. We found afterwards, indeed, -that he had taken fright upon some menacing words from the priests, -at hearing a Frank was on his way to Gondar, and that he had, soon -after, set out for Ibaba, where the Ras was, to receive his directions -concerning us. This was the most disagreeable accident could have -happened to me. I had not a single person to whom I could address -myself for any thing. My letters were for the king and Ras Michael, and -could be of no use, as both were absent; and though I had others for -Petros and the Greeks, they, too, were out of town. - -Many Mahometans came to the Angrab to meet the caravan. They all -knew of my coming perfectly, and I soon explained my situation. I -had Janni’s letters to Negadé Ras Mahomet, the chief of the Moors at -Gondar, and principal merchant in Abyssinia, who was absent likewise -with the army. But one of his brethren, a sagacious, open-hearted -man, desired me not to be discouraged; that, as I had not put off my -Moorish dress, I should continue it; that a house was provided for -Mahomet Gibberti, and those that were with him, and that he would put -me immediately into possession of it, where I might stay, free from -any intercourse with the priests, till Petros or the Ras should return -to Gondar. This advice I embraced with great readiness, as there -was nothing I was so much afraid of as an encounter with fanatical -priests before I had obtained some protection from government, or the -great people in the country. After having concerted these measures, I -resigned myself to the direction of my Moorish friend Hagi Saleh. - -We moved along the Angrab, having Gondar on our right situated upon a -hill, and the river on our left, proceeding down till its junction with -a smaller stream, called the Kahha, that joins it at the Moorish town. -This situation, near running water, is always chosen by the Mahometans -on account of their frequent ablutions. The Moorish town at Gondar may -consist of about 3000 houses, some of them spacious and good. I was -put in possession of a very neat one, destined for Mahomet Gibberti. -Flour, honey, and such-like food, Mahometans and Christians eat -promiscuously, and so far I was well situated. As for flesh, although -there was abundance of it, I could not touch a bit of it, being killed -by Mahometans, as that communion would have been looked upon as equal -to a renunciation of Christianity. - -By Janni’s servant, who had accompanied us from Adowa, his kind and -friendly master had wrote to Ayto Aylo, of whom I have already spoken. -He was the constant patron of the Greeks, and had been so also of all -the Catholics who had ventured into this country, and been forced -after to leave it. Though no man professed greater veneration for the -priesthood, no one privately detested more those of his own country -than he did; and he always pretended that, if a proper way of going to -Jerusalem could be found, he would leave his large estates, and the -rank he had in Abyssinia, and, with the little money he could muster, -live the remaining part of his days among the monks, of whom he had -now accounted himself one, in the convent of the holy sepulchre. This -perhaps was, great part of it, imagination; but, as he had talked -himself into a belief that he was to end his days either at Jerusalem, -which was a pretence, or at Rome, which was his inclination, he -willingly took the charge of white people of all communions who had -hitherto been unhappy enough to stray into Abyssinia. - -It was about seven o’clock at night, of the 15th, when Hagi Saleh was -much alarmed by a number of armed men at his door; and his surprise -was still greater upon seeing Ayto Aylo, who, as far as I know, was -never in the Moorish town before, descend from his mule, and uncover -his head and shoulders, as if he had been approaching a person of the -first distinction. I had been reading the prophet Enoch, which Janni -had procured me at Adowa; and Wemmer’s and Ludolf’s dictionaries were -lying upon it. Yasine was sitting by me, and was telling me what news -he had picked up, and he was well acquainted with Ayto Aylo, from -several commissions he had received for his merchants in Arabia. A -contention of civilities immediately followed. I offered to stand till -Aylo was covered, and he would not sit till I was seated. This being -got over, the first curiosity was, What my books were? and he was very -much astonished at seeing one of them was Abyssinian, and the European -helps that I had towards understanding it. He understood Tigrè and -Amharic perfectly, and had a little knowledge of Arabic, that is, he -understood it when spoken, for he could neither read nor write it, and -spoke it very ill, being at a loss for words. - -The beginning of our discourse was in Arabic, and embarrassed enough, -but we had plenty of interpreters in all languages. The first -bashfulness being removed on both sides, our conversation began in -Tigré, now, lately since Michael had become Ras, the language most -used in Gondar. Aylo was exceedingly astonished at hearing me speak -the language as I did, and said after, “The Greeks are poor creatures; -Peter does not speak Tigré so well as this man.” Then, very frequently, -to Saleh and the by-standers, “Come, come, he’ll do, if he can speak; -there is no fear of him, he’ll make his way.” - -He told us that Welled Hawaryat had come from the camp ill of a fever, -and that they were afraid it was the small pox: that Janni had informed -them I had saved many young people’s lives at Adowa, by a new manner -of treating them; and that the Iteghé desired I would come the next -morning, and that he should carry me to Koscam and introduce me to her. -I told him that I was ready to be directed by his good advice; that -the absence of the Greeks, and Mahomet Gibberti at the same time, had -very much distressed me, and especially the apprehensions of Petros. He -said, smiling, That neither Petros nor himself were bad men, but that -unfortunately they were great cowards, and things were not always so -bad as they apprehended. What had frightened Petros, was a conversation -of Abba Salama, whom they met at Koscam, expressing his displeasure -with some warmth, that a Frank, meaning me, was permitted to come to -Gondar. “But,” says Ayto Aylo, “we shall hear to-morrow, or next day. -Ras Michael and Abba Salama are not friends; and if you could do any -good to Welled Hawaryat his son, I shall answer for it, one word of his -will stop the mouths of a hundred Abba Salamas.” I will not trouble -the reader with much indifferent conversation that passed. He drank -capillaire and water, and sat till past midnight. - -Abba Salama, of whom we shall often speak, at that time filled the -post of Acab Saat, or guardian of the fire. It is the third dignity -of the church, and he is the first religious officer in the palace. -He had a very large revenue, and still a greater influence. He was -a man exceedingly rich, and of the very worst life possible; though -he had taken the vows of poverty and chastity, it was said he had at -that time, above seventy mistresses in Gondar. His way of seducing -women was as extraordinary as the number seduced. It was not by gifts, -attendance, or flattery, the usual means employed on such occasions; -when he had fixed his desires upon a woman, he forced her to comply, -under pain of _excommunication_. He was exceedingly eloquent and bold, -a great favourite of the Iteghè’s, till taken in to be a counsellor -with Lubo and Brulhè. He had been very instrumental in the murder of -Kasmati Eshté, of which he vaunted, even in the palace of the queen his -sister. He was a man of a pleasing countenance, short, and of a very -fair complexion; indifferent, or rather averse to wine, but a monstrous -glutton, nice in what he had to eat, to a degree scarcely before known -in Abyssinia; a mortal enemy to all white people, whom he classed under -the name of Franks, for which the Greeks, uniting their interests at -favourable times, had often very nearly overset him. - -The next morning, about ten o’clock, taking Hagi Saleh and Yasine with -me, and dressed in my Moorish dress, I went to Ayto Aylo, and found him -with several great plates of bread, melted butter, and honey, before -him, of one of which he and I ate; the rest were given to the Moors, -and other people present. There was with him a priest of Koscam, and we -all set out for that palace as soon as we had ate breakfast. The rest -of the company were on mules. I had mounted my own favourite horse. -Aylo, before his fright at Sennaar, was one of the first horsemen in -Abyssinia; he was short, of a good figure, and knew the advantage of -such make for a horseman; he had therefore a curiosity to see a tall -man ride; but he was an absolute stranger to the great advantage of -Moorish furniture, bridles, spurs, and stirrups, in the management -of a violent, strong, high-mettled horse. It was with the utmost -satisfaction, when we arrived in the plain called Aylo Meydan, that I -shewed him the different paces of the horse. He cried out with fear -when he saw him stand upright upon his legs, and jump forward, or -aside, with all four feet off the ground. - -We passed the brook of St Raphael, a suburb of Gondar, where is the -house of the Abuna; and upon coming in sight of the palace of Koscam, -we all uncovered our heads, and rode slowly. As Aylo was all-powerful -with the Iteghé, indeed her first counsellor and friend, our admittance -was easy and immediate. We alighted, and were shewn into a low room in -the palace. Ayto Aylo went immediately to the queen to inquire about -Welled Hawaryat, and his audience lasted two long hours. He returned to -us with these news, that Welled Hawaryat was much better, by a medicine -a saint from Waldubba had given him, which consisted in some characters -written with common ink upon a tin plate, which characters were washed -off by a medicinal liquor, and then given him to drink. It was agreed, -however, that the complaint was the small-pox, and the good it had done -him was, he had ate heartily of _brind_, or raw beef after it, tho’ he -had not ate before since his arrival, but called perpetually for drink. -Aylo said he was to remain at Koscam till towards evening, and desired -me to meet him at his own house when it turned dark, and to bring -Petros with me, if he was returned. - -Petros was returned when I arrived, and waited for me at Hagi Saleh’s -house. Although he shewed all the signs of my being welcome, yet it was -easy to read in his countenance he had not succeeded according to his -wish, in his interview with Michael, or that he had met something that -had ruffled and frightened him anew. And, indeed, this last was the -case, for going to the Ras’s tent, he had seen the stuffed skin of the -unfortunate Woosheka, with whom he was well acquainted, swinging upon a -tree, and drying in the wind. He was so terrified, and struck with such -horror, at the sight, that he was in a kind of hysteric fit, cried, -started, laughed hideously, and seemed as if he had in part lost his -senses. - -I was satisfied by the state I saw him in, though he had left Ibaba -three days, that, as the first sight of Woosheka’s stuffed skin must -have been immediately before he went to the Ras, he could not have had -any distinct or particular conversation with him on my account; and -it turned out after, that he had not spoken one word upon the subject -from fear, but had gone to the tent of Negadè Ras Mahomet, who carried -him to Kefla Yasous; that they, too, seeing the fright he was in, and -knowing the cause, had gone without him to the Ras, and told him of my -arrival, and of the behaviour of Abba Salama, and my fear thereupon, -and that I was then in the house of Hagi Saleh, in the Moorish town. -The Ras’s answer was, “Abba Salama is an ass, and they that fear him -are worse. Do I command in Gondar only when I stay there? My dog is of -more consequence in Gondar than Abba Salama.” And then, after pausing a -little, he said, “Let Yagoube stay where he is in the Moors town; Saleh -will let no priests trouble him there.” Negadé Ras Mahomet laughed, -and said, “We will answer for that;” and Petros set out immediately -upon his return, haunted night and day with the ghost of his friend -Woosheka, but without having seen Ras Michael. - -I thought, when we went at night to Ayto Aylo, and he had told the -story distinctly, that Aylo and he were equally afraid, for he had not, -or pretended he had not, till then heard that Woosheka had been flayed -alive. Aylo, too, was well acquainted with the unfortunate person, and -only said, “This is Esther, this is Esther; nobody knew her but I.” -Then they went on to inquire particulars, and after, they would stop -one another, and desire each other to speak no more; then they cried -again, and fell into the same conversation. It was impossible not to -laugh at the ridiculous dialogue. “Sirs,” said I, “you have told me all -I want; I shall not stir from the Moors town till Ras Michael arrives; -if there was any need of advice, you are neither of you capable of -giving it; now I would wish you would shew me you are capable of taking -mine. You are both extremely agitated, and Peter is very tired; and -will besides see the ghost of Woosheka shaking to and fro all night -with the wind; neither of you ate supper, as I intend to do; and I -think Peter should stay here all night, but you should not lie both -of you in the same room, where Woosheka’s black skin, so strongly -impressed on your mind, will not fail to keep you talking all night in -place of sleeping. Boil about a quart of gruel, I will put a few drops -into it; go then to bed, and this unusual operation of Michael will not -have power to keep you awake.” - -The gruel was made, and a good large doze of laudanum put into it. -I took my leave, and returned with Saleh; but before I went to the -door Aylo told me he had forgot Welled Hawaryat was very bad, and the -Iteghè, Ozoro Altash, his wife, and Ozoro Esther, desired I would come -and see him to-morrow. One of his daughters, by Ozoro Altash, had been -ill some time before his arrival, and she too was thought in great -danger. “Look,” said I, “Ayto Aylo, the small-pox is a disease that -will have its course; and, during the long time the patient is under -it, if people feed them and treat them according to their own ignorant -prejudices, my seeing him, or advising him, is in vain. This morning -you said a man had cured him by writing upon a tin plate; and to try if -he was well, they crammed him with raw beef. I do not think the letters -that he swallowed will do him any harm, neither will they do him any -good; but I shall not be surprised if the raw beef kills him, and his -daughter Welleta Selassé, too, before I see him to-morrow.” - -On the morrow Petros was really taken ill, and feverish, from a cold -and fatigue, and fright. Aylo and I went to Koscam, and, for a fresh -amusement to him, I shewed him the manner in which the Arabs use their -firelocks on horseback; but with this advantage of a double-barrelled -gun, which he had never before seen. I shot also several birds from the -horse; all which things he would have pronounced impossible if they had -been only told him. He arrived at Koscam full of wonder, and ready to -believe I was capable of doing every thing I undertook. - -We were just entering into the palace-door, when we saw a large -procession of monks, with the priests of Koscam at their head, a large -cross and a picture carried with them, the last in a very dirty, -gilt frame. Aylo turned aside when he saw these; and, going into the -chamberlain’s apartment, called Ayto Heikel, afterwards a great friend -and companion of mine. He informed us, that three great saints from -Waldubba, one of whom had neither ate nor drank for twenty years of -his life, had promised to come and cure Welled Hawaryat, by laying a -picture of the Virgin Mary and the cross upon him, and therefore they -would not wish me to be seen, or meddle in the affair. “I assure you, -Ayto Aylo,” said I, “I shall strictly obey you. There is no sort of -reason for my meddling in this affair with such associates. If they can -cure him by a miracle, I am sure it is the easiest kind of cure of any, -and will not do his constitution the least harm afterwards, which is -more than I will promise for medicines in general; but, remember what -I say to you, it will, indeed, be a miracle, if both the father and -the daughter are not dead before to-morrow night.” We seemed all of us -satisfied in one point, that it was better he should die, than I come -to trouble by interfering. - -After the procession was gone, Aylo went to the Iteghè, and, I suppose, -told her all that happened since he had seen her last. I was called in, -and, as usual, prostrated myself upon the ground. She received that -token of respect without offering to excuse or to decline it. Aylo -then said, “This is our gracious mistress, who always gives us her -assistance and protection. You may safely say before her whatever is in -your heart.” - -Our first discourse was about Jerusalem, the Holy Sepulchre, Calvary, -the City of David, and the Mountain of Olives, with the situations of -which she was perfectly well acquainted. She then asked me to tell her -truly if I was not a Frank? “Madam,” said I, “if I was a Catholic, -which you mean by Frank, there could be no greater folly than my -concealing this from you in the beginning, after the assurance Ayto -Aylo has just now given; and, in confirmation of the truth I am now -telling, (she had a large bible lying on the table before her, upon -which I laid my hand), I declare to you, by all those truths contained -in this book, that my religion is more different from the Catholic -religion than your’s is: that there has been more blood shed between -the Catholics and us, on account of the difference of religion, than -ever was between you and the Catholics in this country; even at this -day, when men are become wiser and cooler in many parts of the world, -it would be full as safe for a Jesuit to preach in the market-place -of Gondar, as for any priest of my religion to present himself as a -teacher in the most civilized of Frank or Catholic countries.”--“How is -it then,” says she, “that you don’t believe in miracles?” - -“I see, Madam,” said I, “Ayto Aylo has informed you of a few words -that some time ago dropt from me. I do certainly believe the miracles -of Christ and his apostles, otherwise I am no Christian; but I do -not believe these miracles of latter times, wrought upon trifling -occasions, like sports, and jugglers tricks.”--“And yet,” says she, -“our books are full of them.”--“I know they are,” said I, “and so are -those of the Catholics: but I never can believe that a saint converted -the devil, who lived, forty years after, a holy life as a monk; nor -the story of another saint, who, being sick and hungry, caused a brace -of partridges, ready-roasted, to fly upon his plate that he might eat -them.”--“He has been reading the Synaxar,” says Ayto Aylo. “I believe -so,” says she, smiling; “but is there any harm in believing too much, -and is not there great danger in believing too little?”--“Certainly,” -continued I; “but what I meant to say to Ayto Aylo was, that I did not -believe laying a picture upon Welled Hawaryat would recover him when -delirious in a fever.” She answered, “There was nothing impossible with -God.” I made a bow of assent, wishing heartily the conversation might -end there. - -I returned to the Moors town, leaving Aylo with the queen. In the -afternoon I heard Welleta Selassé was dead; and at night died her -father, Welled Hawaryat. The contagion from Masuah and Adowa had spread -itself all over Gondar. Ozoro Ayabdar, daughter of Ozoro Altash, was -now sick, and a violent fever had fallen upon Koscam. The next morning -Aylo came to me and told me, the faith in the saint who did not eat or -drink for twenty years was perfectly abandoned since Welled Hawaryat’s -death: That it was the desire of the queen, and Ozoro Esther, that I -should transport myself to Koscam to the Iteghé’s palace, where all -their children and grandchildren, by the different men the queen’s -daughters had married, were under her care. I told him, “I had some -difficulty to obey them, from the positive orders I had received from -Petros to stay in the Moors town with Hagi Saleh till the Ras should -arrive; that Koscam was full of priests, and Abba Salama there every -day; notwithstanding which, if Petros and he so advised me, I would -certainly go to do any possible service to the Iteghé, or Ozoro Esther.” - -He desired half an hour’s absence before he gave me an answer, but did -not return till about three hours afterwards, and, without alighting, -cried out at some distance, “Aya, come, you must go immediately.” “I -told him, that new and clean clothes in the Gondar fashion had been -procured for me by Petros, and that I wished they might be sent to -his house, where I would put them on, and then go to Koscam, with a -certainty that I carried no infection with me, for I had attended a -number of Moorish children, while at Hagi Saleh’s house, most of whom -happily went on doing well, but that there was no doubt there would -be infection in my clothes.” He praised me up to the skies for this -precaution, and the whole was executed in the manner proposed. My hair -was cut round, curled, and perfumed, in the Amharic fashion, and I was -thenceforward, in all outward appearance, a perfect Abyssinian. - -My first advice, when arrived at Koscam, was, that Ozoro Esther, and -her son by Mariam Barea, and a son by Ras Michael, should remove from -the palace, and take up their lodging in a house formerly belonging to -her uncle Basha Eusebius, and give the part of the family that were yet -well a chance of escaping the disease. Her young son by Mariam Barea, -however, complaining, the Iteghè would not suffer him to remove, and -the resolution was taken to abide the issue all in the palace together. - -Before I entered upon my charge, I desired Petros (now recovered) -Aylo, Abba Christophorus, a Greek priest who acted as physician before -I came to Gondar, and Armaxikos priest of Koscam, and favourite of -the Iteghè, to be all present. I stated to them the disagreeable task -now imposed upon me, a stranger without acquaintance or protection, -having the language but imperfectly, and without power or controul -among them. I professed my intention of doing my utmost, although the -disease was much more serious and fatal in this country than in mine, -but I insisted one condition should be granted me, which was, that -no directions as to regimen or management, even of the most trifling -kind, as they might think, should be suffered, without my permission -and superintendence, otherwise I washed my hands of the consequence, -which I told before them would be fatal. They all assented to this, -and Armaxikos declared those excommunicated that broke this promise; -and I saw that, the more scrupulous and particular I was, the more -the confidence of the ladies increased. Armaxikos promised me the -assistance of his prayers, and those of the whole monks, morning and -evening; and Aylo said lowly to me, “You’ll have no objection to this -saint, I assure you he eats and drinks heartily, as I shall shew you -when once these troubles are over.” - -I set the servants all to work. There were apartments enough. I opened -all the doors and windows, fumigating them with incense and myrrh, -in abundance, washed them with warm water and vinegar, and adhered -strictly to the rules which my worthy and skilful friend Doctor Russel -had given me at Aleppo. - -The common and fatal regimen in this country, and in most parts in the -east, has been to keep their patient from feeling the smallest breath -of air; hot drink, a fire, and a quantity of covering are added in -Abyssinia, and the doors shut so close as even to keep the room in -darkness, whilst this heat is further augmented by the constant burning -of candles. - -Ayabdar, Ozoro Altash’s remaining daughter, and the son of Mariam -Barea, were both taken ill at the same time, and happily recovered. -A daughter of Kasmati Boro, by a daughter of Kasmati Eshtès, died, -and her mother, though she survived, was a long time ill afterwards. -Ayabdar was very much marked, so was Mariam Barea’s son. - -At this time, Ayto Confu, son of Kasmati Netcho by Ozoro Esther, had -arrived from Tcherkin, a lad of very great hopes, though not then -fourteen. He came to see his mother without my knowledge or her’s, and -was infected likewise. Last of all the infant child of Michael, the -child of his old age, took the disease, and though the weakest, of all -the children, recovered best. I tell these actions for brevity’s sake -altogether, not directly in the order they happened, to satisfy the -reader about the reason of the remarkable attention and favour shewed -to me afterwards upon so short an acquaintance. - -The fear and anxiety of Ozoro Esther, upon smaller occasions, was -excessive, and fully in proportion in the greater that now existed; -many promises of Michael’s favour, of riches, greatness, and -protection, followed every instance of my care and attention towards -my patients. She did not eat or sleep herself; and the ends of her -fingers were all broke out into pustules, from touching the several -sick persons. Confu, the favourite of all the queen’s relations, -and the hopes of their family, had symptoms which all feared would -be fatal, as he had violent convulsions, which were looked upon as -forerunners of immediate death; they ceased, however, immediately on -the eruption. The attention I shewed to this young man, which was -more than overpaid by the return he himself made on many occasions -afterwards, was greatly owing to a prepossession in his favour, which I -took upon his first appearance. Policy, as may be imagined, as well as -charity, alike influenced me in the care of my other patients; but an -attachment, which providence seemed to have inspired me with for my own -preservation, had the greatest share in my care for Ayto Confu. - -Though it is not the place, I must not forget to tell the reader, that, -the third day after I had come to Koscam, a horseman and a letter had -arrived from Michael to Hagi Saleh, ordering him to carry me to Koscam, -and likewise a short letter written to me by Negadè Ras Mahomet, in -Arabic, as from Ras Michael, very civil, but containing positive orders -and _command_, as if to a servant, that I should repair to the Iteghè’s -palace, and not stir from thence till future orders, upon any pretence -whatever. - -I cannot say but this positive, peremptory dealing, did very much shock -and displease me. I shewed the letter to Petros, who approved of it -much; said he was glad to see it in that stile, as it was a sign the -Ras was in earnest. I shewed it to Ayto Aylo, who said not much to it -either the one way or the other, only he was glad that I had gone to -Koscam before it came; but he taxed Ozoro Esther with being the cause -of a proceeding which might have been proper to a Greek or slave, -but was not so to a free man like me, who came recommended to their -protection, and had, as yet, received no favour, or even civility. -Ozoro Esther laughed heartily at all this, for the first time she had -shewn any inclination to mirth; she confessed she had sent a messenger -every day, sometimes two, and sometimes three, ever since Welled -Hawaryat had died, and by every one of them she had pressed the Ras to -enjoin me not to leave Koscam, the consequence of which was the order -above mentioned; and, in the evening, there was a letter to Petros from -Anthulé, Janni’s son-in-law, a Greek, and treasurer to the king, pretty -much to the same purpose as the first, and in no softer terms, with -direction, however, to furnish me with every thing I should want, on -the king’s account. - -One morning Aylo, in presence of the queen, speaking to Ozoro Esther -of the stile of the Ras’s letter to me, she confessed her own anxiety -was the cause, but added, “You have often upbraided me with being, what -you call, an unchristian enemy, in the advices you suppose I frequently -give Michael; but now, if I am not as good a friend to Yagoube, who has -saved my children, as I am a steady enemy to the Galla, who murdered -my husband, say then Esther is not a Christian, and I forgive you.” -Many conversations of this kind passed between her and me, during the -illness of Ayto Confu. I removed my bed to the outer door of Confu’s -chamber, to be ready whenever he should call, but his mother’s anxiety -kept her awake in his room all night, and propriety did not permit -me to go to bed. From this frequent communication began a friendship -between Ozoro Esther and me, which ever after subsisted without any -interruption. - -Our patients, being all likely to do well, were removed to a large -house of Kasmati Eshté, which stood still within the boundaries of -Koscam, while the rooms underwent another lustration and fumigation, -after which they all returned; and I got, as my fee, a present of -the neat and convenient house formerly belonging to Basha Eusebius, -which had a separate entry, without going through the palace. Still I -thought it better to obey Ras Michael’s orders to the letter, and not -stir out of Koscam, not even to Hagi Saleh’s or Ayto Aylo’s, though -both of them frequently endeavoured to persuade me that the order had -no such strict meaning. But my solitude was in no way disagreeable to -me. I had a great deal to do. I mounted my instruments, my thermometer -and barometer, telescopes and quadrant. Again all was wonder. It -occasioned me many idle hours before the curiosity of the palace was -satisfied. I saw the queen once every day at her levee, sometimes in -the evening, where many priests were always present. I was, for the -most part, twice a-day, morning and evening, with Ozoro Esther, where I -seldom met with any. - -One day, when I went early to the queen, that I might get away in -time, having some other engagements about noon, just as I was taking -my leave, in came Abba Salama. At first he did not know me from the -change of dress; but, soon after recollecting me, he said, as it were, -passing, “Are you here? I thought you was with Ras Michael.” I made him -no answer, but bowed, and took my leave, when he called out, with an -air of authority, Come back, and beckoned me with his hand. - -Several people entered the room at that instant, and I stood still in -the same place where I was, ready to receive the Iteghé’s orders: she -said, “Come back, and speak to Abba Salama.” I then advanced a few -paces forward, and said, looking to the Iteghé, “What has Abba Salama -to say to me?” He began directing his discourse to the queen, “Is he a -priest? Is he a priest?” The Iteghè answered very gravely, “Every good -man is a priest to himself; in that sense, and no other, Yagoube is a -priest.”--“Will you answer a question that I will ask you?” says he to -me, with a very pert tone of voice. “I do not know but I may, if it is -a discreet one,” said I, in Tigrè. “Why don’t you speak Amharic?” says -he to me in great haste, or seeming impatience. “Because I cannot speak -it well,” said I. “Why don’t you, on the other hand, speak Tigré to -me? it is the language the holy scriptures are written in, and you, a -priest, should understand it.”--“That is Geez,” says he; “I understand -it, though I don’t speak it.”--“Then,” replied I, “Ayto Heikel,” the -queen’s chamberlain, who stood behind me, “shall interpret for us; he -understands all languages.” - -“Ask him, Heikel,” says he, “how many Natures there are in Christ.” -Which being repeated to me, I said, “I thought the question to be put -was something relating to my country, travels, or profession, in which -I possibly could instruct him; and not belonging to his, in which -he should instruct me. I am a physician in the town, a horseman and -soldier in the field. Physic is my study in the one, and managing my -horse and arms in the other. This I was bred to; as for disputes and -matters of religion, they are the province of priests and schoolmen. -I profess myself much more ignorant in these than I ought to be. -Therefore, when I have doubts I propose them to some holy man like -you, Abba Salama, (he bowed for the first time) whose profession these -things are. He gives me a rule and I implicitly follow it.” “Truth! -truth!” says he; “by St Michael, prince of angels, that is right; it -is answered well; by St George! he is a clever fellow. They told me he -was a Jesuit. Will you come to see me? Will you come to see me? You -need not be afraid when you come to _me_.” “I trust,” said I, bowing, -“I shall do no ill, in that case shall have no reason to fear.” Upon -this I withdrew from among the crowd, and went away, as an express then -arrived from Ras Michael. - -It was on the 8th or 9th of March I met him at Azazo. He was dressed in -a coarse dirty cloth, wrapt about him like a blanket, and another like -a table-cloth folded about his head: He was lean, old, and apparently -much fatigued; sat stooping upon an excellent mule, that carried him -speedily without shaking him; he had also sore eyes. As we saw the -place where he was to light by four cross lances, and a cloth thrown -over them like a temporary tent, upon an eminence, we did not speak to -him till he alighted. Petros and the Greek priest, besides servants, -were the only people with me, Francis[15] had joined us upon our -meeting the Ras. - -We alighted at the same time he did, and afterwards, with anxiety -enough we deputed the Greek priest, who was a friend of Michael, to -tell him who I was, and that I was come to meet him. The soldiers made -way, and I came up, took him by the hand, and kissed it. He looked me -broad in the face for a second, repeated the ordinary salutation in -Tigrè. “How do you do? I hope you are well;” and pointed to a place -where I was to sit down. A thousand complaints, and a thousand orders -came immediately before him, from a thousand mouths, and we were -nearly smothered; but he took no notice of me, nor did he ask for one -of his family. In some minutes after came the king, who passed at -some distance to the left of him; and Michael was then led out of the -shelter of his tent to the door, where he was supported on foot till -the king passed by, having first pulled off the towel that was upon his -head, after which he returned to his seat in the tent again. - -The king had been past about a quarter of a mile, when Kefla Yasous -came from him with orders to the Ras, or rather, as I believe, to -receive orders from him. He brought with him a young nobleman, Ayto -Engedan, who, by his dress, having his upper garment twisted in a -particular manner about his waist, shewed that he was carrier of a -special message from the king. The crowd by this time had shut us quite -out, and made a circle round the Ras, in which we were not included. -We were upon the point of going away, when Kefla Yasous, who had seen -Francis, said to him, “I think Engedan has the king’s command for you, -you must not depart without leave.” And, soon after, we understood -that the king’s orders were to obtain leave from the Ras, to bring me, -with Engedan, near, and in sight of him, without letting me know, or -introducing me to him. In answer to this, the Ras had said, “I don’t -know him; will people like him think this right? Ask Petros; or why -should not the king call upon him and speak to him; he has letters to -him as well as to me, and he will be obliged to see him to-morrow.” - -Engedan went away on a gallop to join the king, and we proceeded after -him, nor did we receive any other message either from the king or the -Ras. We returned to Koscam, very little pleased with the reception -we had met with. All the town was in a hurry and confusion; 30,000 -men were encamped upon the Kahha; and the first horrid scene Michael -exhibited there, was causing the eyes of twelve of the chiefs of -the Galla, whom he had taken prisoners, to be pulled out, and the -unfortunate sufferers turned out to the fields, to be devoured at night -by the hyæna. Two of these I took under my care, who both recovered, -and from them I learned many particulars of their country and manners. - -The next day, which was the 10th, the army marched into the town -in triumph, and the Ras at the head of the troops of Tigrè. He was -bareheaded; over his shoulders, and down to his back, hung a pallium, -or cloak, of black velvet, with a silver fringe. A boy, by his right -stirrup, held a silver wand of about five feet and a half long, much -like the staves of our great officers at court. Behind him all the -soldiers, who had slain an enemy and taken the spoils from them, had -their lances and firelocks ornamented with small shreds of scarlet -cloth, one piece for every man he had slain. - -Remarkable among all this multitude was Hagos, door-keeper of the -Ras, whom we have mentioned in the war of Begemder. This man, always -well-armed and well-mounted, had followed the wars of the Ras from his -infancy, and had been so fortunate in this kind of single combat, that -his whole lance and javelin, horse and person, were covered over with -the shreds of scarlet cloth. At this last battle of Fagitta, Hagos -is said to have slain eleven men with his own hand. Indeed there is -nothing more fallacious than judging of a man’s courage by these marks -of conquest. A good horseman, armed with a coat of mail, upon a strong, -well-fed, well-winded horse, may, after a defeat, kill as many of these -wretched, weary, naked fugitives, as he pleases, confining himself to -those that are weakly, mounted upon tired horses, and covered only with -goat’s-skins, or that are flying on foot. - -Behind came Gusho of Amhara, and Powussen, lately made governor of -Begemder for his behaviour at the battle of Fagitta, where, as I have -said, he pursued Fasil and his army for two days. The Ras had given him -also a farther reward, his grand-daughter Ayabdar, lately recovered -from the small-pox, and the only one of my patients that, neither by -herself, her mother, nor her husband, ever made me the least return. -Powussen was one of the twelve officers who, after being delivered to -Lubo by the Galla, together with Mariam Barea, had fled to Michael’s -tent, and were protected by him. - -One thing remarkable in this cavalcade, which I observed, was the -head-dress of the governors of provinces. A large broad fillet was -bound upon their forehead, and tied behind their head. In the middle of -this was a horn, or a conical piece of silver, gilt, about four inches -long, much in the shape of our common candle extinguishers. This is -called _kirn_, or horn, and is only worn in reviews or parades after -victory. This I apprehend, like all other of their usages, is taken -from the Hebrews, and the several allusions made in scripture to it -arise from this practice:--“I said unto fools, Deal not foolishly; and -to the wicked, Lift not up the horn”--“Lift not up your horn on high; -speak not with a stiff neck[16]”--“For promotion cometh,” &c.--“But -my horn shalt thou exalt like the horn of an unicorn”--“And the horn -of the righteous shall be exalted with honour.” And so in many other -places throughout the Psalms. - -Next to these came the king, with a fillet of white muslin about three -inches broad, binding his forehead, tied with a large double knot -behind, and hanging down about two feet on his back. About him were the -great officers of state, such of the young nobility as were without -command; and after these, the household troops. - -Then followed the Kanitz Kitzera, or executioner of the camp, and his -attendants; and, last of all, amidst the King’s and the Ras’s baggage, -came a man bearing the stuffed skin of the unfortunate Woosheka upon a -pole, which he hung upon a branch of the tree before the king’s palace -appropriated for public executions. - -Upon their arrival at Gondar, all the great men had waited both upon -the Ras and the King. Aylo had been with them, and Ozoro Esther was -removed to Gondar; but, by my advice, had left the child at Koscam. Her -son Confu, though recovered of the small-pox, had evident signs of a -dysentery, and took no care of himself in point of regimen, or avoiding -cold. - -It was now the 13th of March,and I had heard no word from Ozoro Esther, -or the Ras, though removed to a house in Gondar near to Petros. I had -gone every day once to see the children of Koscam; at all which times I -had been received with the greatest cordiality and marks of kindness by -the Iteghé, and orders given for my free admittance upon all occasions -like an officer of her household. As to the rest, I never was in -appearance more neglected, than in this present moment, by all but the -Moors. These were very grateful for the successful attention I had -shewed their children, and very desirous to have me again among them. -Hagi Saleh, in particular, could not satiate himself with cursing the -ingratitude of these cafers, and infidels, the Christians. He knew what -had passed at Koscam, he saw what he thought likely to happen now, and -his anger was that of an honest man, and which perhaps many former -instances which he had been witness of might have justified, but in the -present one he was mistaken. - -In the evening, Negadè Ras Mahoment came to my house; he said Mahomet -Gibberti was arrived, had been twice on private business with the Ras, -but had not yet delivered him his presents; and he had not informed -me of this, as he thought I was still at Koscam, and that Saleh his -brother knew nothing of it, as he had not seen him since he came home. -He also informed me that Ayto Aylo was with the Ras twice the day after -he entered Gondar, and once with Mahomet Gibberti: all this was about -me; and that, at Ayto Aylo’s proposal, it was agreed that I should be -appointed Palambaras, which is master of the king’s horse. It is a very -great office, both for rank, and revenue, but has no business attending -it; the young Armenian had before enjoyed it. I told Mahomet, that, -far from being any kindness to me, this would make me the most unhappy -of all creatures; that my extreme desire was to see the country, and -its different natural productions; to converse with the people as a -stranger, but to be nobody’s master nor servant; to see their books; -and, above all, to visit the sources of the Nile; to live as privately -in my own house, and have as much time to myself as possible; and -what I was most anxious about at present, was to know when it would be -convenient for them to admit me to see the Ras, and deliver my letters -as a stranger. - -Mahomet went away, and returned, bringing Mahomet Gibberti, who told -me, that, besides the letter I carried to Ras Michael from Metical -Aga his master, he had been charged with a particular one, out of the -ordinary form, dictated by the English at Jidda, who, all of them, -and particularly my friends Captain Thornhill, and Capt. Thomas Price -of the Lyon, had agreed to make a point with Metical Aga, devoted to -them for his own profit, that his utmost exertion of friendship and -interest, should be so employed in my recommendation, as to engage -the attention of Ras Michael to provide in earnest for my safety and -satisfaction in every point. - -This letter I had myself read at Jidda; it informed Michael of the -power and riches of our nation, and that they were absolute masters of -the trade on the Red Sea, and strictly connected with the Sherriffe, -and in a very particular manner with him, Metical Aga; that any -accident happening to me would be an infamy and disgrace to him, and -worse than death itself, because, that knowing Michael’s power, and -relying on his friendship, he had become security for my safety, after -I arrived in his hands; that I was a man of consideration in my own -country, servant to the king of it, who, though himself a Christian, -governed his subjects Mussulmen and Pagans, with the same impartiality -and justice as he did Christians. That all my desire was to examine -springs and rivers, trees and flowers, and the stars in the heavens, -from which I drew knowledge very useful to preserve man’s health and -life; that I was no merchant, and had no dealings whatever in any sort -of mercantile matters; and that I had no need of any man’s money, as he -had told Mahomet Gibberti to provide for any call I might have in that -country, and for which he would answer, let the sum be what it would, -as he had the word of my countrymen to repay it, which he considered -better than the written security of any other people in the world. -He then repeated very nearly the same words used in the beginning of -the letter; and, upon this particular request, Metical Aga had sent -him a distinct present, not to confound it with other political and -commercial affairs, in which they were concerned together. - -Upon reading this letter, Michael exclaimed, “Metical Aga does not -know the situation of this country. Safety! where is that to be found? -I am obliged to fight for my own life every day. Will Metical call -this safety? Who knows, at this moment, if the king is in safety, or -how long I shall be so? All I can do is to keep him with me. If I -lose my own life, and the king’s, Metical Aga can never think it was -in my power to preserve that of his stranger.”--“No, no,” says Ayto -Aylo, who was then present, “you don’t know the man; he is a devil on -horseback; he rides better, and shoots better, than any man that ever -came into Abyssinia; lose no time, put him about the king, and there -is no fear of him. He is very sober and religious; he will do the king -good.” “Shoot!” says Michael, “he won’t shoot at me as the Armenian -did; will he? will he?” “Oh,” continued Aylo, “you know these days are -over. What is the Armenian? a boy, a slave to the Turk. When you see -this man, you’ll not think of the Armenian.” It was finally agreed, -that the letters the Greeks had received should be read to the king; -that the letters I had from Metical Aga to the Ras should be given to -Mahomet Gibberti, and that I should be introduced to the King and the -Ras immediately after they were ready. - -The reader may remember that, when I was at Cairo, I obtained -letters from Mark, the Greek patriarch, to the Greeks at Gondar; and -particularly one, in form of a bull, or rescript, to all the Greeks -in Abyssinia. In this, after a great deal of pastoral admonition, the -patriarch said, that, knowing their propensity to lying and vanity, -and not being at hand to impose proper penances upon them for these -sins, he exacted from them, as a proof of their obedience, that they -would, with a good grace, undergo this mortification, than which there -could be no gentler imposed, as it was only to speak the truth. He -ordered them in a body to go to the king, in the manner and time they -knew best, and to inform him that I was not to be confounded with the -rest of white men, such as Greeks, who were all subject to the Turks, -and slaves; but that I was a free man, of a free nation; and the best -of them would be happy in being my servant, as one of their brethren, -Michael, then actually was. I will not say but this was a bitter pill; -for they were high in office, all except Petros, who had declined all -employment after the murder of Joas his master, whose chamberlain he -was. The order of the patriarch, however, was fairly and punctually -performed; Petros was their spokesman; he was originally a shoemaker at -Rhodes, clever, and handsome in his person, but a great coward, though, -on such an occasion as the present, forward and capable enough. - -I think it was about the 14th that these letters were to be all read. -I expected at the ordinary hour, about five in the afternoon, to be -sent for, and had rode out to Koscam with Ayto Heikel, the queen’s -chamberlain, to see the child, who was pretty well recovered of all -its complaints, but very weak. In the interim I was sent for to the -Ras, with orders to dispatch a man with the king’s present, to wait for -me at the palace, whither I was to go after leaving Michael. It was -answered, That I was at Koscam, and the errand I had gone on mentioned; -which disappointment, and the cause, did no way prejudice me with the -Ras. Five in the evening was fixed as the hour, and notice sent to -Koscam. I came a little before the time, and met Ayto Aylo at the door. -He squeezed me by the hand, and said, “Refuse nothing, it can be all -altered afterwards; but it is very necessary, on account of the priests -and the populace, you have a place of some authority, otherwise you -will be robbed and murdered the first time you go half a mile from -home: fifty people have told me you have chests filled with gold, and -that you can make gold, or bring what quantity you please from the -Indies; and the reason of all this is, because you refused the queen -and Ozoro Esther’s offer of gold at Koscam, and which you must never do -again.” - -We went in and saw the old man sitting upon a sofa; his white hair was -dressed in many short curls. He appeared to be thoughtful, but not -displeased; his face was lean, his eyes quick and vivid, but seemed -to be a little sore from exposure to the weather. He seemed to be -about six feet high, though his lameness made it difficult to guess -with accuracy. His air was perfectly free from constraint, what the -French call _degageé_. In face and person he was liker my learned and -worthy friend, the Count de Buffon, than any two men I ever saw in the -world. They must have been bad physiognomists that did not discern his -capacity and understanding by his very countenance. Every look conveyed -a sentiment with it: he seemed to have no occasion for other language, -and indeed he spoke little. I offered, as usual, to kiss the ground -before him; and of this he seemed to take little notice, stretching out -his hand and shaking mine upon my rising. - -I sat down with Aylo, three or four of the judges, Petros, Heikel the -queen’s chamberlain, and an Azage from the king’s house, who whispered -something in his ear, and went out; which interruption prevented me -from speaking as I was prepared to do, or give him my present, which -a man held behind me. He began gravely, “Yagoube, I think that is -your name, hear what I say to you, and mark what I recommend to you. -You are a man, I am told, who make it your business to wander in the -fields in search after trees and grass in solitary places, and to sit -up all night alone looking at the stars of the heavens: Other countries -are not like this, though this was never so bad as it is now. These -wretches here are enemies to strangers; if they saw you alone in your -own parlour, their first thought would be how to murder you; though -they knew they were to get nothing by it, they would murder you for -mere mischief.” “The devil is strong in them,” says a voice from a -corner of the room, which appeared to be that of a priest. “Therefore,” -says the Ras, “after a long conversation with your friend Aylo, whose -advice I hear you happily take, as indeed we all do, I have thought -that situation best which leaves you at liberty to follow your own -designs, at the same time that it puts your person in safety; that you -will not be troubled with monks about their religious matters, or in -danger from these rascals that may seek to murder you for money.” - -“What are the monks?” says the same voice from the corner; “the monks -will never meddle with such a man as this.”--“Therefore the king,” -continued the Ras, without taking any notice of the interruption, -“has appointed you Baalomaal, and to command the Koccob horse, which -I thought to have given to Francis, an old soldier of mine; but he is -poor, and we will provide for him better, for these appointments have -honour, but little profit.” “Sir,” says Francis, who was in presence, -but behind, “it is in much more honourable hands than either mine or -the Armenian’s, or any other white man’s, since the days of Hatzè -Menas, and so I told the king to-day.” “Very well, Francis,” says the -Ras; “it becomes a soldier to speak the truth, whether it makes for -or against himself. Go then to the king, and kiss the ground upon -your appointment. I see you have already learned this ceremony of -our’s; Aylo and Heikel are very proper persons to go with you. The -king expressed his surprise to me last night he had not seen you; and -there too is Tecla Mariam, the king’s secretary, who came with your -appointment from the palace to-day.” The man in the corner, that I -took for a priest, was this Tecla Mariam, a scribe. Out of the king’s -presence men of this order cover their heads, as do the priests, which -was the reason of my mistake. - -I then gave him a present, which he scarce looked at, as a number of -people were pressing in at the door from curiosity or business. Among -these I discerned Abba Salama. Every body then went out but myself, -and these people were rushing in behind me, and had divided me from -my company. The Ras, however, seeing me standing alone, cried, “Shut -the door;” and asked me, in a low tone of voice, “Have you any thing -private to say?” “I see you are busy, Sir,” said I; “but I will speak -to Ozoro Esther.” His anxious countenance brightened up in a moment. -“That is true,” says he, “Yagoube, it will require a long day to settle -that account with you: Will the boy live?” “The life of man is in the -hand of God,” said I, “but I should hope the worst is over;” upon which -he called to one of his servants, “Carry Yagoube to Ozoro Esther.” - -It is needless for me to take up the reader’s time with any thing but -what illustrates my travels; he may therefore guess the conversation -that flowed from a grateful heart on that occasion. I ordered her -child to be brought to her every forenoon, upon condition she returned -him soon after mid-day. I then took a speedy leave of Ozoro Esther, -the reason of which I told her when she was following me to the door. -She said, “When shall I lay my hands upon that idiot Aylo? The Ras -would have done any thing; he had appointed you Palambaras, but, upon -conversing with Aylo, he had changed his mind. He says it will create -envy, and take up your time. What signifies their envy? Do not they -envy Ras Michael? and where can you pass your time better than at -court, with a command under the king.” I said, “All is for the best, -Aylo did well; all is for the best.” I then left her unconvinced, and -saying, “I will not forgive this to Ayto Aylo these seven years.” - -Aylo and Heikel had gone on to the palace, wondering, as did the whole -company, what could be my private conference with Michael, which, after -playing abundantly with their curiosity, I explained to them next day. - -I went afterwards to the king’s palace, and met Aylo and Heikel at -the door of the presence-chamber. Tecla Mariam walked before us to -the foot of the throne; after which I advanced and prostrated myself -upon the ground. “I have brought you a servant,” says he to the king, -“from so distant a country, that if you ever let him escape, we shall -never be able to follow him, or know where to seek him.” This was said -facetiously by an old familiar servant; but the king made no reply, as -far as we could guess, for his mouth was covered, nor did he shew any -alteration of countenance. Five people were standing on each side of -the throne, all young men, three on his left, and two on his right. One -of these, the son of Tecla Mariam, (afterwards my great friend) who -stood uppermost on the left hand, came up, and taking hold of me by the -hand, placed me immediately above him; when seeing I had no knife in my -girdle, he pulled out his own and gave it to me. Upon being placed, I -again kissed the ground. - -The king was in an alcove; the rest went out of sight from where the -throne was, and sat down. The usual questions now began about Jerusalem -and the holy places--where my country was? which it was impossible to -describe, as they knew the situation of no country but their own--why -I came so far?--whether the moon and the stars, but especially the -moon, was the same in my country as in theirs?--and a great many such -idle and tiresome questions. I had several times offered to take my -present from the man who held it, that I might offer it to his Majesty -and go away; but the king always made a sign to put it off, till, being -tired to death with standing, I leaned against the wall. Aylo was fast -asleep, and Ayto Heikel and the Greeks cursing their master in their -heart for spoiling the good supper that Anthulè his treasurer had -prepared for us. This, as we afterwards found out, the king very well -knew, and resolved to try our patience to the utmost. At last, Ayto -Aylo stole away to bed, and every body else after him, except those -who had accompanied me, who were ready to die with thirst, and drop -down with weariness. It was agreed by those that were out of sight, to -send Tecla Mariam to whisper in the king’s ear, that I had not been -well, which he did, but no notice was taken of it. It was now past ten -o’clock, and he shewed no inclination to go to bed. - -Hitherto, while there were strangers in the room, he had spoken to -us by an officer called Kal Hatzè, _the voice or word of the king_; -but now, when there were nine or ten of us, his menial servants, -only present, he uncovered his face and mouth, and spoke himself. -Sometimes it was about Jerusalem, sometimes about horses, at other -times about shooting; again about the Indies; how far I could look -into the heavens with my telescopes: and all these were deliberately -and circumstantially repeated, if they were not pointedly answered. I -was absolutely in despair, and scarcely able to speak a word, inwardly -mourning the hardness of my lot in this my first preferment, and -sincerely praying it might be my last promotion in this court. At last -all the Greeks began to be impatient, and got out of the corner of the -room behind the alcove, and stood immediately before the throne. The -king seemed to be astonished at seeing them, and told them he thought -they had all been at home long ago. They said, however, they would not -go without me; which the king said could not be, for one of the duties -of my employment was to be charged with the door of his bed-chamber -that night. - -I think I could almost have killed him in that instant. At last Ayto -Heikel, taking courage, came forward to him, pretending a message from -the queen, and whispered him something in the ear, probably that the -Ras would take it ill. He then laughed, said he thought we had supped, -and dismissed us. - - - - -CHAP. IX. - -_Transactions at Gondar._ - - -We went all to Anthuse’s house to supper in violent rage, such anger -as is usual with hungry men. We brought with us from the palace three -of my brother Baalomaals, and one who had stood to make up the number, -though he was not in office; his name was Guebra Mascal, he was a -sister’s son of the Ras, and commanded one third of the troops of -Tigré, which carried fire-arms, that is about 2000 men. He was reputed -the best officer of that kind that the Ras had, and was a man about 30 -years of age, short, square, and well made, with a very unpromising -countenance; flat nose, wide mouth, of a very yellow complexion, and -much pitted with the small-pox; he had a most uncommon presumption upon -the merit of past services, and had the greatest opinion of his own -knowledge in the use of fire-arms, to which he did not scruple to say -Ras Michael owed all his victories. Indeed it was to the good opinion -that the Ras had of him as a soldier that he owed his being suffered -to continue at Gondar; for he was suspected to have been familiar with -one of his uncle’s wives in Tigré, by whom it was thought he had a -child, at least the Ras put away his wife, and never owned the child to -be his. - -This man supped with us that night, and thence began one of the most -serious affairs I ever had in Abyssinia. Guebra Mascal, as usual, -vaunted incessantly his skill in fire-arms, the wonderful gun that he -had, and feats he had done with it. Petros said, laughing, to him, -“You have a genius for shooting, but you have had no opportunity to -learn. Now, Yagoube is come, he will teach you something worth talking -off.” They had all drank abundantly, and Guebra Mascal had uttered -words that I thought were in contempt of me. I believe, replied I -peevishly enough, Guebra Mascal, I should suspect, from your discourse, -you neither knew men nor guns; every gun of mine in the hands of my -servants shall kill twice as far as yours, for my own, it is not worth -my while to put a ball in it: When I compare with you, the end of a -tallow-candle in my gun shall do more execution than an iron ball in -the best of yours, with all the skill and experience you pretend to. - -He said I was a Frank, and a liar, and, upon my immediately rising up, -he gave me a kick with his foot. I was quite blind with passion, seized -him by the throat, and threw him on the ground stout as he was. The -Abyssinians know nothing of either wrestling or boxing. He drew his -knife as he was falling, attempted to cut me in the face, but his arm -not being at freedom, all he could do was to give me a very trifling -stab, or wound, near the crown of the head, so that the blood trickled -down over my face. I had tript him up, but till then had never struck -him. I now wrested the knife from him with a full intention to kill -him; but Providence directed better. Instead of the point, I struck -so violently with the handle upon his face as to leave scars, which -would be distinguished even among the deep marks of the small-pox. An -adventure so new, and so unexpected, presently overcame the effects -of wine. It was too late to disturb anybody either in the palace or -at the house of the Ras. A hundred opinions were immediately started; -some were for sending us up to the king, as we were actually in the -precincts of the palace, where lifting a hand is death. Ayto Heikel -advised that I should go, late as it was, to Koscam; and Petros, that -I should repair immediately to the house of Ayto Aylo, while the two -Baalomaals were for taking me to sleep in the palace. Anthulè, in -whose house I was, and who was therefore most shocked at the outrage, -wished me to stay in his house, where I was, from a supposition that I -was seriously wounded, which all of them, seeing the blood fall over -my eyes, seemed to think was the case, and he, in the morning, at -the king’s rising, was to state the matter as it happened. All these -advices appeared good when they were proposed; for my part, I thought -they only tended to make bad worse, and bore the appearance of guilt, -of which I was not conscious. - -I now determined to go home, and to bed in my own house. With that -intention, I washed my face and wound with vinegar, and found the -blood to be already staunched. I then wrapt myself up in my cloak, and -returned home without accident, and went to bed. But this would neither -satisfy Ayto Heikel nor Petros, who went to the house of Ayto Aylo, -then past midnight, so that early in the morning, when scarce light, I -saw him come into my chamber. Guebra Mascal had fled to the house of -Kefla Yasous his relation; and the first news we heard in the morning, -after Ayto Aylo arrived, were, that Guebra Mascal was in irons at the -Ras’s house. - -Every person that came afterwards brought up some new account; the -whole people present had been examined, and had given, without -variation, the true particulars of my forbearance, and his insolent -behaviour. Every body trembled for some violent resolution the Ras was -to take on my first complaint. The town was full of Tigrè soldiers, and -nobody saw clearer than I did, however favourable a turn this had taken -for me in the beginning, it might be my destruction in the end. - -I asked Ayto Aylo his opinion. He seemed at a loss to give it me; but -said, in an uncertain tone of voice, he could wish that I would not -complain of Guebra Mascal while I was angry, or while the Ras was -so inveterate against him, till some of his friends had spoken, and -appeared, at least, his first resentment. I answered, “That I was of a -contrary opinion, and that no time was to be lost: remember the letter -of Mahomet Gibberti; remember his confidence yesterday of my being -safe where he was; remember the influence of Ozoro Esther, and do not -let us lose a moment.” “What, says Aylo to me in great surprise, are -you mad? Would you have him cut to pieces in the midst of 20,000 of -his countrymen? Would you be dimmenia, that is, guilty of the blood -of all the province of Tigrè, through which you must go in your way -home?” “Just the contrary, said I, nobody has so great a right over -the Ras’s anger as I have, being the person injured; and, as you and I -can get access to Ozoro Esther when we please, let us go immediately -thither, and stop the progress of this affair while it is not yet -generally known. People that talk of my being wounded expect to see me, -I suppose, without a leg or an arm. When they see me so early riding -in the street, all will pass for a story as it should do. Would you -wish to pardon him entirely?”--“That goes against my heart, too, says -Aylo, he is a bad man.”--“My good friend, said I, be in this guided by -me, I know we both think the same thing. If he is a bad man, he was -a bad man before I knew him. You know what you told me yourself of -the Ras’s jealousy of him. What if he was to revenge his own wrongs, -under pretence of giving me satisfaction for mine? Come, lose no time, -get upon your mule, go with me to Ozoro Esther, I will answer for the -consequences.” - -We arrived there; the Ras was not sitting in judgment, he had drank -hard the night before, on occasion of Powussen’s marriage, and was not -in bed when the story of the fray reached him. We found Ozoro Esther -in a violent anger and agitation, which was much alleviated by my -laughing. On her asking me about my wound, which had been represented -to her as dangerous, “I am afraid, said I, poor Guebra Mascal is worse -wounded than I.” “Is he wounded too? says she; I hope it is in his -heart.” “Indeed, replied I, Madam, there are no wounds on either side. -He was very drunk, and I gave him several blows upon the face as he -deserved, and he has already got all the chastisement he ought to have; -it was all a piece of folly.” “Prodigious! says she; is this so?” “It -is so, says Aylo, and you shall hear it all by-and-by, only let us -stop the propagation of this foolish story.” - -The Ras in the instant sent for us. He was naked, sitting on a stool, -and a slave swathing up his lame leg with a broad belt or bandage. I -asked him calmly and pleasantly if I could be of any service to him? -He looked at me with a grin, the most ghastly I ever saw, as half -displeased. “What! says he, are you all mad? Aylo, what is the matter -between him and that miscreant Guebra Mascal?”--“Why, said I, I am -come to tell you that myself; why do you ask Ayto Aylo? Guebra Mascal -got drunk, was insolent, and struck me. I was sober, and beat him, as -you will see by his face; and I have now come to you to say I am sorry -that I lifted my hand against your nephew; but he was in the wrong, and -drunk; and I thought it was better to chastise him on the spot, than -trust him to you, who perhaps might take the affair to heart, for we -all know your justice, and that being your relation is no excuse when -you judge between man and man.” “I order you, Aylo, says Michael, as -you esteem my friendship, to tell me the truth, really as it was, and -without disguise or concealment.” - -Aylo began accordingly to relate the whole history, when a servant -called me out to Ozoro Esther. I found with her another nephew of -the Ras, a much better man, called Welleta Selassé, who came from -Kefla Yasous, and Guebra Mascal himself, desiring I would forgive and -intercede for him, for it was a drunken quarrel without malice. Ozoro -Esther had told him part. “Come in with me, said I, and you shall see -I never will leave the Ras till he forgive him.” “Let him punish him, -says Welleta Selassé, he is a bad man, but don’t let the Ras either -kill or maim him.” “Come, said I, let us go to the Ras, and he shall -neither kill, maim, nor punish him, if I can help it. It is my first -request; if he refuses me I will return to Jidda; come and hear.” - -Aylo had urged the thing home to the Ras in the proper light--that -of my safety. “You are a wise man, says Michael, now perfectly cool, -as soon as he saw me and Welleta Selassé. It is a man like you that -goes far in safety, which is the end we all aim at. I feel the affront -offered you more than you do, but will not have the punishment -attributed to you; this affair shall turn to your honour and security, -and in that light only I can pass over his insolence.” “Welleta -Selassé, says he, falling into a violent passion in an instant, What -sort of behaviour is this my men have adopted with strangers? and _my -stranger_, too, and in the king’s palace, and the king’s servant? What! -am I dead? or become incapable of governing longer?” Welleta Selassé -bowed, but was afraid to speak, and indeed the Ras looked like a fiend. - -“Come, says the Ras, let me see your head.” I shewed him where the -blood was already hardened, and said it was a very slight cut. “A cut, -continued Michael, over that part, with one of our knives, is mortal.” -“You see, Sir, said I, I have not even clipt the hair about the wound; -it is nothing. Now give me your promise you will set Guebra Mascal at -liberty; and not only that, but you are not to reproach him with the -affair further than that he was drunk, not a crime in this country.” -“No, truly, says he, it is not; but that is, because it is very rare -that people fight with knives when they are drunk. I scarce ever heard -of it, even in the camp.” “I fancy, said I, endeavouring to give a -light turn to the conversation, they have not often wherewithal to get -drunk in your camp.” “Not this last year, says he, laughing, there were -no houses in the country.” “But let me only merit, said I, Welleta -Selassé’s friendship, by making him the messenger of good news to -Guebra Mascal, that he is at liberty, and you have forgiven him.” “At -liberty! says he, Where is he?” “In your house, said I, somewhere, in -irons.” “That is Esther’s intelligence, continued the Ras; these women -tell you all their secrets, but when I remember your behaviour to them -I do not wonder at it, and that consideration likewise obliges me to -grant what you ask. Go, Welleta Selassé, and free that dog from his -collar, and direct him to go to Welleta Michael, who will give him his -orders to levy the meery in Woggora; let him not see my face till he -returns.” - -Ozoro Esther gave us breakfast, to which several of the Greeks came. -After which I went to Koscam, where I heard a thousand curses upon -Guebra Mascal. The whole affair was now made up, and the king was -acquainted with the issue of it. I stood in my place, where he shewed -me very great marks of favour; he was grave, however, and sorrowful, as -if mortified with what had happened. The king ordered me to stay and -dine at the palace, and he would send me my dinner. I there saw the -sons of Kasmati Eshté, Aylo, and Engedan, and two Welleta Selassés; -one the son of Tecla Mariam, the other the son of a great nobleman -in Goiam, all young men, with whom I lived ever after in perfect -familiarity and friendship. The two last were my brethren Baalomaal, or -gentlemen of the king’s bed-chamber. - -They all seemed to have taken my cause to heart more than I wished -them to do, for fear it should be productive of some new quarrel. -For my own part, I never was so dejected in my life. The troublesome -prospect before me presented itself day and night. I more than twenty -times resolved to return by Tigrè, to which I was more inclined by -the loss of a young man who accompanied me through Barbary, and -assisted me in the drawings of architecture which I made for the king -there, part of which he was still advancing here, when a dysentery, -which had attacked him in Arabia Felix, put an end to his life[17] at -Gondar. A considerable disturbance was apprehended upon burying him -in a church-yard. Abba Salama used his utmost endeavours to raise the -populace and take him out of his grave; but some exertions of the Ras -quieted both Abba Salama and the tumults. - -I began, however, to look upon every thing now as full of difficulty -and danger; and, from this constant fretting and despondency, I found -my health much impaired, and that I was upon the point of becoming -seriously ill. There was one thing that contributed in some measure -to dissipate these melancholy thoughts, which was, that all Gondar -was in one scene of festivity. Ozoro Ayabdar, daughter of the late -Welled Hawaryat, by Ozoro Altash, Ozoro Esther’s sister, and the -Iteghè’s youngest daughter, consequently grand-daughter to Michael, was -married to Powussen, now governor of Begemder. The king gave her large -districts of land in that province, and Ras Michael a large portion -of gold, muskets, cattle, and horses. All the town, that wished to -be well-looked upon by either party, brought something considerable -as a present. The Ras, Ozoro Esther, and Ozoro Altash, entertained -all Gondar. A vast number of cattle was slaughtered every day, and -the whole town looked like one great market; the common people, in -every street, appearing loaded with pieces of raw beef, while drink -circulated in the same proportion. The Ras insisted upon my dining with -him every day, when he was sure to give me a headache with the quantity -of mead, or hydromel, he forced me to swallow, a liquor that never -agreed with me from the first day to the last. - -After dinner we slipt away to parties of ladies, where anarchy -prevailed as complete as at the house of the Ras. All the married women -ate, drank, and smoaked like the men; and it is impossible to convey -to the reader any idea of this bacchanalian scene in terms of common -decency. I found it necessary to quit this riot for a short time, and -get leave to breathe the fresh air of the country, at such a distance -as that, once a day, or once in two days, I might be at the palace, and -avoid the constant succession of those violent scenes of debauchery of -which no European can form any idea, and which it was impossible to -escape, even at Koscam. - -Although the king’s favour, the protection of the Ras, and my obliging, -attentive, and lowly behaviour to every body, had made me as popular as -I could wish at Gondar, and among the Tigrans fully as much as those of -Amhara, yet it was easy to perceive, that the cause of my quarrel with -Guebra Mascal was not yet forgot. - -One day, when I was standing by the king in the palace, he asked, -in discourse, “Whether I, too, was not drunk in the quarrel with -Guebra Mascal, before we came to blows?” and, upon my saying that I -was perfectly sober, both before and after, because Anthulè’s red -wine was finished, and I never willingly drank hydromel, or mead, he -asked with a degree of keenness, “Did you then soberly say to Guebra -Mascal, that an end of a tallow candle, in a gun in your hand, would -do more execution than an iron bullet in his?”--“Certainly, Sir, I did -so.”--“And why did you say this?” says the king dryly enough, and in a -manner I had not before observed. “Because, replied I, it was truth, -and a proper reproof to a vain man, who, whatever eminence he might -have obtained in a country like this, has not knowledge enough to -entitle him to the trust of cleaning a gun in mine.”--“O! ho! continued -the king; as for his knowledge I am not speaking of that, but about his -gun. You will not persuade me that, with a tallow candle, you can kill -a man or a horse.”--“Pardon me, Sir, said I, bowing very respectfully, -I will attempt to persuade you of nothing but what you please to be -convinced of: Guebra Mascal is my equal no more, you are my master, -and, while I am at your court, under your protection, you are in place -of my sovereign, it would be great presumption in me to argue with you, -or lead to a conversation against an opinion that you profess you are -already fixed in.”--“No, no, says he, with an air of great kindness, -by no means, I was only afraid you would expose yourself before bad -people; what you say to me is nothing.”--“And what I say to you, Sir, -has always been as scrupulously true as if I had been speaking to the -king my native sovereign and master. Whether I can kill a man with -a candle, or not, is an experiment that should not be made. Tell me, -however, what I shall do before you that you may deem an equivalent? -Will piercing the table, upon which your dinner is served, (it was of -sycamore, about three quarters of an inch thick), at the length of this -room, be deemed a sufficient proof of what I advanced?” - -“Ah, Yagoube, says the king, take care what you say. That is indeed -more than Guebra Mascal will do at that distance; but take great -care; you don’t know these people; they will lie themselves all day; -nay, their whole life is one lie; but of you they expect better, or -would be glad to find worse; take care.” Ayto Engedan, who was then -present, said, “I am sure if Yagoube says he can do it, he will do -it; but how, I don’t know. Can you shoot through my shield with a -tallow candle?”--“To you, Ayto Engedan, said I, I can speak freely; -I could shoot thro’ your shield if it was the strongest in the army, -and kill the strongest man in the army that held it before him. When -will you see this tried?”--“Why now, says the king; there is _nobody -here_.”--“The sooner the better, said I; I would not wish to remain for -a moment longer under so disagreeable an imputation as that of lying, -an infamous one in my country, whatever it may be in this. Let me send -for _my_ gun; the king will look out at the window.”--“_Nobody_, says -he, knows any thing of it; _nobody will come_.” - -The king appeared to be very anxious, and, I saw plainly, incredulous. -The gun was brought; Engedan’s shield was produced, which was of -strong buffalo’s hide. I said to him, “This is a weak one, give me one -stronger.” He shook his head, and said, “Ah, Yagoube, you’ll find it -strong enough; Engedan’s shield is known to be no toy.” Tecla Mariam -brought such a shield, and the Billetana Gueta Tecla another, both of -which were most excellent in their kind. I loaded the gun before them, -first with powder, then upon it slid down one half of what we call a -farthing candle; and, having beat off the handles of three shields, -I put them close in contact with each other, and set them all three -against a post. - -“Now, Engedan, said I, when you please say--Fire! but mind you have -taken leave of your good shield for ever.” The word was given, and the -gun fired. It struck the three shields, neither in the most difficult -nor the easiest place for perforation, something less than half way -between the rim and the boss. The candle went through the three shields -with such violence that it dashed itself to a thousand pieces against a -stone-wall behind it. I turned to Engedan, saying very lowly, gravely, -and without exultation or triumph, on the contrary with absolute -indifference, “Did not I tell you your shield was naught?” A great -shout of applause followed from about a thousand people that were -gathered together. The three shields were carried to the king, who -exclaimed in great transport, I did not believe it before I saw it, and -I can scarce believe it now I have seen it. Where is Guebra Mascal’s -confidence now? But what do either he or we know? “We know nothing.” I -thought he looked abashed. - -“Ayto Engedan, said I, we must have a touch at that table. It was said, -the piercing that was more than Guebra Mascal could do. We have one -half of the candle left still; it is the thinnest, weakest half, and I -shall put the wick foremost, because the cotton is softest.” The table -being now properly placed, to Engedan’s utmost astonishment the candle, -with the wick foremost, went through the table, as the other had gone -through the three shields. “By St Michael! says Engedan, Yagoube, -hereafter say to me you can raise my father Eshté from the grave, and -I will believe you.” Some priests who were there, though surprised -at first, seemed afterward to treat it rather lightly, because they -thought it below their dignity to be surprised at any thing. They said -it was done (mucktoub) by writing, by which they meant magic. Every -body embraced that opinion as an evident and rational one, and so the -wonder with them ceased. But it was not so with the king: It made the -most favourable and lasting impression upon his mind; nor did I ever -after see, in his countenance, any marks either of doubt or diffidence, -but always, on the contrary, the most decisive proofs of friendship, -confidence, and attention, and the most implicit belief of every thing -I advanced upon any subject from my own knowledge. - -The experiment was twice tried afterwards in presence of Ras Michael. -But he would not risk his good shields, and always produced the -table, saying, “Engedan and those foolish boys were rightly served; -they thought Yagoube was a liar like themselves, and they lost their -shields; but I believed him, and gave him my table for curiosity only, -and so I saved mine.” - -As I may now say I was settled in this country, and had an opportunity -of being informed of the manners, government, and present state of -it, I shall here inform the reader of what I think most worthy his -attention, whether ancient or modern, while we are yet in peace, -before we are called out to a campaign or war, attended with every -disadvantage, danger, and source of confusion. - - - - -CHAP. X. - -_Geographical Division of Abyssinia into Provinces._ - - -At Masuah, that is, on the coast of the Red Sea, begins an imaginary -division of Abyssinia into two, which is rather a division of language -than strictly to be understood as territorial. The first division is -called _Tigré_, between the Red Sea and the river Tacazzé. Between that -river and the Nile, westward, where it bounds the Galla, it is called -_Amhara_. - -Whatever convenience there maybe from this division, there is neither -geographical nor historical precision in it, for there are many little -provinces included in the first that do not belong to Tigré; and, in -the second division, which is Amhara, that which gives the name is but -a very small part of it. - -Again, in point of language, there is a variety of tongues spoken in -the second division besides that of Amhara. In Tigrè, however, the -separation as to languages holds true, as there is no tongue known -there but Geez, or that of the Shepherds. - -Masuah, in ancient times, was one of the principal places of residence -of the Baharnagash, who, when he was not there himself, constantly left -his deputy, or lieutenant. In summer he resided for several months in -the island of Dahalac, then accounted part of his territory. He was, -after the King and Betwudet, the person of the greatest consideration -in the kingdom, and was invested with sendick and nagareet, the -kettle-drum, and colours, marks of supreme command. - -Masuah was taken, and a basha established there soon after, as we have -seen in the history, in the reign of Menas, when the Baharnagash, named -Isaac, confederated with the Turkish basha, and ceded to him a great -territory, part of his own government, and with it Dobarwa, the capital -of his province, divided only by the river Mareb from Tigré. From -this time this office fell into disrepute in the kingdom. The sendick -and nagareet, the marks of supreme power, were taken from him, and he -never was allowed a place in council, unless specially called on by the -king. He preserves his privilege of being crowned with gold; but, when -appointed, has a cloak thrown over him, the one side white, the other a -dark blue, and the officer who crowns him admonishes him of what will -befal him if he preserves his allegiance, which is signified by the -white side of the cloak; and the disgrace and punishment that is to -attend his treason, and which has fallen upon his predecessors, which -he figures to him by turning up the colour of mourning. - -Besides the dignity attending this office, it was also one of the most -lucrative. Frankincense, myrrh, and a species of cinnamon, called by -the Italians Cannella, with several kinds of gums and dyes, all very -precious, from Cape Gardefan to Bilur, were the valuable produce of -this country: but this territory, though considerable in length, is not -of any great breadth; for, from south of Hadea to Masuah, it consists -in a belt seldom above forty miles from the sea, which is bounded by a -ridge of very high mountains, running parallel to the Indian Ocean and -the Red Sea, as far as Masuah. - -After Azab begin the mines of fossile salt, which, cut into square, -solid bricks of about a foot long, serve in place of the silver -currency in Abyssinia; and from this, as from a kind of mint, great -benefit accrues also. - -From Masuah the same narrow belt continues to Suakem; nay, indeed, -though the rains do not reach so far, the mountains continue to the -Isthmus of Suez. This northern province of the Baharnagash is called -the Habab, or the land of the Agaazi, or Shepherds; they speak one -language, which they call Geez, or the language of the Agaazi. From the -earliest times, they have had letters and writing among them; and no -other has ever been introduced into Abyssinia, to this day, as we have -already observed. - -Since the expulsion of the Turks from Dobarwa and the continent of -Abyssinia, Masuah has been governed by a Naybe, himself one of the -Shepherds, but Mahometan. A treaty formerly subsisted, that the king -should receive half of the revenue of the customhouse in Masuah; in -return for which he was suffered to enjoy that small stripe of barren, -dry country called Samhar, inhabited by black shepherds called Shiho, -reaching from Hamazen on the north to the foot of the mountain Taranta -on the south; but, by the favour of Michael, that is, by bribery and -corruption, he has possessed himself of two large frontier towns, Dixan -and Dobarwa, by lease, for a trifling sum, which he pays the king -yearly; this must necessarily very much weaken this state, if it should -ever again have war with the Turks, of which indeed there is no great -probability. - -The next province in Abyssinia, as well for greatness as riches, -power, and dignity, and nearest Masuah, is Tigrè. It is bounded by the -territory of the Baharnagash, that is, by the river Mareb on the east, -and the Tacazzè upon the west. It is about one hundred and twenty miles -broad from E. to W. and two hundred from N. to S. This is its present -situation. The hand of usurping power has abolished all distinction on -the west-side of the Tacazzè; besides, many large governments, such as -Enderta and Antalow, and great part of the Baharnagash, were swallowed -up in this province to the east. - -What, in a special manner, makes the riches of Tigré, is, that it -lies nearest the market, which is Arabia; and all the merchandise -destined to cross the Red Sea must pass through this province, so -that the governor has the choice of all commodities wherewith to make -his market. The strongest male, the most beautiful female slaves, the -purest gold, the largest teeth of ivory, all must pass through his -hand. Fire-arms, moreover, which for many years have decided who is -the most powerful in Abyssinia, all these come from Arabia, and not one -can be purchased without his knowing to whom it goes, and after his -having had the first refusal of it. - -Siré, a province about twenty-five miles broad, and not much more -in length, is reckoned as part of Tigré also, but this is not a new -usurpation. It lost the rank of a province, and was united to Tigré for -the misbehaviour of its governor Kasmati Claudius, in an expedition -against the Shangalla in the reign of Yasous the Great. In my time, -it began again to get into reputation, and was by Ras Michael’s own -consent disjoined from his province, and given first to his son Welled -Hawaryat, together with Samen, and, after his death, to Ayto Tesfos, -a very amiable man, gallant soldier, and good officer; who, fighting -bravely in the king’s service at the battle of Serbraxos, was there -wounded and taken prisoner, and died of his wounds afterwards. - -After passing the Tacazzè, the boundary between Sirè and Samen, we come -to that mountainous province called by the last name. A large chain of -rugged mountains, where is the Jews Rock, (which I shall often mention -as the highest), reaches from the south of Tigré down near to Waldubba, -the low, hot country that bounds Abyssinia on the north. It is about 80 -miles in length, in few places 30 broad, and in some much less. It is -in great part possessed by Jews, and _there_ Gideon and Judith, king -and queen of that nation, and, as they say, of the house of Judah, -maintain still their ancient sovereignty and religion from very early -times. - -On the N. E. of Tigré lies the province of Begemder. It borders upon -Angot, whose governor is called Angot Ras; but the whole province now, -excepting a few villages, is conquered by the Galla. - -It has Amhara, which runs parallel to it, on the south, and is -separated from it by the river Bashilo. Both these provinces are -bounded by the river Nile on the west. Begemder is about 180 miles -in its greatest length, and 60 in breadth, comprehending Lasta, a -mountainous province, sometimes depending on Begemder, but often in -rebellion. The inhabitants are esteemed the best soldiers in Abyssinia, -men of great strength and stature, but cruel and uncivilized; so that -they are called, in common conversation and writing, the peasants, or -barbarians of Lasta; they pay to the king 1000 ounces of gold. - -Several small provinces are now dismembered from Begemder, such as -Foggora, a small stripe reaching S. and N. about 35 miles between -Emfras and Dara, and about 12 miles broad from E. to W. from the -mountains of Begemder to the lake Tzana. On the north end of this -are two small governments, Dreeda and Karoota, the only territory in -Abyssinia that produces wine, the merchants trade to Caffa and Narea, -in the country of the Galla. We speak of these territories as they are -in point of right; but when a nobleman of great power is governor of -the province of Begemder, he values not lesser rights, but unites them -all to his province. - -Begemder is the strength of Abyssinia in horsemen. It is said, that, -with Lasta, it can bring out 45,000 men; but this, as far as ever -I could inform myself, is a great exaggeration. They are exceeding -good soldiers when they are pleased with their general, and the cause -for which they fight; otherwise, they are easily divided, great many -private interests being continually kept alive, as it is thought -industriously, by government itself. It is well stocked with cattle of -every kind, all very beautiful. The mountains are full of iron-mines; -they are not so steep and rocky nor so frequent, as in other provinces, -if we except only Lasta, and abound in all sort of wild fowl and game. - -The south end of the province near Nefas Musa is cut into prodigious -gullies apparently by floods, of which we have no history. It is the -great barrier against the encroachments of the Galla; and, by many -attempts, they have tried to make a settlement in it, but all in vain. -Whole tribes of them have been extinguished in this their endeavour. - -In many provinces of Abyssinia, favour is the only necessary to procure -the government; others are given to poor noblemen, that, by fleecing -the people, they may grow rich, and repair their fortune. But the -consequence of Begemder is so well known to the state, as reaching so -near the metropolis, and supplying it so constantly with all sorts of -provisions, that none but noblemen of rank, family, and character, able -to maintain a large number of troops always on foot, and in good order, -are trusted with its government. - -Immediately next to this is Amhara, between the two rivers Bashilo -and Geshen. The length of this country from E. to W. is about 120 -miles, and its breadth something more than 40. It is a very mountainous -country, full of nobility; the men are reckoned the handsomest in -Abyssinia, as well as the bravest. With the ordinary arms, the lance -and shield, they are thought to be superior to double the number of any -other soldiers in the kingdom. What, besides, added to the dignity of -this province, was the high mountain of Geshen, or the grassy mountain, -whereon the king’s sons were formerly imprisoned, till surprised and -murdered there in the Adelan war. - -Between the two rivers Geshen and Samba, is a low, unwholesome, -though fertile province, called Walaka; and southward of that is -Upper Shoa. This province, or kingdom, was famous for the retreat it -gave to the only remaining prince of the house of Solomon, who fled -from the massacre of his brethren by Judith, about the year 900, upon -the rock of Damo. Here the royal family remained in security, and -increased in number, for near 400 years, till they were restored. -From thenceforward, as long as the king resided in the south of -his dominions, great tenderness and distinction was shewn to the -inhabitants of this province; and when the king returned again to -Tigrè, he abandoned them tacitly to their own government. - -Amha Yasous, prince at this day, and lineal descendant of the governor -who first acknowledged the king, is now by connivance sovereign of that -province. In order to keep himself as independent and separate from -the rest of Abyssinia as possible, he has sacrificed the province of -Walaka, which belonged to him, to the Galla, who, by his own desire, -have surrounded Shoa on every side. But it is full of the bravest, -best horsemen, and best accoutred beyond all comparison of any in -Abyssinia, and, when they please, they can dispossess the Galla. Safe -and independent as the prince of Shoa now is, he is still the loyalist, -and the friend to monarchy he ever was; and, upon any signal distress -happening to the king, he never failed to succour him powerfully with -gold and troops, far beyond the quota formerly due from his province. -This Shoa boasts, likewise, the honour of being the native country of -Tecla Haimanout, restorer of the line of Solomon, the founder of the -monastery and Order of the monks of Debra Libanos, and of the power and -wealth of the Abuna, and the clergy in general, of Abyssinia. - -Gojam, from north-east to south-east, is about 80 miles in length, and -40 in breadth. It is a very flat country, and all in pasture; has few -mountains, but these are very high ones, and are chiefly on the banks -of the Nile, to the south, which river surrounds the province; so that, -to a person who should walk round Gojam, the Nile would be always on -his left hand, from where it went south, falling out of the lake Tzana, -till it turns north through Fazuclo into the country of Sennaar and -Egypt. - -Gojam is full of great herds of cattle, the largest in the high parts -of Abyssinia. The men are in the lowest esteem as soldiers, but the -country is very populous. The Jesuits were settled in many convents -throughout the province, and are no where half so much detested. The -monks of Gojam are those of St Eustathius, which may be called the Low -Church of Abyssinia. They are much inclined to turbulence in religious -matters, and are, therefore, always made tools by discontented people, -who have no religion at all. - -On the south-east of the kingdom of Gojam is Damot. It is bounded by -the Temci on the east, by the Gult on the west, by the Nile on the -south, and by the high mountains of Amid Amid on the north. It is about -40 miles in length from north to south, and something more than 20 in -breadth from east to west. But all this peninsula, surrounded with the -river, is called Gojam, in general terms, from a line down through the -south end of the lake to Miné, the passage of the Nile in the way to -Narea. - -It is surprising the Jesuits, notwithstanding their long abode in -Gojam, have not known where this neighbouring country of Damot was -situated, but have placed it south of the Nile. They were often, -however, in Damot, when Sela Christos was attempting the conquest and -conversion of the Agows. - -On the other side of Amid Amid is the province of the Agows, bounded -by those mountains on the east; by Burè and Umbarma, and the country -of the Gongas, on the west; by Damot and Gafat upon the south, and -Dingleber on the north. - -All those countries from Abbo, such as Goutto, Aroosi, and Wainadega, -were formerly inhabited by Agows; but, partly by the war with the -Galla beyond the Nile, partly by their own constant rebellions, this -territory, called Maitsha, which is the flat country on both sides of -the Nile, is quite uninhabited, and at last hath been given to colonies -of peaceable Galla, chiefly Djawi, who fill the whole low country to -the foot of the mountains Aformasha, in place of the Agows, the first -occupiers. - -Maitsha, from the flatness of the country, not draining soon after the -rains, is in all places wet, but in many, miry and marshy; it produces -little or no corn, but depends entirely upon a plant called Ensete[18], -which furnishes the people both with wholesome and delicate food -throughout the year. For the rest, this province abounds in large fine -cattle, and breeds some indifferent horses. - -Upon the mountains, above Maitsha, is the country of the Agows, the -richest province still in Abyssinia, notwithstanding the multitude -of devastations it has suffered. They lie round the country above -described, from Aformasha to Quaquera, where are the heads of two large -rivers, the Kelti and Branti. These are called the Agows of Damot, from -their nearness to that province, in contradistinction to the Agows of -Lasta, who are called Tcheratz-Agow, from Tchera, a principal town, -tribe, and district near Lasta and Begemder. - -The Gafats, inhabiting a small district adjoining to the Galla, have -also distinct languages, so have the Galla themselves, of whom we have -often spoken; they are a large nation. - -From Dingleber all along the lake, below the mountains bounding Guesgué -and Kuara, is called Dembea. This low province on the south of Gondar, -and Woggora the small high province on the east, are all sown with -wheat, and are the granaries of Abyssinia. Dembea seems once to have -been occupied entirely by the lake, and we see all over it marks that -cannot be mistaken, so that this large extent of water is visibly -upon the decrease; and this agrees with what is observed of stagnant -pools in general throughout the world. Dembea is called Atté-Kolla, -_the king’s food_, or maintenance, its produce being assigned for the -supplying of the king’s household. It is governed by an officer called -Cantiba; it is a lucrative post; but he is not reckoned one of the -great officers of the empire, and has no place in council. - -South from Dembea is Kuara, a very mountainous province confining upon -the Pagan blacks, or Shangalla, called Gongas and Guba, the Macrobii -of the ancients. It is a very unwholesome province, but abounding in -gold, not of its own produce, but that of its neighbourhood, these -Pagans--Guba, Nuba, and Shangalla. Kuara signifies the sun, and Beja -(that is Atbara, and the low parts of Sennaar, the country of the -Shepherds, adjoining) signifies the _moon_, in the language of these -Shangalla. These names are some remains of their ancient superstitions. -Kuara was the native country of the Iteghè, or queen-regent, of Kasmati -Eshté, Welled de l’Oul, Gueta, Eusebius, and Palambaras Mammo. - -In the low country of Kuara, near to Sennaar, there is a settlement of -Pagan blacks called Ganjar. They are mostly cavalry, and live entirely -by hunting and plundering, the Arabs of Atbara and Fazuclo. Their -origin is this: Upon the invasion of the Arabs after the coming of -Mahomet, the black slaves deserted from their masters, the Shepherds, -and took up their habitation, where they have not considerably -multiplied, otherwise than by the accession of vagrants and fugitives, -whom they get from both kingdoms. They are generally under the command -of the governor of Kuara, and were so when I was in Abyssinia, though -they refused to follow their governor Coque Abou Barea to fight against -Michael, but whether from fear or affection I know not; I believe the -former. - -The governor of Kuara is one of the great officers of state, and, being -the king’s lieutenant-general, has absolute power in his province, and -carries _sendick_ and _nagareet_. His kettle-drums are silver, and his -privilege is to beat these drums even in marching through the capital, -which no governor of a province is permitted to do, none but the king’s -nagareets or kettle-drums being suffered to be beat there, or any where -in a town where the king is; but the governor of Kuara is intitled to -continue beating his drums till he comes to the foot of the outer stair -of the king’s palace. This privilege, from some good behaviour of the -first officer to whom the command was given, was conferred upon the -post by David II. called Degami Daid, who conquered the province from -the _Shepherds_, its old inhabitants. - -Nara, and Ras el Feel, Tchelga, and on to Tcherkin, is a frontier -wholly inhabited by Mahometans. Its government is generally given -to a stranger, often to a Mahometan, but one of that faith is -always deputy-governor. The use of keeping troops here is to defend -the friendly Arabs and Shepherds, who remain in their allegiance -to Abyssinia, from the resentment of the Arabs of Sennaar, their -neighbours; and, by means of these friendly Arabs and Shepherds, -secure a constant supply of horses for the king’s troops. It is a -barren stripe of a very hot, unwholesome country, full of thick woods, -and fit only for hunting. The inhabitants, fugitives from all nations, -are chiefly Mahometans, but very bold and expert horsemen, using no -other weapon but the broad sword, with which they attack the elephant -and rhinoceros. - -There are many other small provinces, which occasionally are annexed, -and sometimes are separated, such as Guesgué, to the eastward of Kuara; -Waldubba, between the rivers Guangue and Angrab; Tzegadé and Walkayt -on the west side of Waldubba; Abergalè and Selawa in the neighbourhood -of Begemder; Temben, Dobas, Giannamora, Bur, and Engana, in the -neighbourhood of Tigré, and many others: Such at least was the state -of the country in my time, very different in all respects from what -it has been represented. As to the precedency of these provinces we -shall further speak, when we come to mention the officers of state and -internal government in this country. - - - - -CHAP. XI. - -_Various Customs in Abyssinia similar to those in Persia, &c.--A bloody -Banquet described, &c._ - - -For the sake of regularity, I shall here notice what might clearly -be inferred from what is gone before. The crown of Abyssinia is -hereditary, and has always been so, in one particular family, supposed -to be that of Solomon by the queen of Saba, Negesta Azab, or queen of -the south. It is nevertheless elective in this line; and there is no -law of the land, nor custom, which gives the eldest son an exclusive -title to succeed to his father. - -The practice has indeed been quite the contrary: when, at the death -of a king, his sons are old enough to govern, and, by some accident, -not yet sent prisoners to the mountain, then the eldest, or he that is -next, and not confined, generally takes possession of the throne by the -strength of his father’s friends; but if no heir is then in the low -country, the choice of the king is always according to the will of the -minister, which passes for that of the people; and, his inclination -and interest being to govern, he never fails to choose an infant -whom thereafter he directs, ruling the kingdom absolutely during the -minority, which generally exhausts, or is equal to the term of his life. - -From this flow all the misfortunes of this unhappy country. This very -defect arises from a desire to institute a more than ordinary perfect -form of government; for the Abyssinians first position was, “Woe be -to the kingdom whose king is a child;” and this they know must often -happen when succession is left to the course of nature. But when there -was a choice to be made out of two hundred persons all of the same -family, all capable of reigning, it was their own fault, they thought, -if they had not always a prince of proper age and qualification to rule -the kingdom, according to the necessities of the times, and to preserve -the succession of the family in the house of Solomon, agreeable to the -laws of the land. And indeed it has been this manner of reasoning, -good at first view, though found afterwards but too fallacious, which -has ruined their kingdom in part, and often brought the whole into the -utmost hazard and jeopardy. - -The king is anointed with plain oil of olives, which, being poured upon -the crown of his head, he rubs into his long hair indecently enough -with both his hands, pretty much as his soldiers do with theirs when -they get access to plenty of butter. - -The crown is made in the shape of a priest’s mitre, or head-piece; it -is a kind of helmet, covering the king’s forehead, cheeks, and neck. It -is lined with blue taffety; the outside is half gold and half silver, -of the most beautiful filligrane work. - -The crown, in Joas’s time, was burnt, with part of the palace, on that -day when Ras Michael’s dwarf was shot in his own house before him. -The present was since made by the Greeks from Smyrna, who have large -appointments here, and work with very great taste and elegance, though -they have not near so much encouragement as formerly. - -Upon the top of the crown was a ball of red glass, or chrystal, with -several bells of different colours within it. It seems to me to have -formerly been no better than part of the stopper of a glass-decanter. -Be that as it may, it was lost in Yasous’s time at the defeat of -Sennaar; It was found, however, by a Mahometan, and brought by -Guangoul, chief of the Bertuma Galla, to the frontiers of Tigrè, where -Michael, governor of that province, went with an army in great ceremony -to receive it, and, returning with it, gave it to king Yasous, making -thereby a great advance towards the king’s favour. - -Some people[19], among the other unwarranted things they have advanced, -have said, That, at the king’s coronation, a gold ear-ring is put into -his ears, and a drawn sword into his hand, and that all the people fall -down and worship him; but there is no such ceremony in use, and -exhibitions of this kind, made by the king in public, at no period seem -to have suited the genius of this people. Formerly his face was never -seen, nor any part of him, excepting sometimes his foot. He sits in a -kind of balcony, with lattice-windows and curtains before him. Even -yet he covers his face on audiences or public occasions, and when in -judgment. On cases of treason, he sits within his balcony, and speaks -through a hole in the side of it, to an officer called Kal-Hatzè, -the “voice or word of the king,” by whom he sends his questions, -or any thing else that occurs, to the judges who are seated at the -council-table. - -[Illustration: - - 1 _Crown_ - - 2 _Standard_ - - 3 _Shield outside_ - - 4 _Shield inside_ - - 5 _Javelins_ - - 6 _Ornament after victory of all Kasmatis_ - - 7 _Silver disc worn on festivals by - soldiers of quality._ - -London. Publish’d Dec{^r.} 1{^st.} 1789 by G. Robinson & Co.] - -The king goes to church regularly, his guards taking possession of -every avenue and door through which he is to pass, and nobody is -allowed to enter with him, because he is then on foot, excepting two -officers of his bed-chamber who support him. He kisses the threshold -and side-posts of the church-door, the steps before the altar, and then -returns home: sometimes there is service in the church, sometimes there -is not; but he takes no notice of the difference. He rides up stairs -into the presence-chamber on a mule, and lights immediately on the -carpet before his throne; and I have sometimes seen great indecencies -committed by the said mule in the presence-chamber, upon a Persian -carpet. - -An officer called Serach Massery, with a long whip, begins cracking -and making a noise, worse than twenty French postillions, at the door -of the palace before the dawn of day. This chases away the hyæna and -other wild beasts; this, too, is the signal for the king’s rising, who -sits in judgment every morning fasting, and after that, about eight -o’clock, he goes to breakfast. - -There are six noblemen of the king’s own choosing, who are called -Baalomaal[20], or gentlemen of his bed-chamber; four of these are -always with him. There is a seventh, who is the chief of these, called -Azeleffa el Camisha, groom of the robe, or stole. He is keeper of -the king’s wardrobe, and the first officer of the bed-chamber. These -officers, the black slaves, and some others, serve him as menial -servants, and are in a degree of familiarity with him unknown to the -rest of the subjects. - -When the king sits to consult upon civil matters of consequence, he is -shut up in a kind of box opposite to the head of the council table. -The persons that deliberate sit at the table, and, according to their -rank, give their voices, the youngest or lowest officer always speaking -first. The first that give their votes are the Shalaka, or colonels -of the household-troops. The second are the great butlers, men that -have the charge of the king’s drink. The third is the Badjerund, or -keeper of that apartment in the palace called the _lion’s house_; and -after these the keeper of the banqueting-house. The next is called -Lika Magwass, an officer that always goes before the king to hinder -the pressure of the crowd. In war, when the king is marching, he rides -constantly round him at a certain distance, and carries his shield, and -his lance; at least he carries a silver shield, and a lance pointed -with the same metal, before such kings as do not choose to expose their -person. That, however, was not the case in my time, as the king carried -the shield himself, black and unadorned, of good buffalo’s hide, and -his spear sharp-pointed with iron. His silver ornaments were only used -when the campaign was over, when these were carried by this officer. -Great was the respect shewed formerly to this king in war, and even -when engaged in battle with rebels, his own subjects. - -No prince ever lost his life in battle till the coming of the Europeans -into Abyssinia, when both the excommunicating and murdering of their -sovereigns seem to have been introduced at the same time. The reader -will see, in the course of this history, two instances of this respect -being still kept up: the one at the battle of Limjour, where Fasil, -pretending that he was immediately to attack Ras Michael, desired that -the king might be dressed in his insignia, lest, not being known, he -might be slain by the stranger Galla. The next was after the battle -of Serbraxos, where the king was thrice in one day engaged with the -Begemder troops for a considerable space of time. These insignia, or -marks of royalty, are a white horse, with small silver bells at his -head, a shield of silver, and a white fillet of fine silk or muslin, -but generally the latter, some inches broad, which is tied round the -upper part of the head over his hair, with a large double or bow-knot -behind, the ends hanging down to the small of his back, or else flying -in the air. - -After the Lika Magwass comes the Palambaras; after him the Fit-Auraris; -then the Gera Kasmati, and the Kanya Kasmati, their names being derived -from their rank or order in encamping, the one on the right, the other -on the left of the king’s tent; Kanya and Gera signifying _the right_ -and _the left_; after them the Dakakin Billetana Gueta, or the under -chamberlain; then the secretary[21] for the king’s commands; after -him the right and left Azages, or generals; after them Rak Massery, -after him the basha, after him Kasmati of Damot, then of Samen, then -Amhara, and, last of all, Tigrè, before whom stands a golden cup upon a -cushion, and he is called Nebrit, as being governor of Axum, or keeper -of the book of the law supposed to be there. - -After the governor of Tigrè comes the Acab Saat, or guardian of the -fire, and the chief ecclesiastical officer of the king’s household. -Some have said that this officer was appointed to attend the king at -the time of eating, and that it was his province to order both meat and -drink to be withdrawn whenever he saw the king inclined to excess. If -this was really his office, he never used it in my time, nor, as far -as I could learn, for several reigns before. Besides, no king eats in -public, or before any person but slaves; and he never would chuse that -time to commit excess, in which he might be controuled by a subject, -even if it was that subject’s right to be present when the king eats, -as it is not. - -After the Acab Saat comes the first master of the household; then the -Betwudet, or Ras; last of all the king gives his sentence, which is -final, and sends it to the table, from the balcony where he is then -sitting, by the officer called, as aforementioned, Kal-Hatzè. - -We meet in Abyssinia with various usages, which many have hitherto -thought to be peculiar to those ancient nations in which they were -first observed; others, not so learned, have thought they originated in -Abyssinia. I shall first take notice of those that regard the king and -court. - -The kings of Persia[22], like these we are speaking of, were eligible -in one family only, that of the Arsacidæ, and it was not till that race -failed they chose Darius. The title of the king of Abyssinia is, _King -of Kings_; and such Daniel[23] tells us was that of Nebuchadnezzar. The -right of primogeniture does not so prevail in Abyssinia as to exclude -election in the person of the younger brothers, and this was likewise -the case in Persia[24]. - -In Persia[25] a preference was understood to be due to the king’s -lawful children; but there were instances of the natural child being -preferred to the lawful one. Darius, tho’ a bastard, was preferred -to Isogius, Xerxes’s lawful son, and that merely by the election of -the people. The same has always obtained in Abyssinia. A very great -part of their kings are adulterous bastards; others are the issue of -concubines, as we shall see hereafter, but they have been preferred to -the crown by the influence of a party, always under name of the Voice -of the People. - -Although the Persian kings[26] had various palaces to which they -removed at different times in the year, Pasagarda, the metropolis -of their ancient kings, was observed as the only place for their -coronation; and this, too, was the case of Abyssinia with their -metropolis of Axum. - -The next remarkable ceremony in which these two nations agreed, is that -of adoration, inviolably observed in Abyssinia to this day, as often as -you enter the sovereign’s presence. This is not only kneeling[27], but -an absolute prostration. You first fall upon your knees, then upon the -palms of your hands, then incline your head and body till your forehead -touch the earth; and, in case you have an answer to expect, you lie in -that posture till the king, or somebody from him, desires you to rise. -This, too, was the custom of Persia; Arrian[28] says this was first -instituted by Cyrus, and this was precisely the posture in which they -adored God, mentioned in the book of Exodus. - -Though the refusal of this ceremony would, in Abyssinia and Persia, be -looked upon as rebellion or insult, yet it seems in both nations to -have met with a mitigation with regard to strangers, who have refused -it without giving any offence. I remember a Mahometan being twice -sent by the prince of Mecca into Abyssinia during my stay there, who, -neither time, would go farther than to put his hands across upon his -breast, with no very great inclination of his head; and this I saw was -not thought so extraordinary as to give offence, as it was all he did -to his own sovereign and master. - -We read, indeed, of a very remarkable instance of the dispensing with -that ceremony being indirectly, yet plainly, refused in Persia to -strangers. Conon[29], the Athenian, had occasion for an interview with -Artaxerxes, king of Persia, upon matters of great concern to both -states; “You shall be introduced to the king by me, says the Persian -minister to Conon, without any delay; do you only first consider with -yourself, whether it is really of any consequence that you should -speak with the king yourself, or whether it would not be as well -for you to convey to him, by letter, any thing you have to say; for -it is absolutely necessary, if you are introduced into the king’s -presence, that you fall down upon your face and worship him. If this -is disagreeable or offensive to you, your business shall nevertheless -be equally well and quickly done by me.” To which Conon very sensibly -replied, “For my part, it never can be offensive _to me_ to shew every -degree of respect possible to the person of a king. I only am afraid -that this salutation may be misinterpreted by my citizens, who, being -themselves a sovereign state, may look upon this submission of their -ambassador as a reproach to themselves, and inconsistent with their -independency.” Conon, therefore, desired to wave his introduction, and -that his business might be done by letters, which was complied with -accordingly. - -I have already mentioned transiently the circumstance of the king not -being seen when sitting in council. The manner of it is this: When -he had business formerly, he sat constantly in a room of his palace, -which communicated with the audience and council by two folding doors -or large windows, the bottom of which were about three steps from -the ground. These doors, or windows, were latticed with cross bars of -wood like a cage, and a thin curtain, or veil of taffety silk was hung -within it; so that, upon darkening the inner chamber, the king saw -every person in the chamber without, while he himself was not seen at -all. Justin[30] tells us, that the person of the king of Persia was hid -to give a greater idea of his majesty; and under Deioces, king of the -Medes, a law was made that nobody might look upon the king; but the -constant wars in which Abyssinia has been engaged, since the Mahometans -took possession of Adel, have occasioned this troublesome custom to -be wholly laid aside, unless on particular public occasions, and at -council, when they are still observed with the ancient strictness. And -we find, in the history of Abyssinia, that the army and kingdom have -often owed their safety to the personal behaviour and circumstance of -the king distinguishing and exposing himself in battle, which advantage -they must have lost had the ancient custom been observed. However, to -this day, when he is abroad riding, or sitting in any of his apartments -at home where people are admitted, his head and forehead are perfectly -covered, and one of his hands covers his mouth, so that nothing but his -eyes are seen; his feet, too, are always covered. - -We learn from Apuleus, that this was a custom in Persia; and this gave -an opportunity to the magi to place Oropastus, the brother of Cambyses, -upon the throne, instead of Merdis who should have succeeded; but the -covering of the face made the difference pass unperceived. - -It is the constant practice in Abyssinia to beset the king’s doors and -windows within his hearing, and there, from early morning to night, to -cry for justice as loud as possible, in a distressed and complaining -tone, and in all the different languages they are masters of, in order -to their being admitted to have their supposed grievances heard. In a -country so ill governed as Abyssinia is, and so perpetually involved -in war, it may be easily supposed there is no want of people, who have -real injuries and violence to complain of: But if it were not so, -this is so much the constant usage, that when it happens (as in the -midst of the rainy season) that few people can approach the capital, -or stand without in such bad weather, a set of vagrants are provided, -maintained, and paid, whose sole business it is to cry and lament, -as if they had been really very much injured and oppressed; and this -they tell you is for the king’s honour, that he may not be lonely by -the palace being too quiet. This, of all their absurd customs, was the -most grievous and troublesome to me; and, from a knowledge that it was -so, the king, when he was private, often permitted himself a piece of -rather odd diversion to be a royal one. - -There would sometimes, while I was busy in my room in the rainy season, -be four or five hundred people, who all at once would begin, some -roaring and crying, as if they were in pain, others demanding justice, -as if they were that moment suffering, or if in the instant to be put -to death; and some groaning and sobbing as if just expiring; and this -horrid symphony was so artfully performed that no ear could distinguish -but that it proceeded from real distress. I was often so surprised as -to send the soldiers at the door to bring in one of them, thinking him -come from the country, to examine who had injured him; many a time he -was a servant of my own, or some other equally known; or, if he was a -stranger, upon asking him what misfortune had befallen him, he would -answer very composedly, Nothing was the matter with him; that he had -been sleeping all day with the horses; that hearing from the soldiers -at the door I was retired to my apartment, he and his companions had -come to cry and make a noise under my window, to do me _honour_ before -the people, for fear I should be melancholy, by being too quiet when -alone; and therefore hoped that I would order them drink, that they -might continue with a little more spirit. The violent anger which this -did often put me into did not fail to be punctually reported to the -king, at which he would laugh heartily; and he himself was often hid -not far off, for the sake of being a spectator of my heavy displeasure. - -These complaints, whether real or feigned, have always for their -burden, _Rete O Jan boi_, which, repeated quick, very much resembles -Prete Janni, the name that was given to this prince, of which we never -yet knew the derivation; its signification is, “Do me justice, O my -king!” - -Herodotus[31] tells us, that in Persia, the people, in great crowds and -of both sexes, come roaring and crying to the doors of the palace; and -Intaphernes is also said to come to the door of the king making great -lamentations. - -I have mentioned a council of state held in Abyssinia in time of danger -or difficulty, where the king sitting invisible, though present, gives -his opinion by an officer called Kal-Hatzè. Upon his delivering the -sentence from the king the whole assembly rise, and stand upon their -feet; and this they must have done the whole time the council lasted -had the king appeared there in person. According to the circumstances -of the time, the king goes with the majority, or not; and if, upon -a division, there is a majority against him, he often punishes the -majority on the other side, by sending them to prison for voting -against his sentiments; for tho’ it is understood, by calling of the -meeting, that the majority is to determine as to the eligibility of the -measure, the king, by his prerogative, supersedes any majority on the -other side, and so far, I suppose, has been an encroachment upon the -original constitution. This I understand was the same in Persia. - -Xerxes[32], being about to declare war against the Greeks, assembled -all the principal chiefs of Asia in council. “That I may not, says -he, be _thought_ to _act_ only by my own judgment, I have called you -together. At the same time, I think proper to intimate to you, that it -is your duty to obey my will, rather than enter into any deliberation -or remonstrances of your own.” - -We will now compare some particulars, the dress and ornaments of the -two kings. The king of Abyssinia wears his hair long; so did the -ancient kings of Persia. We learn this circumstance from Suetonius -and Aurelius Victor[33]. A comet had appeared in the war with Persia, -and was looked upon by the Romans as a bad omen. Vespasian laughed at -it, and said, if it portended any ill it was to the king of Persia, -because, _like him_, it wore long hair. - -The diadem was, with the Persians, a mark of royalty, as with the -Abyssinians, being composed of the same materials, and worn in the -same manner. The king of Abyssinia wears it, while marching, as a -mark of sovereignty, that does not impede or incommode him, as any -other heavier ornament would do, especially in hot weather. This -fillet surrounds his head above the hair, leaving the crown perfectly -uncovered. It is an offence of the first magnitude for any person, at -this time, to wear any thing upon his head, especially white, unless -for Mahometans, who wear caps, and over them a large white turban; or -for priests, who wear large turbans of muslin also. - -This was the diadem of the Persians, as appears from Lucian[34], who -calls it a white fillet about the forehead. In the dialogue between -Diogenes and Alexander, the head is said to be tied round with a white -fillet[35]; and Favorinus, speaking of Pompey, whose leg was wound -round with a white bandage, says, It is no matter on what part of the -body he wears a diadem. We read in Justin[36], that Alexander, leaping -from his horse, by accident wounded Lysimachus in the forehead with -the point of his spear, and the blood gushed out so violently that it -could not be stanched, till the king took the diadem from his head, and -with it bound up the wound; which at that time was looked upon as an -omen that Lysimachus was to be king, and so it soon after happened. - -The kings of Abyssinia anciently sat upon a gold throne, which is a -large, convenient, oblong, square seat, like a small bed-stead, covered -with Persian carpets, damask, and cloth of gold, with steps leading up -to it. It is still richly gilded; but the many revolutions and wars -have much abridged their ancient magnificence. The portable throne -was a gold stool, like that curule stool or chair used by the Romans, -which we see on medals. It was, in the Begemder war, changed to a very -beautiful one of the same form inlaid with gold. Xerxes is said to have -been spectator of a naval fight sitting upon a gold stool[37]. - -It is, in Abyssinia, high-treason to sit upon any seat of the king’s; -and he that presumed to do this would be instantly hewn to pieces, -if there was not some other collateral proof of his being a madman. -The reader will find, in the course of my history, a very ridiculous -accident on this subject, in the king’s tent, with Guangoul, king of -the Bertuma Galla. - -It is probable that Alexander had heard of this law in Persia, and -disapproved of it; for one day, it being extremely cold, the king, -sitting in his chair before the fire, warming and chaffing his legs, -saw a soldier, probably a Persian, who had lost his feeling by extreme -numbness. The king immediately leaped from his chair, and ordered -the soldier to be set down upon it. The fire soon brought him to his -senses, but he had almost lost them again with fear, by finding himself -in the king’s seat. To whom Alexander said, “Remember, and distinguish, -how much more advantageous to man my government is than that of the -kings of Persia[38]. By sitting down on my seat, you have saved your -life; by sitting on theirs, you would infallibly have lost it.” - -In Abyssinia it is considered as a fundamental law of the land, that -none of the royal family, who has any deformity or bodily defect, shall -be allowed to succeed to the crown; and, for this purpose, any of the -princes, who may have escaped from the mountain of Wechnè, and who are -afterwards taken, are mutilated in some of their members, that thus -they may be disqualified from ever succeeding. In Persia the same was -observed. Procopius[39] tells us, that Zames, the son of Cabades, was -excluded from the throne because he was blind of one eye, the law of -Persia prohibiting any person that had a bodily defect to be elected -king. - -The kings of Abyssinia were seldom seen by their subjects. Justin[40] -says, the Persians hid the person of their king to increase their -reverence for his majesty. And it was a law of Deioces[41], king of -the Medes, that nobody should be permitted to see the king; which -regulation was as ancient as the time of Semiramis, whose son, Ninyas, -is said to have grown old in the palace, without ever having been known -by being seen out of it. - -This absurd usage gave rise to many abuses. In Persia[42] it produced -two officers, who were called the king’s eyes, and the king’s ear, and -who had the dangerous employment, I mean dangerous for the subject, of -seeing and hearing for their sovereign. In Abyssinia, as I have just -said, it created an officer called the king’s mouth, or voice, for, -being seen by nobody, he spoke of course in the third person, “_Hear -what the king says to you_”, which is the usual form of all regal -mandates in Abyssinia; and what follows has the force of law. In the -same stile, Josephus thus begins an edict of Cyrus king of Persia, -“Cyrus the king says[43],”--And speaking of Cambyses’s rescript, -“Cambyses the _king says thus_,”--And Esdras also, “Thus saith Cyrus -king of Persia[44],”--And Nebuchadnezzar says to Holofernes, “Thus -saith the Great King, Lord of the whole earth[45];”--and this was -probably the origin of _edicts_, when writing was little used by -sovereigns, and little understood by the subject. - -Solemn hunting-matches were always in use both with the kings of -Abyssinia and those of Persia[46]. In both kingdoms it was a crime for -a subject to strike the game till such time as the king had thrown his -lance at it. This absurd custom was repealed by Artaxerxes Longimanus -in one kingdom[47], and by Yasous the Great in the other, so late as -the beginning of the last century. - -The kings of Abyssinia are above all laws. They are supreme in all -causes ecclesiastical and civil; the land and persons of their subjects -are equally their property, and every inhabitant of their kingdom is -born their slave; if he bears a higher rank it is by the king’s gift; -for his nearest relations are accounted nothing better. The same -obtained in Persia. Aristotle calls the Persian generals and nobles, -slaves of the great king[48]. Xerxes, reproving Pytheus the Lydian -when seeking to excuse one of his sons from going to war, says, “You -that are my slave, and bound to follow me with your wife and all your -family[49].”--And Gobryas[50] says to Cyrus, “I deliver myself to you, -at once your companion and your slave.” - -There are several kinds of bread in Abyssinia, some of different -sorts of teff, and some of tocusso, which also vary in quality. The -king of Abyssinia eats of wheat bread, though not of every wheat, but -of that only that grows in the province of Dembea, therefore called -the king’s food. It was so with the kings of Persia, who ate wheat -bread, Herodotus says, but only of a particular kind, as we learn from -Strabo[51]. - -I have shewn, in the course of the foregoing history, that it always -has been, and still is the custom of the kings of Abyssinia, to marry -what number of wives they choose; that these were not, therefore, -all queens; but that among them there was one who was considered -particularly as queen, and upon her head was placed the crown, and she -was called Iteghè. - -Thus, in Persia, we read that Ahasuerus loved Esther[52], who had found -grace in his sight more than the other virgins, and he had placed a -golden crown upon her head. And Josephus[53] informs us, that, when -Esther[54] was brought before the king, he was exceedingly delighted -with her, and made her his lawful wife, and when she came into the -palace he put a crown upon her head: whether placing the crown upon the -queen’s head had any civil effect as to regency in Persia as it had in -Abyssinia, is what history does not inform us. - -I have already observed, that there is an officer called Serach -Massery, who watches before the king’s gate all night, and at the -dawn of day cracks a whip to chace the wild beasts out of the town. -This, too, is the signal for the king to rise, and sit down in his -judgment-seat. The same custom was observed in Persia. Early in the -morning an officer entered the king’s chamber, and said to him “Arise, -O king! and take charge of those matters which Oromasdes has appointed -you to the care of.” - -The king of Abyssinia never is seen to walk, nor to set his foot -upon the ground, out of his palace; and when he would dismount from -the horse or mule on which he rides, he has a servant with a stool, -who places it properly for him for that purpose. He rides into the -anti-chamber to the foot of his throne, or to the stool placed in the -alcove of his tent. We are told by Athenaeus[55], such was the practice -in Persia, whose king never set his foot upon the ground out of his -palace. - -The king of Abyssinia very often judges capital crimes himself. It is -reckoned a favourable judicature, such as, Claudian says, that of a -king in person should be, “_Piger ad pœnas, ad præmia velox_.” No man -is condemned by the king in person to die for the first fault, unless -the crime be of a horrid nature, such as parricide or sacrilege. And, -in general, the life and merits of the prisoner are weighed against -his immediate guilt; so that if his first behaviour has had more merit -towards the state than his present delinquency is thought to have -injured it, the one is placed fairly against the other, and the accused -is generally absolved when the sovereign judges alone. - -Herodotus[56] praises this as a maxim of the kings of Persia in capital -judgments, almost in the very words that I have just now used; and he -gives an instance of it:--Darius had condemned Sandoces, one of the -king’s judges, to be crucified for corruption, that is, for having -given false judgment for a bribe. The man was already hung up on the -cross, when the king, considering with himself how many good services -he had done, previous to this, the only offence which he had committed, -ordered him to be pardoned. - -The Persian king, in all expeditions, was attended by judges. We find -in Herodotus[57], that, in the expedition of Cambyses, ten of the -principal Egyptians were condemned to die by these judges for every -Persian that had been slain by the people of Memphis. Six judges always -attend the king of Abyssinia to the camp, and, before them, rebels -taken on the field are tried and punished on the spot. - -People that the king distinguished by favour, or for any public -action, were in both kingdoms presented with gold chains, swords, and -bracelets[58]. These in Abyssinia are understood to be chiefly rewards -of military service; yet Poncet received a gold chain from Yasous the -Great. The day before the battle of Serbraxos, Ayto Engedan received a -silver bridle and saddle, covered with silver plates, from Ras Michael; -and the night after that battle I was myself honoured with a gold chain -from the king upon my reconciliation with Guebra Mascal, who, for -his behaviour that day, had a large revenue most deservedly assigned -to him, and a considerable territory, consisting of a number of rich -villages, a present known to be more agreeable to him than a mere mark -of honour. - -A stranger of fashion, particularly recommended as I was, not needy -in point of money, nor depending from day to day upon government for -subsistence, is generally provided with one or more villages to -furnish him with what articles he may need, without being obliged to -have recourse to the king or his ministers for every necessary. Amha -Yasous, prince of Shoa, had a large and a royal village, Emfras, given -him to supply him with food for his table; he had another village in -Karoota for wine; a village in Dembea, the king’s own province, for his -wheat; and another in Begemder for cotton cloths for his servants; and -so of the rest. After I was in the king’s service I had the villages -that belonged to the posts I occupied; and one called Geesh, in which -arises the sources of the Nile, a village of about 18 houses, given me -by the king at my own request; for I might have had a better to furnish -me with honey, and confirmed to me by the rebel Waragna Fasil, who -never suffered me to grow rich by my rents, having never allowed me to -receive but two large jars, so bitter with lupines that they were of no -sort of use to me. I was a gentle master, nor ever likely to be opulent -from the revenues of that country; and more especially so, as I had -under me, as my lieutenant[59], an officer commanding the horse, whose -thoughts were much more upon Jerusalem and the holy sepulchre than any -gains he could get in Abyssinia by his employments. - -Thucydides[60] informs us, that Themistocles had received great gifts -from Artaxerxes king of Persia, when settled at Magnesia; the king -had given him that city for bread, Lampsacus for wine, and Myuns -to furnish him with victuals. To these Athenaeus adds two more, -Palæscepsis and Percope, to yield him clothing and furniture. This -precisely, to this day, is the Abyssinian idea, when they conceive -they are entertaining men of rank; for strangers, that come naked -and vagabond among them, without name and character, or means of -subsistence, such as the Greeks in Abyssinia, are always received as -beggars, and neglected as such, till hunger sets their wits to work to -provide for the present exigency, and low intrigues and practices are -employed afterwards to maintain them in the little advancements which -they have acquired, but no honour or confidence follows, or very rarely. - -In Abyssinia, when the prisoner is condemned in capital cases, he -is not again remitted to prison, which is thought cruel, but he is -immediately carried away, and the sentence executed upon him. I have -given several instances of this in the annals of the country. Abba -Salama, the Acab Saat, was condemned by the king the morning he -entered Gondar, on his return from Tigré, and immediately hanged, in -the garment of a priest, on a tree at the door of the king’s palace. -Chremation, brother to the usurper Socinios, was executed that same -morning; Guebra Denghel, Ras Michael’s son-in-law, was likewise -executed that same day, immediately after judgment; and so were -several others. The same was the practice in Persia, as we learn from -Xenophon[61], and more plainly from Diodorus[62]. - -The capital punishments in Abyssinia are the cross. Socinios[63] first -ordered Arzo, his competitor, who had fled for assistance and refuge -to Phineas king of the Falasha, to be crucified without the camp. We -find the same punishment inflicted by Artaxerxes upon Haman[64], who -was ordered to be affixed to the cross till he died. And Polycrates of -Samos, Cicero tells us[65], was crucified by order of Orætis, prætor of -Darius. - -The next capital punishment is flaying alive. That this barbarous -execution still prevails in Abyssinia is already proved by the fate of -the unfortunate Woosheka, taken prisoner in the campaign of 1769 while -I was in Abyssinia; a sacrifice made to the vengeance of the beautiful -Ozoro Esther, who, kind and humane as she was in other respects, could -receive no atonement for the death of her husband. Socrates[66] says, -that Manes the heretic was flayed alive by order of the king of Persia, -and his skin made into a bottle. And Procopius[67] informs us, that -Pacurius ordered Basicius to be flayed alive, and his skin made into a -bottle and hung upon a high tree. And Agathias[68] mentions, that the -same punishment was inflicted upon Nachorages _more majorum_, according -to ancient custom. - -Lapidation, or stoning to death, is the next capital punishment in -Abyssinia. This is chiefly inflicted upon strangers called _Franks_, -for religious causes. The Catholic priests in Abyssinia that have -been detected there, in these latter days, have been stoned to death, -and their bodies lie still in the streets of Gondar, in the squares or -waste-places, covered with the heaps of stones which occasioned their -death by being thrown at them. There are three of these heaps at the -church of Abbo, all covering Franciscan friars; and, besides them, a -small pyramid over a boy who was stoned to death with them, about the -first year of the reign of David the IV.[69] This boy was one of four -sons that one of the Franciscan friars had had by an Abyssinian woman -in the reign of Oustas. In Persia we find, that Pagorasus (according -to Ctesias[70]) was stoned to death by the order of the king; and the -same author says, that Pharnacyas, one of the murderers of Xerxes, was -stoned to death likewise. - -Among capital punishments may be reckoned likewise the plucking out of -the eyes, a cruelty which I have but too often seen committed in the -short stay that I made in Abyssinia. This is generally inflicted upon -rebels. I have already mentioned, that, after the slaughter of the -battle of Fagitta, twelve chiefs of the Pagan Galla, taken prisoners -by Ras Michael, had their eyes torn out, and were afterwards abandoned -to starve in the valleys below the town. Several prisoners of another -rank, noblemen of Tigré, underwent the same misfortune; and, what is -wonderful, not one of them died in the operation, nor its consequences, -though performed in the coarsest manner with an iron forceps, or -pincers. Xenophon[71] tells us, that this was one of the punishments -used by Cyrus. And Ammianus Marcellinus[72] mentions, that Sapor king -of Persia banished Arsaces, whom he had taken prisoner to a certain -castle, after having pulled out his eyes. - -The dead bodies of criminals slain for treason, murder, and violence, -on the high-way at certain times, are seldom buried in Abyssinia. The -streets of Gondar are strewed with pieces of their carcases, which -bring the wild beasts in multitudes into the city as soon as it becomes -dark, so that it is scarcely possible for any to walk in the night. -Too many instances of this kind will be found throughout my narrative. -The dogs used to bring pieces of human bodies into the house, and -court-yard, to eat them in greater security. This was most disgustful -to me, but so often repeated, that I was obliged to leave them in -possession of such fragments. We learn from Quintus Curtius[73], that -Darius having ordered Charidamus to be put to death, and finding -afterwards that he was innocent, endeavoured to stop the executioner, -though it was too late, as they had already cut his throat; but, in -token of repentance, the king allowed him the liberty of burial. - -I have taken notice, up and down throughout my history, that the -Abyssinians never fight in the night. This too was a rule among the -Persians[74]. - -Notwithstanding the Abyssinians were so anciently and nearly connected -with Egypt, they never seem to have made use of paper, or papyrus, -but imitated the practice of the Persians, who wrote upon skins, and -they do so this day. This arises from their having early been Jews. -In Parthia, likewise, Pliny[75] informs us, the use of papyrus was -absolutely unknown; and though it was discovered that papyrus grew -in the Euphrates, near Babylon, of which they could make paper, they -obstinately rather chose to adhere to their ancient custom of weaving -their letters on cloth of which they made their garments. The Persians, -moreover, made use of parchment for their records[76], to which all -their remarkable transactions were trusted; and to this it is probably -owing we have so many of their customs preserved to this day. Diodorus -Siculus[77], speaking of Ctesias, says, he verified every thing from -the royal parchments themselves, which, in obedience to a certain law, -are all placed in order, and afterwards were communicated to the Greeks. - -From this great resemblance in customs between the Persians and -Abyssinians following the fashionable way of judging about the origin -of nations, I should boldly conclude that the Abyssinians were a colony -of Persians, but this is very well known to be without foundation. -The customs, mentioned as only peculiar to Persia, were common to all -the east; and they were lost when those countries were over-run and -conquered by those who introduced barbarous customs of their own. The -reason why we have so much left of the Persian customs is, that they -were written, and so not liable to alteration; and, being on parchment, -did also contribute to their preservation. The history which treats of -those ancient and polished nations has preserved few fragments of their -manners entire from the ruins of time; while Abyssinia, at war with -nobody, or at war with itself only, has preserved the ancient customs -which it enjoyed in common with all the east, and which were only lost -in other kingdoms by the invasion of strangers, a misfortune Abyssinia -has never suffered since the introduction of letters. - -Before I finish what I have to say upon the manners of this nation, -having shewn that they are the same people with the ancient Egyptians, -I would inquire, whether there is the same conformity of rules in the -dietetique regimen, between them and Egypt, that we should expect to -find from such relation? This is a much surer way of judging than by -resemblance of external customs. - -The old Egyptians, as we are told by sacred scripture, did not eat with -strangers; but I believe the observation is extended farther than ever -scripture meant. The instance given of Joseph’s brethren not being -allowed to eat with the Egyptians was, because Joseph had told Pharaoh -that his brethren[78], and Jacob his father, were shepherds, that he -might get from the Egyptians the land of Goshen, a land, as the name -imports, of pasturage and grass, which the Nile never overflowed, and -it was therefore in possession of the shepherds. Now the shepherds, we -are told, were the direct natural enemies of the Egyptians who lived -in towns. The shepherds also sacrificed the god whom the Egyptians -worshipped. We cannot (says Moses[79]) sacrifice in this land the -abomination of the Egyptians, lest they stone us. If the Egyptians -did not eat with them, so neither would they with the Egyptians; but -it is a mistake that the Egyptians did not eat flesh as well as the -shepherds, it was only the flesh of certain animals they differed on, -and did not eat. - -The Egyptians worshipped the cow[80], and the shepherds lived upon -her flesh, which made them a separate people, that could not eat nor -communicate together; and the very knowledge of this was, as we are -informed by scripture, the reason why Joseph told Pharaoh, when he -asked him what profession his brethren were of, “Your servants, says -Joseph, are shepherds, and their employment the feeding of cattle;” -and this was given out, that the land of Goshen might be allotted to -them, and so they and their descendents be kept separate from the -Egyptians, and not exposed to mingle in their abominations. Or, though -they had abstained from these abominations, they could not kill cattle -for sacrifice or for food. They would have raised ill-will against -themselves, and, as Moses says, would have been stoned, and so the end -of bringing them to Goshen would have been frustrated, which was to -nurse them in a plentiful land, in peace and security, till they should -attain to be a mighty people, capable of subduing and filling the land -to which, at the end of their captivity, God was to lead them. - -The Abyssinians neither eat nor drink with strangers, though they have -no reason for this; and it is now a mere prejudice, because the old -occasion for this regulation is lost. They break, or purify, however, -every vessel a stranger of any kind shall have ate or drank in. The -custom then is copied from the Egyptians, and they have preserved it, -tho’ the Egyptian reason does no longer hold. - -Some historians say, the Egyptian women anciently enjoyed a full -liberty of intercourse with the males, which was not the case in the -generality of eastern nations; and we must, therefore, think it was -derived from Abyssinia; for there the women live, as it were, in -common, and their enjoyments and gratification have no other bounds but -their own will. They, however, pretend to have a principle, that, if -they marry, they should be wives of one husband; and yet this principle -does not bind, but, like most of the other duties, serves to reason -upon, and to laugh at, in conversation. Herodotus tells it was the same -with the Egyptians[81]. - -The Egyptians made no account of the mother what her state was; if the -father was free, the child followed the condition of the father. This -is strictly so in Abyssinia. The king’s child by a negro-slave, bought -with money, or taken in war, is as near in succeeding to the crown, as -any one of twenty children that he has older than that one, and born of -the noblest women of the country. - -The men in Egypt[82] did neither buy nor sell; the same is the case -in Abyssinia at this day. It is infamy for a man to go to market to -buy any thing. He cannot carry water or bake bread; but he must wash -the cloaths belonging to both sexes, and, in this function, the women -cannot help him. In Abyssinia the men carried their burdens on their -heads, the women on their shoulders, and this difference, we are told, -obtained in Egypt[83]. It is plain, that this buying, in the public -market, by women, must have ended whenever jealousy or sequestration of -that sex began; for this reason it ended early in Egypt, but, for the -opposite reason, it subsists in Abyssinia to this day. - -It was a sort of impiety in Egypt to eat a calf; and the reason was -plain, they worshipped the cow. In Abyssinia, to this day, no man eats -veal, although every one very willingly eats a cow. The Egyptian[84] -reason no longer subsists as in the former case, but the prejudice -remains, though they have forgot the reason. - -The Abyssinians eat no wild or water-fowl, not even the goose, which -was a great delicacy in Egypt. The reason of this is, that, upon their -conversion to Judaism, they were forced to relinquish their ancient -municipal customs, as far as they were contrary to the Mosaical law; -and the animals, in their country, not corresponding in form, kind, nor -name, with those mentioned in the Septuagint, or original Hebrew, it -has followed, that there are many of each class that know not whether -they are clean or not; and a wonderful confusion and uncertainty has -followed through ignorance or mistake, being unwilling to violate the -law in any one instance through not understanding it. - -The abhorrence of the old Egyptians for the bean is well known, and -many silly reasons have been assigned for it; but that which has most -met the approbation of the most learned men is, in my humble opinion, -the weakest of them all. They say, the aversion to the bean arose from -its resembling the phallus; but the crux ansata, or the cross with the -handle to it, which is put in the hand of every Egyptian hieroglyphic -of Isis, Osiris, or whatever the priests have called them, is likewise -agreed by the learned to represent the phallus; and the figure of these -nudities, without vail or concealment, is plain in all their statues. -Now, I would ask, What is the reason why they abhor a bean because it -represents these parts which, at the same time, by their own option -or choice, are exposed in the hand or person of every figure which -they exhibit to public view? The bean, however, is not cultivated in -Abyssinia, neither is it in Egypt; lupines grow up in both, and lupines -in both are eradicated like a weed, and lupines were what is called -_faba Ægyptiaca_. - -Though I cannot pretend to know the true reason of this, yet I will -venture to give a guess:--The origin of great part of religious -observances of Egypt began with the worship of the Nile, and probably -at the head of it. The country of the Agows, as well where the Nile -rises as in parts more distant, is all a honey country; not only their -whole sustenance, but their trade, their tribute to the king, and -the maintenance of a great part of the capital, depends upon honey -and butter, the common food of the better sort of people when they do -not eat flesh; it composes their drink also in mead or hydromel. Now, -this country, when uncultivated, naturally produces lupines, and the -blossoms of these becoming food for the bees, gives the honey such a -bitterness that no person will eat it, or use it any way in food or -for drink.--After the king had bestowed the village of Geesh upon me, -though with the consent of Fasil its governor, that egregious shuffler, -to make the present of no use to me, sent me, indeed, the tribute of -the honey in very large jars, but it all tasted so much of the lupines -that it was of no earthly use whatever. Their constant attention is -to weed out this bitter plant; and, when any of those countries are -desolated by war, we may expect a large crop of lupines immediately -to follow, and, for a time, plenty of bad honey in consequence. It -is, then, this destructive bean that Pythagoras, who, it is said, ate -no flesh, regarded as an object of detestation; it was equally so -among the Abyssinians and Egyptians for the same reason. Both nations, -moreover, have an aversion to hogs flesh, and both avoid the touch of -dogs. - -It is here I propose to take notice of an unnatural custom which -prevails universally in Abyssinia, and which in early ages seems to -have been common to the whole world. I did not think that any person of -moderate knowledge in profane learning could have been ignorant of this -remarkable custom among the nations of the east. But what still more -surprised me, and is the least pardonable part of the whole, was the -ignorance of part of the law of God, the earliest that was given to -man, the most frequently noted, insisted upon, and prohibited. I have -said, in the course of the narrative of my journey from Masuah, that, -a small distance from Axum, I overtook on the way three travellers, -who seemed to be soldiers, driving a cow before them. They halted at a -brook, threw down the beast, and one of them cut a pretty large collop -of flesh from its buttocks, after which they drove the cow gently on -as before. A violent outcry was raised in England at hearing this -circumstance, which they did not hesitate to pronounce _impossible_, -when the manners and customs of Abyssinia were to them utterly unknown. -The Jesuits, established in Abyssinia for above a hundred years, had -told them of that people eating, what they call raw meat, in every -page, and yet they were ignorant of this. Poncet, too, had done the -same, but Poncet they had not read; and if any writer upon Ethiopia had -omitted to mention it, it was because it was one of those facts too -notorious to be repeated to swell a volume. - -It must be from prejudice alone we condemn the eating of raw flesh; no -precept, divine or human, that I know, forbids it; and if it is true, -as later travellers have discovered, that there are nations ignorant of -the use of fire, any law against eating raw flesh could never have been -intended by God as obligatory upon mankind in general. At any rate, it -is certainly not clearly known, whether the eating raw flesh was not -an earlier and more general practice than by preparing it with fire; I -think it was. - -Many wise and learned men have doubted whether it was at first -permitted to man to eat animal food at all. I do not pretend to give -any opinion upon the subject, but many topics have been maintained -successfully upon much more slender grounds. God, the author of life, -and the best judge of what was proper to maintain it, gave this regimen -to our first parents--“Behold, I have given you every herb bearing -seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the -which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed: to you it shall be for -meat[85].” And though, immediately after, he mentions both beasts and -fowls, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth, he does not say -that he has designed any of these as meat for man. On the contrary, -he seems to have intended the vegetable creation as food for both man -and beast--“And to every beast of the earth and to every fowl of the -air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein _there -is life_, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so[86].” -After the flood, when mankind began to repossess the earth, God gave -Noah a much more extensive permission--“Every moving thing that liveth -shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all -things[87].” - -As the criterion of judging of their aptitude for food was declared -to be their _moving_ and having _life_, a danger appeared of -misinterpretation, and that these creatures should be used living; -a thing which God by no means intended, and therefore, immediately -after, it is said, “But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood -thereof, shall you not eat[88];” or, as it is rendered by the best -interpreters, ‘Flesh, or members, torn from living animals having the -blood in them, thou shalt not eat.’ We see then, by this prohibition, -that this abuse of eating living meat, or part of animals while yet -alive, was known in the days of Noah, and forbidden after being so -known, and it is precisely what is practised in Abyssinia to this day. -This law, then, was prior to that of Moses, but it came from the same -legislator. It was given to Noah, and consequently obligatory upon -the whole world. Moses, however, insists upon it throughout his whole -law; which not only shews that this abuse was common, but that it was -deeply rooted in, and interwoven with, the manners of the Hebrews. He -positively prohibits it four times in one chapter in Deuteronomy[89], -and thrice in one of the chapters of Leviticus[90]--“Thou shalt not eat -the blood, for the blood is the life; thou shalt pour it upon the earth -like water.” - -Although the many instances of God’s tenderness to the brute creation, -that constantly occur in the Mosaical precepts, and are a very -beautiful part of them, and tho’ the barbarity of the custom itself -might reasonably lead us to think that humanity alone was a sufficient -motive for the prohibition of eating animals alive, yet nothing can -be more certain, than that greater consequences were annexed to the -indulging in this crime than what was apprehended from a mere depravity -of manners. One[91] of the most learned and sensible men that ever -wrote upon the sacred scriptures observes, that God, in forbidding -this practice, uses more severe certification, and more threatening -language, than against any other sin, excepting idolatry, with which -it is constantly joined. God declares, “I will set my face against -him that eateth blood, in the same manner as I will against him that -sacrificeth his son to Moloch; I will set my face against him that -eateth flesh with blood, till I cut him off from the people.” - -We have an instance in the life of Saul[92] that shews the propensity -of the Israelites to this crime. Saul’s army, after a battle, _flew_, -that is, fell voraciously upon the cattle they had taken, and threw -them upon the ground to cut off their flesh, and eat them raw, so that -the army was defiled by eating blood, or living animals. To prevent -this, Saul caused roll to him a great stone, and ordered those that -killed their oxen to cut their throats upon that stone. This was the -only lawful way of killing animals for food; the tying of the ox and -throwing it upon the ground was not permitted as equivalent. The -Israelites did probably in that case as the Abyssinians do at this -day; they cut a part of its throat, so that blood might be seen upon -the ground, but nothing mortal to the animal followed from that wound. -But, after laying his head upon a large stone, and cutting his throat, -the blood fell from on high, or was poured on the ground like water, -and sufficient evidence appeared the creature was dead before it was -attempted to eat it. We have seen that the Abyssinians came from -Palestine a very few years after this; and we are not to doubt that -they then carried with them this, with many other Jewish customs, which -they have continued to this day. - -The author I last quoted says, that it is plain, from all the books of -the eastern nations, that their motive for eating flesh with the life, -or limbs of living animals cut off with the blood, was from motives -of religion, and for the purposes of idolatry, and so it probably had -been among the Jews; for one of the reasons given in Leviticus for -the prohibition of eating blood, or living flesh, is, that the people -may no longer offer sacrifices to devils, after whom they have gone -a-whoring[93]. If the reader chooses to be further informed how very -common this practice was, he need only read the Halacoth Gedaloth, or -its translation, where the whole chapter is taken up with instances of -this kind. - -That this practice likewise prevailed in Europe, as well as in Asia -and Africa, may be collected from various authors. The Greeks had -their bloody feasts and sacrifices where they ate living flesh; these -were called Omophagia. Arnobius[94] says, “Let us pass over the -horrid scenes presented at the Bacchanalian feast, wherein, with a -counterfeited fury, though with a truly depraved heart, you twine a -number of serpents around you, and, pretending to be possessed with -some god, or spirit, you tear to pieces, with bloody mouths, the -bowels of living goats, which cry all the time from the torture they -suffer.” From all this it appears, that the practice of the Abyssinians -eating live animals at this day, was very far from being new, or, -what was nonsensically said, _impossible_. And I shall only further -observe, that those of my readers that wish to indulge a spirit of -criticism upon the great variety of customs, men and manners, related -in this history, or have those criticisms attended to, should furnish -themselves with a more decent stock of reading than, in this instance, -they seem to have possessed; or, when another example occurs of that -kind, which they call _impossible_, that they would take the truth of -it upon my word, and believe what they are not sufficiently qualified -to investigate. - -Consistent with the plan of this work, which is to describe the manners -of the several nations through which I passed, good and bad, as I -observed them, I cannot avoid giving some account of this Polyphemus -banquet, as far as decency will permit me; it is part of the history of -a barbarous people; whatever I might wish, I cannot decline it. - -In the capital, where one is safe from surprise at all times, or in the -country or villages, when the rains have become so constant that the -valleys will not bear a horse to pass them, or that men cannot venture -far from home through fear of being surrounded and swept away by -temporary torrents, occasioned by sudden showers on the mountains; in a -word, when a man can say he is safe at home, and the spear and shield -is hung up in the hall, a number of people of the best fashion in the -villages, of both sexes, courtiers in the palace, or citizens in the -town, meet together to dine between twelve and one o’clock. - -A long table is set in the middle of a large room, and benches beside -it for a number of guests who are invited. Tables and benches the -Portugueze introduced amongst them; but bull hides, spread upon the -ground, served them before, as they do in the camp and country now. A -cow or bull, one or more, as the company is numerous, is brought close -to the door, and his feet strongly tied. The skin that hangs down under -his chin and throat, which I think we call the dew-lap in England, is -cut only so deep as to arrive at the fat, of which it totally consists, -and, by the separation of a few small blood-vessels, six or seven drops -of blood only fall upon the ground. They have no stone, bench, nor -altar upon which these cruel assassins lay the animal’s head in this -operation. I should beg his pardon indeed for calling him an assassin, -as he is not so merciful as to aim at the life, but, on the contrary, -to keep the beast alive till he be totally eat up. Having satisfied -the Mosaical law, according to his conception, by pouring these six or -seven drops upon the ground, two or more of them fall to work; on the -back of the beast, and on each side of the spine they cut skin-deep; -then putting their fingers between the flesh and the skin, they begin -to strip the hide of the animal half way down his ribs, and so on to -the buttock, cutting the skin wherever it hinders them commodiously to -strip the poor animal bare. All the flesh on the buttocks is cut off -then, and in solid, square pieces, without bones, or much effusion of -blood; and the prodigious noise the animal makes is a signal for the -company to sit down to table. - -There are then laid before every guest, instead of plates, round -cakes, if I may so call them, about twice as big as a pan-cake, and -something thicker and tougher. It is unleavened bread of a sourish -taste, far from being disagreeable, and very easily digested, made of a -grain called teff. It is of different colours, from black to the colour -of the whitest wheat-bread. Three or four of these cakes are generally -put uppermost, for the food of the person opposite to whose seat they -are placed. Beneath these are four or five of ordinary bread, and of a -blackish kind. These serve the master to wipe his fingers upon; and -afterwards the servant, for bread to his dinner. - -Two or three servants then come, each with a square piece of beef in -their bare hands, laying it upon the cakes of teff, placed like dishes -down the table, without cloth or any thing else beneath them. By this -time all the guests have knives in their hands, and their men have the -large crooked ones, which they put to all sorts of uses during the time -of war. The women have small clasped knives, such as the worst of the -kind made at Birmingham, sold for a penny each. - -The company are so ranged that one man sits between two women; the -man with his long knife cuts a thin piece, which would be thought a -good beef-steak in England, while you see the motion of the fibres -yet perfectly distinct, and alive in the flesh. No man in Abyssinia, -of any fashion whatever, feeds himself, or touches his own meat. The -women take the steak and cut it length-ways like strings, about the -thickness of your little finger, then crossways into square pieces, -something smaller than dice. This they lay upon a piece of the teff -bread, strongly powdered with black pepper, or Cayenne pepper, and -fossile-salt, they then wrap it up in the teff bread like a cartridge. - -In the mean time, the man having put up his knife, with each hand -resting upon his neighbour’s knee, his body stooping, his head low and -forward, and mouth open very like an idiot, turns to the one whose -cartridge is first ready, who stuffs the whole of it into his mouth, -which is so full that he is in constant danger of being choked. This is -a mark of grandeur. The greater the man would seem to be, the larger -piece he takes in his mouth; and the more noise he makes in chewing -it, the more polite he is thought to be. They have, indeed, a proverb -that says, “Beggars and thieves only eat small pieces, or without -making a noise.” Having dispatched this morsel, which he does very -expeditiously, his next female neighbour holds forth another cartridge, -which goes the same way, and so on till he is satisfied. He never -drinks till he has finished eating; and, before he begins, in gratitude -to the fair ones that fed him, he makes up two small rolls of the same -kind and form; each of his neighbours open their mouths at the same -time, while with each hand he puts their portion into their mouths. He -then falls to drinking out of a large handsome horn; the ladies eat -till they are satisfied, and then all drink together, “Vive la Joye et -la Jeunesse!” A great deal of mirth and joke goes round, very seldom -with any mixture of acrimony or ill-humour. - -All this time, the unfortunate victim at the door is bleeding indeed, -but bleeding little. As long as they can cut off the flesh from his -bones, they do not meddle with the thighs, or the parts where the -great arteries are. At last they fall upon the thighs likewise; and -soon after the animal, bleeding to death, becomes so tough that the -canibals, who have the rest of it to eat, find very hard work to -separate the flesh from the bones with their teeth like dogs. - -In the mean time, those within are very much elevated; love lights all -its fires, and every thing is permitted with absolute freedom. There is -no coyness, no delays, no need of appointments or retirement to gratify -their wishes; there are no rooms but one, in which they sacrifice both -to Bacchus and to Venus[95]. The two men nearest the vacuum a pair have -made on the bench by leaving their seats, hold their upper garment -like a skreen before the two that have left the bench; and, if we may -judge by sound, they seem to think it as great a shame to make love in -silence as to eat.--Replaced in their seats again, the company drink -the happy couple’s health; and their example is followed at different -ends of the table, as each couple is disposed. All this passes without -remark or scandal, not a licentious word is uttered, nor the most -distant joke upon the transaction. - -These ladies are, for the most part, women of family and character, -and they and their gallants are reciprocally distinguished by the -name _Woodage_, which answers to what in Italy they call Cicisbey; -and, indeed, I believe that the name itself, as well as the practice, -is Hebrew; _schus chis beiim_, signifies _attendants_ or _companions -of the bride_, or _bride’s man_, as we call it in England. The only -difference is, that in Europe the intimacy and attendance continues -during the marriage, while, among the Jews, it was permitted only the -few days of the marriage ceremony. The aversion to Judaism, in the -ladies of Europe, has probably led them to the _prolongation_ of the -term. - -It was a custom of the ancient Egyptians to purge themselves monthly -for three days; and the same is still in practice in Abyssinia. We -shall speak more of the reason of this practice in the botanical part -of our work, where a drawing of a most beautiful tree[96], used for -this purpose, is given. - -Although we read from the Jesuits a great deal about marriage and -polygamy, yet there is nothing which may be averred more truly than -that there is no such thing as marriage in Abyssinia, unless that -which is contracted by mutual consent, without other form, subsisting -only till dissolved by dissent of one or other, and to be renewed or -repeated as often as it is agreeable to both parties, who, when they -please, cohabit together again as man and wife, after having been -divorced, had children by others, or whether they have been married, or -had children with others or not. I remember to have once been at Koscam -in presence of the Iteghè, when, in the circle, there was a woman of -great quality, and seven men who had all been her husbands, none of -whom was the happy spouse at that time. - -Upon separation they divide the children. The eldest son falls to the -mother’s first choice, and the eldest daughter to the father. If there -is but one daughter, and all the rest sons, she is assigned to the -father. If there is but one son, and all the rest daughters, he is -the right of the mother. If the numbers are unequal after the first -election, the rest are divided by lot. There is no such distinction as -legitimate and illegitimate children from the king to the beggar; for -supposing any one of their marriages valid, all the issue of the rest -must be adulterous bastards. - -One day Ras Michael asked me, before Abba Salama, (the Acab Saat) -Whether such things as these promiscuous marriages and divorces were -permitted and practised in my country? I excused myself till I was no -longer able; and, upon his insisting, I was obliged to answer, That -even if scripture had not forbid to us as Christians, as Englishmen the -law restrained us from such practices, by declaring polygamy felony, or -punishable by death. - -The king in his marriage uses no other ceremony than this:--He sends an -Azage to the house where the lady lives, where the officer announces to -her, It is the king’s pleasure that she should remove instantly to the -palace. She then dresses herself in the best manner, and immediately -obeys. Thenceforward he assigns her an apartment in the palace, and -gives her a house elsewhere in any part she chuses. Then when he -makes her Iteghé, it seems to be the nearest resemblance to marriage; -for, whether in the court or the camp, he orders one of the judges to -pronounce in his presence, That he, the king, has chosen his hand-maid, -naming her for his queen; upon which the crown is put upon her head, -but she is not anointed. - -The crown being hereditary in one family, but elective in the person, -and polygamy being permitted, must have multiplied these heirs very -much, and produced constant disputes, so that it was found necessary -to provide a remedy for the anarchy and effusion of royal blood, which -was otherwise inevitably to follow. The remedy was a humane and gentle -one, they were confined in a good climate upon a high mountain, and -maintained there at the public expence. They are there taught to read -and write, but nothing else; 750 cloths for wrapping round them, 3000 -ounces of gold, which is 30,000 dollars, or crowns, are allowed by the -state for their maintenance. These princes are hardly used, and, in -troublesome times, often put to death upon the smallest misinformation. -While I was in Abyssinia their revenue was so grossly misapplied, that -some of them were said to have died with hunger and of cold by the -avarice and hard-heartedness of Michael neglecting to furnish them -necessaries. Nor had the king, as far as ever I could discern, that -fellow-feeling one would have expected from a prince rescued from that -very situation himself; perhaps this was owing to his fear of Ras -Michael. - -However that be, and however distressing the situation of those -princes, we cannot but be satisfied with it when we look to the -neighbouring kingdom of Sennaar, or Nubia. There no mountain is trusted -with the confinement of their princes, but, as soon as the father dies, -the throats of all the collaterals, and all their descendents that -can be laid hold of, are cut; and this is the case with all the black -states in the desert west of Sennaar, Dar Fowr, Selé, and Bagirma. - -Great exaggerations have been used in speaking of the military force of -this kingdom. The largest army that ever was in the field (as far as I -could be informed from the oldest officers) was that in the rebellion -before the battle of Serbraxos. I believe, when they first encamped -upon the lake Tzana, the rebel army altogether might amount to about -50,000 men. In about a fortnight afterwards, many had deserted; and -I do not think (I only speak by hearsay) that, when the king marched -out of Gondar, they were then above 30,000. I believe when Gojam -joined, and it was known that Michael and his army were to be made -prisoners, that the rebel army increased to above 60,000 men; cowards -and brave, old and young, veteran soldiers and blackguards, all came -to be spectators of that desirable event, which many of the wisest had -despaired of living to see. I believe the king’s army never amounted to -26,000 men; and, by desertion and other causes, when we retreated to -Gondar, I do not suppose the army was 16,000, mostly from the province -of Tigré. Fasil, indeed, had not joined; and putting his army of 12,000 -men, (I make no account of the wild Galla beyond the Nile) I do not -imagine that any king of Abyssinia ever commanded 40,000 effective men -at any time, or upon any cause whatever, exclusive of his household -troops. - -Their standards are large staves, surmounted at the top with a hollow -ball; below this is a tube in which the staff is fixed; and immediately -below the ball, a narrow stripe of silk made forked, or swallow-tailed, -like a vane, and seldom much broader. In the war of Begemder we -first saw colours like a flag hoisted for king Theodorus. They were -red, about eight feet long and near three feet broad; but they never -appeared but two days; and the success that attended their first -appearance was such that did not bid fair to bring them into fashion. - -The standards of the infantry have their flags painted two colours -crossways--yellow, white, red, or green. The horse have all a lion upon -their flag[97], some a red, some a green, and some a white lion. The -black horse have a yellow lion, and over it a white star upon a red -flag, alluding to two prophecies, the one, “Judah is a young lion,” -and the other, “There shall come a star out of Judah.” This had been -discontinued for want of cloth till the war of Begemder, when a large -piece was found in Joas’s wardrobe, and was thought a certain omen of -his victory, and of a long and vigorous reign. This piece of cloth was -said to have been brought from Cairo by Yasous II. for the campaign of -Sennaar, and, with the other standards and colours, was surrendered to -the rebels when the king was made prisoner. - -The king’s household troops should consist of about 8000 infantry, 2000 -of which carry firelocks, and supply the place of archers; bows have -been laid aside for near a hundred years, and are only now used by the -Waito Shangalla, and some other barbarous inconsiderable nations. - -These troops are divided into four companies, each under an officer -called Shalaka, which answers to our colonel. Every twenty men have -an officer, every fifty a second, and every hundred a third; that is, -every twenty have one officer who commands them, but is commanded -likewise by an officer who commands the fifty; so that there are three -officers who command fifty men, six command a hundred, and thirty -command five hundred, over whom is the Shalaka; and this body they -call Bet, which signifies a _house_, or _apartment_, because each of -them goes by the name of one of the king’s apartments. For example, -there is an apartment called Anbasa Bet, or the _lion’s house_, and a -regiment carrying that name has the charge of it, and their duty is -at that apartment, or that part of the palace where it is; there is -another called Jan Bet, or the _elephant’s house_, that gives the name -to another regiment; another called Werk Sacala, or the _gold house_, -which gives its name to another corps; and so on with the rest; as for -the horse, I have spoken of them already. - -There are four regiments, that seldom, if ever, amounted to 1600 men, -which depend alone upon the king, and are all foreigners, at least -the officers; these have the charge of his person while in the field. -In times when the king is out of leading-strings, they amount to -four or five thousand, and then oppress the country, for they have -great privileges. At times when the king’s hands are weak, they are -kept incomplete out of fear and jealousy, which was the case in my -time;--these have been already sufficiently described. - -Three proclamations are made before the king marches. The first is, -“Buy your mules, get ready your provision, and pay your servants, for, -after such a day, they that seek me here shall not find me.” The second -is about a week after, or according as the exigency is pressing; this -is, “Cut down the kantuffa in the four quarters of the world, for I do -not know where I am going.” This kantuffa is a terrible thorn which -very much molests the king and nobility in their march, by taking hold -of their long hair, and the cotton cloth they are wrapped in. The -third and last proclamation is, “I am encamped upon the Angrab, or -Kahha; he that does not join me there, I will chastise him for seven -years.” I was long in doubt what this term of seven years meant, till I -recollected the jubilee-year of the Jews, with whom seven years was a -prescription of offences, debts, and all trespasses. - -The rains generally cease the eighth of September; a sickly season -follows till they begin again about the 20th of October; they then -continue pretty constant, but moderate in quantity, till Hedar St -Michael, the eighth of November. All epidemic diseases cease with the -end of these rains, and it is then the armies begin to march. - - - - -CHAP. XII. - -_State of Religion--Circumcision, Excision, &c._ - - -There is no country in the world where there are so many churches as -in Abyssinia. Though the country is very mountainous, and consequently -the view much obstructed, it is very seldom you see less than five or -six churches, and, if you are on a commanding ground, five times that -number. Every great man that dies thinks he has atoned for all his -wickedness if he leaves a fund to build a church, or has built one -in his lifetime. The king builds many. Wherever a victory is gained, -there a church is erected in the very field stinking with the putrid -bodies of the slain. Formerly this was only the case when the enemy was -Pagan or Infidel; now the same is observed when the victories are over -Christians. - -The situation of a church is always chosen near running water, for the -convenience of their purifications and ablutions, in which they observe -strictly the Levitical law. They are always placed upon the top of some -beautiful, round hill, which is surrounded entirely with rows of the -oxy-cedrus, or Virginia cedar, which grows here in great beauty and -perfection, and is called Arz[98]. There is nothing adds so much to the -beauty of the country as these churches and the plantations about them. - -In the middle of this plantation of cedars is interspersed, at proper -distances, a number of those beautiful trees called Cusso, which grow -very high, and are all extremely picturesque. - -All the churches are round, with thatched roofs; their summits are -perfect cones; the outside is surrounded by a number of wooden pillars, -which are nothing else than the trunks of the cedar-tree, and are -placed to support the edifice, about eight feet of the roof projecting -beyond the wall of the church, which forms an agreeable walk, or -colonade, around it in hot weather, or in rain. The inside of the -church is in several divisions, according as is prescribed by the law -of Moses. The first is a circle somewhat wider than the inner one; -here the congregation sit and pray. Within this is a square, and that -square is divided by a veil or curtain, in which is another very small -division answering to the holy of holies. This is so narrow that none -but the priests can go into it. You are bare-footed whenever you enter -the church, and, if bare-footed, you may go through every part of it, -if you have any such curiosity, provided you are pure, _i. e._ have -not been concerned with women for twenty-four hours before, or touched -carrion or dead bodies, (a curious assemblage of ideas) for in that -case you are not to go within the precincts, or outer circumference of -the church, but stand and say your prayers at an awful distance among -the cedars. - -All persons of both sexes, under Jewish disqualifications, are obliged -to observe this distance; and this is always a place belonging to -the church, where, unless in Lent, you see the greatest part of -the congregation; but this is left to your own conscience, and, if -there was either great inconvenience in the one situation, or great -satisfaction in the other, the case would be otherwise. - -When you go to the church you put off your shoes before your first -entering the outer precinct; but you must leave a servant there with -them, or else they will be stolen, if good for any thing, by the -priests and monks before you come out of the church. At entry you -kiss the threshold, and two door-posts, go in and say what prayer you -please, that finished, you come out again, and your duty is over. -The churches are full of pictures, painted on parchment, and nailed -upon the walls, in a manner little less slovenly than you see paltry -prints in beggarly country ale-houses. There has been always a sort of -painting known among the scribes, a daubing much inferior to the worst -of our sign-painters. Sometimes, for a particular church, they get a -number of pictures of saints, on skins of parchment, ready finished -from Cairo, in a stile very little superior to these performances of -their own. They are placed like a frize, and hung in the upper part -of the wall. St George is generally there with his dragon, and St -Demetrius fighting a lion. There is no choice in their saints, they are -both of the Old and New Testament, and those that might be dispensed -with from both. There is St Pontius Pilate and his wife; there is St -Balaam and his ass; Samson and his jaw-bone; and so of the rest. But -the thing that surprised me most was a kind of square-miniature upon -the front of the head-piece, or mitre, of the priest, administering the -sacrament at Adowa, representing Pharaoh on a white horse plunging in -the Red Sea, with many guns and pistols swimming upon the surface of it -around him. - -Nothing embossed, nor in relief, ever appears in any of their churches; -all this would be reckoned idolatry, so much so that they do not wear a -cross, as has been represented, on the top of the ball of the sendick, -or standard, because it casts a shade; but there is no doubt that -pictures have been used in their churches from the very earliest age of -Christianity. - -The Abuna is looked upon as the patriarch of the Abyssinian church, for -they have little knowledge of the coptic patriarch of Alexandria. We -are perfectly ignorant of the history of these prelates for many years -after their appointment. The first of these mentioned is Abuna Tecla -Haimanout, who distinguished himself by the restoration of the royal -family, and the regulations he made both in church and state, as we -have seen in the history of those times: a very remarkable, but wise -regulation was then made, that the Abyssinians should not have it in -their power to choose one of their own countrymen as Abuna. - -Wise men saw the fallen state of literature among them; and unless -opportunity was given, from time to time, for their priests to go -abroad to Jerusalem for their instruction, and for the purpose of -bringing the Abuna, Tecla Haimanout knew that very soon no set of -people would be more shamefully ignorant than those priests, even in -the most common dogmas of their profession. He hoped therefore, by a -considerable stipend, to tempt some men of learning to accept of this -place, to give his countenance to learning and religion among them. - -The Arabic canon[99], which is preserved by the Abyssinian church, -and said to be of the council of Nice, should certainly be attributed -to this Abuna, and is a forgery in, or very soon after, his time; for -it is plain this canon took place about the year 1300, that it was -lawful to elect an Abuna, who was a native of Abyssinia before this -prohibition, otherwise it would not have applied. Abuna Tecla Haimanout -was an Abyssinian by birth, and he was Abuna; the prohibition therefore -had not then taken place: but, as no Abyssinian was afterwards chosen, -it must certainly be a work of his time, for it is impossible a canon -should be made by the council of Nice, settling the rank of a bishop in -a nation which, for above 200 years after that general council, were -not Christians. - -As the Abuna very seldom understands the language, he has no share of -the government, but goes to the palace on days of ceremony, or when -he has any favour to ask or complaint to make. He is much fallen -in esteem from what he was formerly, chiefly from his own little -intrigues, his ignorance, avarice, and want of firmness. His greatest -employment is in ordinations. A number of men and children present -themselves at a distance, and there stand, from humility, not daring to -approach him. He then asks who these are? and they tell him that they -want to be deacons. On this, with a small iron cross in his hand, after -making two or three signs, he blows with his mouth twice or thrice -upon them, saying, “Let them be deacons.” I saw once all the army of -Begemder made deacons, just returned from shedding the blood of 10,000 -men, thus drawn up in Aylo Meidan, and the Abuna standing at the church -of St Raphael, about a quarter of a mile distant from them. With these -were mingled about 1000 women, who consequently, having part of the -same blast and brandishment of the cross, were as good deacons as the -rest. - -The same with regard to monks. A crowd of people, when he is riding, -will assemble within 500 yards of him, and there begin a melancholy -song. He asks who these men with beards are? they tell him they want -to be ordained monks. After the same signs of the cross, and three -blasts with his mouth, he orders them to be monks. But in ordaining -priests, they must be able to read a chapter of St Mark, which they -do in a language he does not understand a word of. They then give the -Abuna a brick of salt, to the value of perhaps sixpence, for their -ordination; which, from this present given, the Jesuits maintained to -be Simoniacal. - -The Itchegué is the chief of the monks in general, especially those -of Debra Libanos. The head of the other monks, called those of St -Eustathius, is the superior of the convent of Mahebar Selassé, on the -N. W. corner of Abyssinia, near Kuara, and the Shangalla, towards -Sennaar and the river Dender. All this tribe is grossly ignorant, and -through time, I believe, will lose the use of letters entirely. - -The Itcheguè is ordained by two chief priests holding a white cloth, -or veil, over him, while another says a prayer; and they then lay all -their hands on his head, and join in psalms together. He is a man, -in troublesome times, of much greater consequence than the Abuna. -There are, after these, chief priests and scribes, as in the Jewish -church: the last of these, the ignorant, careless copiers of the holy -scriptures. - -The monks here do not live in convents, as in Europe, but in separate -houses round their church, and each cultivates a part of the property -they have in land. The priests have their maintenance assigned to them -in kind, and do not labour. A steward, being a layman, is placed among -them by the king, who receives all the rents belonging to the churches, -and gives to the priests the portion that is their due; but neither the -Abuna, nor any other churchman, has any business with the revenues of -churches, nor can touch them. - -The articles of the faith of the Abyssinians have been inquired into -and discussed with so much keenness in the beginning of this century, -that I fear I should disoblige some of my readers were I to pass this -subject without notice. - -Their first bishop, Frumentius, being ordained about the year 333, and -instructed in the religion of the Greeks of the church of Alexandria by -St Athanasius, then sitting in the chair of St Mark, it follows that -the true religion of the Abyssinians, which they received on their -conversion to Christianity, is that of the Greek church; and every rite -or ceremony in the Abyssinian church may be found and traced up to its -origin in the Greek church while both of them were orthodox. - -Frumentius preserved Abyssinia untainted with heresy till the day -of his death. We find, from a letter preserved in the works of St -Athanasius, that Constantius, the heretical Greek emperor, wished St -Athanasius to deliver him up, which that patriarch refused to do: -indeed at that time it was not in his power. - -Soon after this, Arianism, and a number of other heresies, each in -their turn, were brought by the monks from Egypt, and infected the -church of Abyssinia. A great part of these heresies, in the beginning, -were certainly owing to the difference of the languages in those times, -and especially the two words Nature and Person, than which no two words -were ever more equivocal in every language in which they have been -translated. Either of these words, in our own language, is a sufficient -example of what I have said; and in fact we have adopted them from the -Latin. If we had adopted the signification of these words in religion -from the Greek, and applied the Latin words of Person and Nature to -common and material cases, perhaps we had done better. Neither of -them hath ever yet been translated into the Abyssinian, so as to be -understood to mean the same thing in different places. This for a time -was, in a certain degree, remedied, or understood, by the free access -they had, for several ages, both to Cairo and Jerusalem, where their -books were revised and corrected, and many of the principal orthodox -opinions inculcated. But, since the conquest of Arabia and Egypt by -Sultan Selim, in 1516, the communication between Abyssinia and these -two countries hath been very precarious and dangerous, if not entirely -cut off; and now as to doctrine, I am perfectly convinced they are -in every respect to the full as great heretics as ever the Jesuits -represented them. And I am confident, if any Catholic missionaries -attempt to instruct them again, they will soon lose the use of letters, -and the little knowledge they yet have of religion, from prejudice -only, and fear of incurring a danger they are not sufficiently -acquainted with to follow the means of avoiding it. - -The two natures in Christ, the two persons, their unity, their -equality, the inferiority of the manhood, doctrines, and definitions -of the time of St Athanasius, are all wrapt up in tenfold darkness, -and inextricable from amidst the thick clouds of heresy and ignorance -of language. Nature is often mistaken for person, and person for -nature; the same of the human substance. It is monstrous to hear their -reasoning upon it. One would think, that every different monk, every -time he talks, purposely broached some new heresy. Scarce one of them -that ever I conversed with, and those of the very best of them, would -suffer it to be said, that Christ’s body was perfectly like our’s. Nay, -it was easily seen that, in their hearts, they went still further, and -were very loth to believe, if they did believe it at all, that the body -of the Virgin Mary and St Anne were perfectly human. - -Not to trouble the reader further with these uninteresting particulars -and distinctions, I shall only add, that the Jesuits, in the account -they give of the heresies, ignorance, and obstinacy of the Abyssinian -clergy, have not misrepresented them, in the imputations made against -them, either in point of faith or of morals. Whether, this being the -case, the mission they undertook of themselves into that country, gave -them authority to destroy the many with a view to convert the few, is a -question to be resolved hereafter; I believe it did not; and that the -tares and the wheat should have been suffered to grow together till a -hand of more authority, guided by unerring judgment, pulled them, with -that portion of safety he had pre-ordained for both. - -The Protestant writers again unfairly triumph over their adversaries, -the Catholics, by asking, Why all that noise about the two natures in -Christ? It is plain, say they, from passages in the Haimanout Abou, and -their other tracts upon orthodox belief, that they acknowledge that -Christ was perfect God and perfect man, of a rational soul and human -flesh subsisting, and that all the confessions of unity, co-equality, -and inferiority, are there expressed in the clearest manner as received -in the Greek church. What necessity was there for more; and what need -of disputing upon these points already so fully settled? - -This, I beg leave to say, is unfair; for though it is true that, at the -time of collecting the Haimanout Abou, and at the time St Athanasius, -St Cyril, and St Chrysostom wrote, the explanation of these points was -uniform in favour of orthodoxy, and that while access could easily -be had to Jerusalem or Alexandria, then Greek and Christian cities, -difficulties, if any arose, were easily resolved; yet, at the time -the Jesuits came, those books were very rare in the country, and the -contents of them so far from being understood, that they were applied -to the support of the grossest heresies, from the misinterpretation of -the ignorant monks of these latter times. That the Abyssinians _had -been_ orthodox availed nothing: they _were then_ become as ignorant of -the doctrines of St Athanasius and St Cyril, as if those fathers had -never wrote; and it is their religion at this period which the Jesuits -condemn, not that of the church of Alexandria, when in its purity under -the first patriarchs; and, to complete all their misfortunes, no access -to Jerusalem is any longer open to them, and very rarely communication -with Cairo. - -On the other hand, the Jesuits, who found that the Abyssinians were -often wrong in some things, were resolved to deny that they could -be right in any thing; and, from attacking their tenets, they fell -upon their ceremonies received in the Greek church at the same time -with Christianity; and in this dispute they shewed great ignorance -and malevolence, which they supported by the help of falsehood and -invention. I shall take notice of only one instance in many, because it -has been insisted upon by both parties with unusual vehemence, and very -little candour. - -It was settled by the first general council, that one baptism only was -necessary for the regeneration of man, for freeing him from the sin of -our first parents, and lifting him under the banner of Christ,--“I -confess one baptism for the remission of sins,” says the Symbol. Now it -was maintained by the Jesuits, that in Abyssinia, once every year, they -baptised all grown people, or adults. I shall, as briefly as possible, -set down what I myself saw while on the spot. - -The small river, running between the town of Adowa and the church, -had been dammed up for several days; the stream was scanty, so that -it scarcely overflowed. It was in places three feet deep, in some, -perhaps, four, or little more. Three large tents were pitched the -morning before the feast of the Epiphany; one on the north for the -priests to repose in during intervals of the service, and beside this -one to communicate in; on the south there was a third tent for the -monks and priests of another church to rest themselves in their turn. -About twelve o’clock at night the monks and priests met together, and -began their prayers and psalms at the water-side, one party relieving -each other. At dawn of day the governor, Welleta Michael, came thither -with some soldiers to raise men for Ras Michael, then on his march -against Waragna Fasil, and far down on a small hill by the water-side, -the troops all skirmishing on foot and on horseback around them. - -As soon as the sun began to appear, three large crosses of wood were -carried by three priests dressed in their sacerdotal vestments, -and who, coming to the side of the river, dipt the cross into the -water, and all this time the firing, skirmishing, and praying went on -together. The priests with the crosses returned, one of their number -before them carrying something less than an English quart of water in a -silver cup or chalice; when they were about fifty yards from Welleta -Michael, that general stood up, and the priest took as much water as -he could hold in his hands and sprinkled it upon his head, holding the -cup at the same time to Welleta Michael’s mouth to taste; after which -the priest received it back again, saying, at the same time, “Gzier -y’barak,” which is simply, “May God bless you.” Each of the three -crosses were then brought forward to Welleta Michael, and he kissed -them. The ceremony of sprinkling the water was then repeated to all the -great men in the tent, all cleanly dressed as in gala. Some of them, -not contented with aspersion, received the water in the palms of their -hands joined, and drank it there; more water was brought for those that -had not partaken of the first; and, after the whole of the governor’s -company was sprinkled, the crosses returned to the river, their bearers -singing _hallelujahs_, and the skirmishing and firing continuing. - -Janni, my Greek friend, had recommended me to the priest of Adowa; -and, as the governor had placed me by him, I had an opportunity, for -both these reasons, of being served among the first. My friend the -priest sprinkled water upon my head, and gave me his blessing in -the same words he had used to the others; but, as I saw it was not -necessary to drink, I declined putting the cup to my lips, for two -reasons; one, because I knew the Abyssinians have a scruple to eat or -drink after strangers; the other, because I apprehended the water was -not perfectly clean; for no sooner had the crosses first touched the -pool, and the cup filled from the clean part for the governor, than -two or three hundred boys, calling themselves _deacons_, plunged in -with only a white cloth, or rag, tied round their middle; in all other -respects they were perfectly naked. All their friends and relations -(indeed everybody) went close down to the edge of the pool, where -water was thrown upon them, and first decently enough by boys of the -town, and those brought on purpose as deacons; but, after the better -sort of people had received the aspersion, the whole was turned into -a riot, the boys, muddying the water, threw it round them upon every -one they saw well-dressed or clean. The governor retreated first, then -the monks, and then the crosses, and left the brook in possession of -the boys and blackguards, who rioted there till two o’clock in the -afternoon. - -I must, however, observe, that, a very little time after the governor -had been sprinkled, two horses and two mules, belonging to Ras Michael -and Ozoro Esther, came and were washed. Afterwards the soldiers went -in and bathed their horses and guns; those who had wounds bathed them -also. I saw no women in the bath uncovered, even to the knee; nor did I -see any person of the rank of decent servants go into the water at all -except with the horses. Heaps of platters and pots, that had been used -by Mahometans or Jews, were brought thither likewise to be purified; -and thus the whole ended. - -I saw this ceremony performed afterwards at Kahha, near Gondar, in -presence of the king, who drank some of the water, and was sprinkled by -the priests; then took the cup in his hand, and threw the rest that was -left upon Amha Yasous[100], saying, “I will be your deacon;” and this -was thought a high compliment, the priest giving him his blessing at -the same time, but offering him no more water. - -I shall now state, in his own words, the account given of this by -Alvarez, chaplain to the Portuguese embassy, under Don Roderigo de Lima. - -The king had invited Don Roderigo de Lima, the Portuguese ambassador, -to be present at the celebration of the festival of the Epiphany. They -went about a mile and a half from their former station, and encamped -upon the side of a pond which had been prepared for the occasion. -Alvarez says, that, in their way, they were often asked by those they -met or overtook, “Whether or not they were going to be baptized?” to -which the chaplain and his company answered in the negative, as having -been already once baptized in their childhood. - -“In the night, says he, a great number of priests assembled about the -pond, roaring and singing with a view of blessing the water. After -midnight the baptism began. The Abuna Mark, the king and queen, were -the first that went into the lake; they had each a piece of cotton -cloth about their middle, which was just so much more than the rest of -the people had. At the sun-rising the baptism was most thronged; after -which, when Alvarez[101] _came_, the lake was full of holy water, into -which they had poured oil.” - -It should seem, from this outset of his narrative, that he was not -at the lake till the ceremony was half over, and did not see the -benediction of the water at all, nor the curious exhibition of -the King, Queen, and Abuna, and their cotton cloths. As for the -circumstance of the oil being poured into the water, I will not -positively contradict it, for, though I was early there, it might -have escaped me if it was done in the dark. However, I never heard it -mentioned as part of the ceremony; and it is probable I should, if any -such thing was really practised; neither was I in time to have seen it -at Kahha. - -“Before the pond a scaffold was built, covered round with planks, -within which sat the king looking towards the pond, his face covered -with blue taffeta, while an old man, who was the king’s tutor, was -standing in the water up to the shoulders, naked as he was born, and -half dead with cold, for it had _frozen_ violently in the night. All -those that came near him he took by the head and plunged them in the -water, whether men or women, saying, in his own language, I baptize -thee in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” - -Now Shoa, where the king was then, is in lat. 8° N. and the sun was -in 22° south declination, advancing northward, so the sun was, on the -day of the Epiphany, within 30° of the zenith of the bathing-place. -The thermometer of Fahrenheit rises at Gondar about that time to 68°, -so in Shoa it cannot rise to less than 70°, for Gondar is in lat. 12° -N. that is 4° farther northward, so it is not possible water should -freeze, nor did I ever see ice in Abyssinia, not even on the highest -or coldest mountains. January is one of the hottest months in the -year, day and night the sky is perfectly serene, nor is there there a -long disproportioned winter night. At Shoa the days are equal to the -nights, at least as to sense, even in the month of January. - -The baptism, Alvarez says, began at midnight, and the old tutor dipt -every person under water, taking him by the head, saying, ‘I baptise -thee in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.’ It -was most thronged at sun-rise, and ended about nine o’clock; a long -time for an old man to stand in frozen water. - -The number (as women were promiscuously admitted) could not be -less than 40,000; so that even the nine hours this baptist-general -officiated, he must have had exercise enough to keep him warm, if -40,000, (many of them naked beauties) passed through _his hands_. - -The women were stark naked before the men, not even a rag about them. -Without some such proper medium as frozen water, I fear it would not -have contributed much to the interests of religion to have trusted -a priest (even an old one) among so many bold and naked beauties, -especially as he had the first six hours of them in the dark. - -The Abuna, the king, and queen, were the three first baptised, all -three being absolutely naked, having only a cotton cloth round their -middle. I am sure there never could be a greater deviation from the -manners of any kingdom, than this is from those of Abyssinia. The king -is always covered; you seldom see any part of him but his eyes. The -queen and every woman in Abyssinia, in public and private, (I mean -where nothing is intended but conversation) are covered to the chin. -It is a disgrace to them to have even their feet seen by strangers; -and their arms and hands are concealed even to their nails. A curious -circumstance therefore it would have been for the king to be so liberal -of his queen’s charms, while he covers his own face with blue taffeta; -but to imagine that the Abuna, a coptish monk bred in the desert of -St Macarius, would expose himself naked among naked women, contrary -to the usual custom of the celebration he observes in his own church, -is monstrous, and must exceed all belief whatever. As the Abuna Mark -too was of the reasonable age of 110 years, he might, I think, have -dispensed at that time of life with a bathing gown, especially as it -was _frost_. - -The old man in the pond repeated the formula, “I baptise you in -the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,” in his -own language; and Alvarez, it is plain, understood not one word of -Abyssinian. Yet, on the other hand, he speaks Latin to the king, who -wonderfully understands him, and answers as decisively on the merits -of the dispute as if he had been educated in the Sorbonne. “Confiteor -unum baptizma” says Alvarez[102], was a constitution of the Nicene -council under Pope Leo. Right, says the king, whose church, however, -anathematized Leo and the council he presided at, which both the king -and Alvarez should have known was not the Nicene council, though the -words of the symbol quoted are thought to be part of a confession -framed by that assembly. - -“Qui crediderit et baptizatus fuerit salvus erit,” says Alvarez. “You -say right, answers the king, as to baptism; these are the words of our -Saviour; but this present ceremony was lately invented by a grandfather -of mine, in favour of such as have turned Moors, and are desirous again -of becoming Christians.” - -I should think, in the first place, this answer of the king, should -have let Alvarez see no baptism was intended there; or, if it was a -re-baptism, it only took place in favour of those who had turned Moors, -and must therefore have been but partial. If this was really the case, -what had the king, queen, and Abuna to do in it? Sure they had neither -apostatized nor was the company of apostates a very creditable society -for them. - -Alvarez, to persuade us this is real baptism, says that oil was thrown -into the pond before he came. He will not charge himself with having -seen this, and it is probably a falsehood. But he knew it was an -essential in baptism in all the churches in the east; so indeed is -salt, which he should have said was here used likewise: then he would -have had all the materials of Greek baptism, and this salt might have -contributed to cooling the water, that had frozen under the rays of a -burning sun. - -Alvarez must have seen, that not only men and women go to be washed in -the pool, but horses, cows, mules, and a prodigious number of asses. -Are these baptised? I would wish to know the formula the reverend -baptist-general used on their occasion. - -There is but one church where I ever saw sacred rites, or something -like baptism, conferred upon asses; it is, I think, at Rome on St -Andrew’s or St Patrick’s day. It should be St Balaam’s, if he was in -the Roman kalendar as high as he is in the Abyssinian. In that church -(it is I think on Monte Cavallo) all sorts of asses, about and within -Rome, are gathered together, and showers of holy water and blessings -rained by a priest upon them. What is the formula I do not know; -although it is a joke put upon strangers, especially of one nation, to -assemble them there; or whether the two churches of Rome and Abyssinia -differ so much in this as in other points of discipline, I am not -informed; but the rationality and decency of such a ceremony being the -same in all churches, the service performed at the time should be the -same likewise. - -I will not then have any scruple to say, that this whole account of -Alvarez is a gross fiction; that no baptism, or any thing like baptism, -is meant by the ceremony; that a man is no more baptised by keeping the -anniversary of our Saviour’s baptism, than he is crucified by keeping -his crucifixion. The commemoration of our Saviour’s baptism on the -epiphany, and the blessing the waters that day, is an old observance -of the eastern church, formerly performed in public in Egypt as now in -Ethiopia. Since that of Alexandria fell into the hands of Mahometans, -the fear of insult and profanation has obliged them to confine this -ceremony, and all other processions, within the walls of their -churches, in each of which there is constantly a place devoted to this -use. Those that cannot attend the ceremony of aspersion in the church, -especially sick or infirm people, have the water sent to them, and a -large contribution is made for the patriarch, or bishop; yet nobody -ever took it into their heads to tax either Greek or Armenian with a -repetition of baptism. - -Monsieur de Tournefort[103], in his travels through the Levant, gives -you a figure of the Greek priest, who blesses the water in a peculiar -habit, with a pastoral staff in his hand. - -But, besides this, various falsehoods have likewise been propagated -about the manner of baptism practiced in Abyssinia, all in order to -impugn the validity of it, and to excuse the rash conduct of the -Jesuits for re-baptising all the Abyssinians, as if they had been -a Jewish and Pagan people that never had been baptised at all. The -violation of this article of the creed, or confession of Nice, was a -cause of great offence to the Abyssinians, and of the misfortunes that -happened afterwards. The whole of the Abyssinian service of baptism is -in their liturgy. The Jesuits had plenty of copies in their hands, and -could have pointed out the part of the service that was heretical, if -they had pleased; they did not pretend, however, to do this, and their -silence condemns them. - -As for the idle stories that are told of the words pronounced, such -as,--“I baptize you in the name of the Holy Trinity,”--“In the name -of Peter and Paul,”--“I baptize you in the water of Jordan,”--“May -God baptise you,”--“May God wash you,” and many others, they are -all invented by the Jesuits, to excuse the repetition of baptism in -Abyssinia, which there was no sort of occasion for, as they might -have examined the words and form in the liturgies, which are in every -church; and I must here only observe, that if, as the chaplain of -Alvarez says, the priest in the pool, on the festival of the Epiphany, -was so fond of the proper words as even, at that time, to say, “I -baptise you in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy -Ghost,” the words he quotes to shew this immersion in water on the -Epiphany, is a real baptism, I cannot comprehend why they should vary -them to other words, when nothing but baptism is meant. But this I can -bear evidence of, that, in no time when I was present, as I have above -a hundred times been at the baptism both of adults and infants, aye, -and of apostates too, I never heard other words pronounced than the -orthodox baptismal ones, “I baptize thee in the name of the Father, of -the Son, and of the Holy Ghost,” immerging the child in pure water, -into which they first pour a small quantity of oil of olives, in the -form of a cross. - -The Abyssinians receive the holy sacrament in both kinds in unleavened -bread, and in the grape bruised with the husk together as it grows, -so that it is a kind of marmalade, and is given in a flat spoon: -whatever they may pretend, some mixture seems necessary to keep it from -fermentation in the state that it is in, unless the dried cluster is -fresh bruised just before it is used, for it is little more fluid than -the common marmalade of confectioners; but it is perfectly the grape as -it grew, bruised stones and skin together. Some means, however, have -been used, as I suppose, to prevent fermentation, and make it keep; -and, though this is constantly denied, I have often thought I tasted a -flavour that was not natural to the grape itself. - -It is a mistake that there is no wine in Abyssinia, for a quantity of -excellent strong wine is made at Dreeda, south-west from Gondar about -thirty miles, which would more than supply the quantity necessary for -the celebration of the eucharist in all Abyssinia twenty times over. -The people themselves are not fond of wine, and plant the vine in one -place only; and in this they have been imitated by the Egyptians, -their colony; but a small black grape, of an excellent flavour, grows -plentifully wild in every wood in Tigré. - -Large pieces of bread are given to the communicants in proportion to -their quality; and I have seen great men, who, though they open their -mouths as wide as conveniently a man can do, yet from the respect the -priest bore him, such a portion of the loaf was put into his mouth that -water ran from his eyes, from the incapacity of chewing it, which, -however, he does as indecently, and with full as much noise, as he eats -at table. - -After receiving the sacrament of the eucharist in both kinds, a pitcher -of water is brought, of which the communicant drinks a large draught; -and well he needs it to wash down the quantity of bread he has just -swallowed. He then retires from the steps of the inner division upon -which the administering priest stands, and, turning his face to the -wall of the church, in private says some prayer with seeming decency -and attention. - -The Romanists doubt of the validity of the Abyssinian consecration of -the elements, because in their liturgy it is plainly said, “Lord, put -thy hand upon this cup, and bless it, and sanctify it, and purify it, -that in it may be made thy holy blood;” and of the bread they say, -“Bless this saucer, or plate, that in it may be made thy holy body.” -And in their prayer they say, “Change this bread that it may be made -thy pure body which is joined with this cup of thy precious blood.” The -Jesuits doubt of the validity of this consecration, because it is said, -“this _bread_ is my body,” and over the wine, “this _cup_ is my blood;” -whereas, to operate a true transubstantiation, they should say over the -bread, “this is my body.” - -For my own part, I leave it to the reverend fathers, who are -the best judges, what is necessary to operate this miracle of -transubstantiation. The reality of the thing itself is denied by -all Protestant churches, has been often doubted by others, has been -ridiculed by lay-writers, and can never be a matter, I believe, of -thorough conviction, much less of proof to any. The dignity of the -subject, on which it touches nearly, as well as tenderness for our -brethren on the continent, an article of whose faith it is, should -always screen it from being treated with pleasantry, whatever we -believe, or whether we believe it or not. - -M. Ludolf thinks, that the words I have set down are a proof the -Abyssinians do not believe in transubstantiation. For my part, from -those very words, I cannot think any thing is clearer than that they -do; the bread is upon the plate; they pray that that plate may be -blessed, “That in it the bread may be made God’s holy body[104];” -and of the wine they say, “That it may be made thy holy blood:” and -in their prayer they say, “Change this bread that it may be made thy -body;” and again, “May the Holy Ghost shine upon this bread, that -it may be made the body of Christ our God, and that this cup may be -changed and become the blood, not the _symbol_, of the blood of Christ -our God.” With all respect to Mr Ludolf’s opinion, I must think that, -though the benediction prayed upon the patine, spoon, and chalice, -is but an aukward expression, yet, if I understand the language, -“converte” and “immutetur” are literal translations of the Ethiopic, -and seem to pray for a transubstantiation as directly as words will -admit, whether they believe in it or not; nor, as far as I know, can -any stronger or more expressive be found to substitute in their place. - -I shall finish this subject (which is not of my province, and which I -have mentioned, because I know it is a matter which some of my readers -desire information upon) by an anecdote that happened a few months -before my coming into Abyssinia, as it was accidentally told me by the -priest of Adowa the very day of the Epiphany, and which Janni vouched -to be true, and to have seen. - -The Sunday before Ras Michael’s departure for Gondar from Adowa, he -went to church in great pomp, and there received the sacrament. There -happened to be such a crowd to see him, that the wine, part of the -consecrated elements, was thrown down and spilt upon the steps whereon -the communicants stood at receiving. Some straw or hay was instantly -gathered and sprinkled upon it to cover it, and the communicants -continued the service till the end, treading that grass under foot. - -This giving great offence to Janni, and some few priests that lived -with him, it was told Michael, who, without explaining himself, said -only, “As to the fact of throwing the hay, they are a parcel of hogs, -and know no better.” These few words had stuck in the stomach of the -priest of Adowa, who, with great secrecy, and as a mark of friendship, -begged I would give him my opinion what he should have done, or rather, -what would have been done in my country? I told him, “That the answer -to his question depended upon two things, which, being known, his -difficulties would very easily be solved. If you do believe that the -wine spilt by the mob upon the steps, and trod under foot afterwards, -was really the blood of Jesus Christ, then you was guilty of a most -horrid crime, and you should cry upon the mountains to cover you; and -ages of atonement are not sufficient to expiate it. You should, in the -mean time, have railed the place round with iron, or built it round -with stone, that no foot, or any thing else but the dew of heaven, -could have fallen upon it, or you should have brought in the river upon -the place that would have washed it all to the sea, and covered it -ever after from sacrilegious profanation. But if, on the contrary, you -believe, (as many Christian churches do) that the wine (notwithstanding -consecration) remained in the cup nothing more than wine, but was only -the symbol, or type, of Christ’s blood of the New Testament, then the -spilling it upon the steps, and the treading upon it afterwards, having -been merely accidental, and out of your power to prevent, being so far -from your wish that you are heartily sorry that it happened, I do not -reckon that you are further liable in the crime of sacrilege, than if -the wine had not been consecrated at all. You are to humble yourself, -and sincerely regret that so irreverent an accident happened in your -hands, and in your time, but as you did not intend it, and could -not prevent it; the consequence of an accident, where inattention is -exceedingly culpable, will be imputed to you, and nothing further.” - -The priest declared to me, with great earnestness, that he never -did believe that the elements in the eucharist were converted by -consecration into the real body and blood of Christ. He said, however, -that he believed this to be the Roman Catholic faith, but it never -was his; and that he conceived the bread was bread, and the wine was -wine, even after consecration. From this example, which occurred merely -accidentally, and was not the fruit of interrogation or curiosity, -it appears to me, whatever the Jesuits say, some at least among the -Abyssinians do not believe the real presence in the eucharist; but -further I am not enough informed to give a positive opinion. To follow -this investigation more curiously would have been attended with a -considerable degree of danger; and therefore I have stated my only -means of knowledge, and leave my readers entirely to the freedom of -their own opinion, and to after inquiry and information. - -The Abyssinians are not all agreed about the state of souls before -the resurrection of the body. The opinion which generally prevails -is, that there is no third state; but that, after the example of the -thief, the souls of good men enjoy the beatific vision immediately -upon the separation from the body. But I must here observe, that their -practice and books do both contradict this; for, as often as any person -dies, alms are given, and prayers are offered for the souls of those -departed, which would be vain did they believe they were already in -the presence of God, and in possession of the greatest bless possible, -wanting nothing to complete it. “Remember, (says their liturgy) O Lord! -the souls of thy servants, our father Abba Matthias, and the rest of -our saints, Abba Salama, and Abba Jacob.” In another place, “Remember, -O Lord! the kings of Ethiopia, Abreha, and Atzbeha, Caleb, and Guebra -Mascal.” And again, “Release, O Lord! our father Antonius, and Abba -Macarius.” If this is not directly acknowledging a separate state, it -can have no meaning at all. - -I have already said, that the Agaazi, the predecessors of those people -that settled in Tigrè from the mountains of the Habab, were shepherds -adjoining to the Red Sea; that they speak the language _Geez_, and -are the only people in Abyssinia in possession of letters; that these -are all circumcised, both men and women. The former term, as applied -to men, is commonly known to every one the least acquainted with the -Jewish history. The latter is, as far as I know, a rite merely Gentile, -although in Africa, at least that part adjoining to Egypt and the Red -Sea, it is much more known and more universally practised than the -other. This I shall call _excision_, that I may express this uncommon -operation by as decent a word as possible. The Falasha likewise submit -to both. - -These nations, however they agree in their rite, differ in their -accounts of the time they received this ceremony, as well as the manner -of performing it. The Abyssinians of Tigré say, that they received it -from Ishmael’s family and his descendants, with whom they were early -connected in their trading voyages. They say also, that the queen -of Saba, and all the women of that coast, had suffered excision at -the usual time of life, before puberty, and before her journey to -Jerusalem. The Falasha again declare, that their circumcision was that -commonly practised at Jerusalem in the time of Solomon, and in use -among them when they left Palestine, and came into Abyssinia. - -The circumcision of the Abyssinians is performed with a sharp knife, or -razor. There is no laceration with the nails, no formula or repetition -of words, nor any religious ceremony at the time of the operation, nor -is it done at any particular age, and generally it is a woman that is -the surgeon. The Falasha say, they perform it sometimes with the edge -of a sharp stone; sometimes with a knife or razor, and at other times -with the nails of their fingers; and for this purpose they have the -nails of their little fingers of an immoderate length: at the time of -the operation the priest chants a hymn, or verse, importing, “Blessed -art thou, O Lord, who hast ordained circumcision!” This is performed -on the eighth day, and is a religious rite, according to the first -institution by God to Abraham. - -The Abyssinians pretend theirs is not so; and, being pressed for the -reason, they tell you it is because Christ and the apostles were -circumcised, though they do not hold it necessary to salvation. But -it is the objection they constantly make against eating out of the -same plate, or drinking out of the same cup with strangers, that they -are uncircumcised, while, with the Egyptians or the Cophts, though -equally strangers, they make no such difficulty. In the time of the -Jesuits, when the Roman Catholic religion was abolished, and liberty -given them to return to their old worship, their priests proclaimed -a general circumcision; and the populace, in the first days of their -fury, or triumph, murdered many Catholics, by stabbing them with a -lance in that part, as they met them, repeating in derision the -Jewish hymn, or ejaculation, “Blessed is the Lord that hath ordained -circumcision!” so that, I believe, their indifference in this article -is rather owing to not being contradicted; just as they are careless -about every other parts of religion, unless such as have been revived -in their minds by disputes with the Jesuits, and kept up since in part -among their clergy. But none of them pretend that circumcision arises -from necessity of any kind, or from any obstruction or impediment to -procreation, or that it becomes necessary for cleanliness, or from the -heat of climate. - -None of these reasons, constantly alledged in Europe, are ever to be -heard of here, nor do I believe they have the smallest foundation -any where; and this, I think, should weigh strongly in favour of the -account scripture gives of it. Examining the origin of this ceremony, -independent of this revelation, I will never believe that man, or -nations of men, rashly submitted to a disgraceful, sometimes dangerous, -and always painful operation, unless there had been proposed, as a -consequence, some reward for submitting to, or some punishment for -refusing it, which balanced in their minds the pain and danger, as well -as disgrace, of that operation. - -All the inhabitants of the globe agree in considering it shameful to -expose that part of their body, even to men; and in the east, where, -from climate, you are allowed, and from respect to your superiors, the -generality of men are forced to go naked, all agree in covering their -waist, which is called their _nakedness_, though it is really the only -part of their body that is covered. We see even that there was a -curse[105] attended the mere seeing that part of the body of a parent, -and not instantly throwing a covering over it. - -I do not propose discussing at large the arguments for or against the -time of the beginning to circumcise. The scripture has given such an -account of it, that, when weighed with the promise so exactly kept to -the end, seems to me to be a very rational one. But, considering all -revelation out of the question, I think there is no room to institute -any free or fair inquiry. I give no pre-eminence to Moses nor his -writings. I suppose him a profane author; but, till those that argue -against his account, and maintain circumcision was earlier than -Abraham, shall shew me another profane writer as old as Moses, as -near the time they say it began as Moses was to the time of Abraham, -I will not argue with them in support of Moses against Herodotus, -nor discuss who Herodotus’s Phenicians, and who his Egyptians -were that circumcised. Herodotus knew not Abraham nor Moses, and, -compared to their days, he is but as yesterday. Those Phenicians and -Egyptians might, for any thing he knew at his time, have received -circumcision from Abraham or Ishmael, or some of their posterity, as -the Abyssinians or Ethiopians, whom he refers to, actually say they -did, which Herodotus did not know, it is plain, though he mentions -they were circumcised. This tradition of the Abyssinians merits some -consideration from what they say of it themselves, that they were, in -the earliest time, circumcised before they left their native country, -and settled in Tigrè. From this they derive no honour, nor do they -pretend to any. It would have been otherwise, if the æra fixed upon -had been the reign of Menilek, son of Solomon, when they first embraced -Judaism under a monarch. This would have made a much more brilliant -epoch in their history, whilst it was probable that they adopted -circumcision under the countenance of Azarias, the son of Zadok, the -high priest, and the representatives of the twelve tribes who came with -him at that time from Jerusalem. - -It seems to me very extraordinary, that, if circumcision was originally -a Jewish invention, all those nations to the south should be absolutely -ignorant of it, while others to the northward were so early acquainted -with it; for none of those nations up the Nile (excepting the -Shepherds) either know or practise it to this day; though, ever since -the 1400th year before Christ, they have been in the closest connection -with the Jews. This would rather make me believe, that the rite of -circumcision went northward from the plain of Mamrè, for it certainly -made no progress southward from Egypt. We see it obtained in Arabia, by -Zipporah[106], Moses’s wife, circumcising her son upon their return to -Egypt. Her great anxiety to have that operation immediately performed, -shews that her’s was a Judaical circumcision; there was no sin that -attended the omission of this operation in Egypt, but God had said to -Abraham[107], “The soul that is not circumcised shall be cut off from -Israel.” - -The Tcheratz Agows, who live between Lasta and Begemder, in an -exceedingly fertile country, are not circumcised; and, therefore, if -this nation left Palestine upon Joshua passing Jordan, circumcision -was not known there, for the Agows to this day are uncircumcised. The -same may be said of the Agows of Damot, who are settled at the head -of the Nile. It will be seen by the two specimens of their different -languages that they are different nations, as I have alledged. Next -to these are the Gafat, in a plain open country, who do not use -circumcision; none of them were ever converted to Judaism, and but few -of them to Christianity. The next are the people of Amhara who did not -use circumcision, at least few of them, till after the massacre of the -princes by Judith in the year 900, when the remaining princes of the -line of Solomon fled to Shoa, and the court was established there. The -last of these nations that I shall mention are the Galla, who are not -circumcised; of this nation we have said enough. - -On the north, a black, woolly-headed nation, called the Shangalla, -already often mentioned, bounds Abyssinia, and serves like a string to -the bow made by these nations of Galla. Who they are we know perfectly, -being the Cushite Troglodytes of Sofala, Saba, Axum and Meroë; shut up, -as I have already mentioned, in those caves, the first habitations of -their more polished ancestors. Neither do these circumcise, though they -immediately bordered upon Egypt, while the Cushite, adjoining to the -peninsula of Africa certainly did. As then so many nations contiguous -to Egypt never received circumcision from it, it seems an invincible -argument, that this was no endemial rite or custom among the Egyptians, -and I have before observed, that it was of no use to this nation, -as the reasons mentioned by Philo, and the rest, of cleanliness and -climate, are absolute dreams, and now, exploded; and that they are so -is plain, because, otherwise, the nations more to the southward would -have adopted it, as they have universally done another custom, which I -shall presently speak of. - -Circumcision, then, having no natural cause or advantage, being in -itself repugnant to man’s nature, and extremely painful, if not -dangerous, it could never originate in man’s mind wantonly and out -of free-will. It might have done so indeed from imitation, but with -Abraham it had a cause, as God was to make his private family in a few -years numerous, like the sands of the sea. This mark, which separated -them from all the world, was an easy way to shew whether the promise -was fulfilled or not. They were going to take possession of a land -where circumcision was not known, and this shewed them their enemy -distinct from their own people. And it would be the grossest absurdity -to send Samson to bring, as tokens of the slain, so many foreskins or -prepuces of the Philistines, if, as Herodotus says, the Philistines had -cut off their prepuces a thousand years before. - -I must here take notice that this custom, filthy and barbarous as it -is, has been adopted by the Abyssinians of Tigrè, who have always been -circumcised, from a knowledge that the nations about them were not -circumcised at all. It is true they do not content themselves with the -foreskin, and I doubt very much if this was not the case with the Jews -likewise. On the contrary, in place of the foreskin they cut the whole -away, scrotum and all, and bring this to their superiors, as a token -they have killed an enemy. - -Although it then appears that the nations which had Egypt between -Abraham and them, that is, were to the southward, did not follow the -Egyptians in the rite of circumcision, yet in another, of excision, -they all concurred. Strabo[108] says, the Egyptians circumcised both -men and women, _like the Jews_. I will not pretend to say that any -such operation ever did obtain among the Jewish women, as scripture -is silent upon it; and indeed it is nowhere ever pretended to have -been a religious rite, but to be introduced from necessity, to avoid -a deformity which nature has subjected particular people to, in -particular climates and countries. - -We perceive among the brutes, that nature, creating the animal with -the same limbs or members all the world over, does yet indulge itself -in a variety, in the proportion of such limbs or members. Some are -remarkable for the size of their heads, some for the breadth and -bigness of the tail, some for the length of their legs, and some for -the size of their horns. There is a district in Abyssinia, within the -perpetual rains, where cows, of no greater size than ours, have horns, -each of which would contain as much water as the ordinary water-pail -used in England does; and I remember on the frontiers of Sennaar, near -the river Dender, to have seen a herd of many hundred cows, everyone of -which had the apparent construction of their parts almost similar with -that of the bull; so that, for a considerable time, I was persuaded -that these were oxen, their udders being very small, until I had seen -them milked. - -This particular appearance, or unnecessary appendage, at first made me -believe that I had found the real cause of circumcision from analogy, -but, upon information, this did not hold. It is however otherwise in -the excision of women. From climate, or some other cause, a certain -disproportion is found generally to prevail among them. And, as the -population of a country has in every age been considered as an object -worthy of attention, men have endeavoured to remedy this deformity by -the amputation of that redundancy. All the Egyptians, therefore, the -Arabians, and nations to the South of Africa, the Abyssinians, Gallas, -Agows, Gafats, and Gongas, make their children undergo this operation, -at no fixed time indeed, but always before they are marriageable. - -When the Roman Catholic priests first settled in Egypt, they did not -neglect supporting their mission by temporal advantages, and small -presents given to needy people their proselytes; but mistaking this -excision of the Coptish women for a ceremony performed upon Judaical -principles, they forbade, upon pain of excommunication, that excision -should be performed upon the children of parents who had become -Catholics. The converts obeyed, the children grew up, and arrived at -puberty; but the consequences of having obeyed the interdict were, that -the man found, by chusing a wife among Catholic Cophts, he subjected -himself to a very disagreeable inconveniency, to which he had conceived -an unconquerable aversion, and therefore he married a heretical wife, -free from this objection, and with her he relapsed into heresy. - -The missionaries therefore finding it impossible that ever their -congregation could increase, and that this accident did frustrate all -their labours, laid their case before the College of Cardinals _de -propaganda fide_, at Rome. These took it up as a matter of moment, -which it really was, and sent over visitors skilled in surgery, fairly -to report upon the case as it stood; and they, on their return, -declared, that the heat of the climate, or some other natural cause, -did, in that particular nation, invariably alter the formation so as to -make a difference from what was ordinary in the sex in other countries, -and that this difference did occasion a disgust, which must impede the -consequences for which matrimony was instituted. The college, upon this -report, ordered that a declaration, being first made by the patient and -her parents that it was not done from Judaical intention, but because -it disappointed the ends of marriage, “Si modo matrimonii fructus -impediret id omnino tollendum esset:” that the imperfection was, by -all manner of means, to be removed; so that the Catholics, as well as -the Cophts, in Egypt, undergo excision ever since. This is done with a -knife, or razor, by women generally when the child is about eight years -old[109]. - -There is another ceremony with which I shall close, and this regards -the women also, and I shall call it _incision_. This is an usage -frequent, and still retained among the Jews, though positively -prohibited by the law: “Thou shalt not cut thy face for the sake of, -or on account of the dead[110].” As soon as a near relation dies in -Abyssinia, a brother or parent, cousin-german or lover, every woman in -that relation, with the nail of her little finger, which she leaves -long on purpose, cuts the skin of both her temples, about the size of a -sixpence; and therefore you see either a wound or a scar in every fair -face in Abyssinia; and in the dry season, when the camp is out, from -the loss of friends they seldom have liberty to heal till peace and the -army return with the rains. - -The Abyssinians, like the ancient Egyptians, their first colony, -in computing their time, have continued the use of the solar year. -Diodorus Siculus says, “They do not reckon their time by the moon, but -according to the sun; that thirty days constitute their month, to which -they add five days and the fourth part of a day, and this completes -their year.” - -These five days were, by the Egyptians, called Nici, and, by the -Greeks, Epagomeni, which signifies, days added, or superinduced, to -complete a sum. The Abyssinians add five days, which they call Quagomi, -a corruption from the Greek Epagomeni, to the month of August, which -is their Nahaassé. Every fourth year they add a sixth day. They begin -the year, like all the eastern nations, with the 29th or 30th day of -August, that is the kalends of September, the 29th of August being the -first of their month Mascaram. - -It is uncertain whence they derived the names of their months; they -have no signification in any of the languages of Abyssinia. The name of -the first month among the old Egyptians has continued to this day. It -is Tot, probably so called from the first division of time among the -Egyptians, from observation of the helaical rising of the dog-star. The -names of the months retained in Abyssinia are possibly in antiquity -prior to this; they are probably those given them by the Cushite, -before the Kalendars at Thebes and Meroë, their colony, were formed. - -The common epoch which the Abyssinians make use of is from the creation -of the world; but in the quantity of this period they do not agree with -the Greeks, nor with other eastern nations, who reckon 5508 years from -the creation to the birth of Christ. The Abyssinians adopt the even -number of 5500 years, casting away the odd eight years; but whether -this was first done for ease of calculation, or some better reason, -there is neither book nor tradition that now can teach us. They have, -besides this, many other epochs, such as from the council of Nice and -Ephesus. There is likewise to be met with in their books a portion of -time, which is certainly a cycle; the Ethiopic word is kamar, which, -literally interpreted, is an arch, or circle. It is not now in use -in civil life among the Abyssinians, and therefore was mentioned as -containing various quantities from 100 years to 19; and there are -places in their history where neither of these will apply, nor any even -number whatever. - -They make use of the golden number and epact constantly in all their -ecclesiastic computations: the first they call Matqué, the other -Abacté. Scaliger, who has taken great pains upon this confused subject, -the computation of time in the church of Abyssinia, without having -succeeded in making it much clearer, tells us, that the first use -or invention of epacts was not earlier than the time of Dioclesian; -but this is contrary to the positive evidence of Abyssinian history, -which says expressly, that the epact was invented by Demetrius[111], -patriarch of Alexandria. “Unless, says the poet in their liturgy, -Demetrius had made this revelation by the immediate influence of the -Holy Ghost, how, I pray you, was it possible that the computation of -time, called Epacts, could ever have been known?” And, again, “When you -meet, says he, you shall learn the computation by epacts, which was -taught by the Holy Ghost to father Demetrius, and by him revealed to -you.” Now Demetrius was the twelfth patriarch of Alexandria, who was -elected about the 190th year of Christ, or in the reign of the emperor -Severus, consequently long before the time of Dioclesian. - -It seems the reputation the Egyptians had from very old time for their -skill in computation and the division of time, remained with them -late in the days of Christianity. Pope Leo the Great, writing to the -emperor Marcian, confesses that the fixing the time of the moveable -feasts was always an exclusive privilege of the church of Alexandria; -and therefore, says he, in his letter about reforming the kalendar, -the holy fathers endeavoured to take away the occasion of this error, -by delegating the whole care of this to the bishop of Alexandria, -because the Egyptians, from old times, seem to have had this gift of -computation given them; and when these had signified to the apostolic -See the days upon which the moveable feasts were to happen, the church -of Rome then notified this by writing to churches at a greater distance. - -We are not to doubt that this privilege, which the church of Alexandria -had been so long in possession of, contributed much to inflame the -minds of the Abyssinians against the Roman Catholic priests, for -altering the time of keeping Easter, by appointing days of their own; -for we see violent commotions to have arisen every year upon the -celebration of this festival. - -The Abyssinians have another way of describing time peculiar to -themselves; they read the whole of the four evangelists every year in -their churches. They begin with Matthew, then proceed to Mark, Luke, -and John, in order; and, when they speak of an event, they write and -say it happened in the days of Matthew, that is, in the first quarter -of the year, while the gospel of St Matthew was yet reading in the -churches. - -They compute the time of the day in a very arbitrary, irregular -manner. The twilight, as I have before observed, is very short, almost -imperceptible, and was still more so when the court was removed -farther to the southward in Shoa. As soon as the sun falls below the -horizon, night comes on, and all the stars appear. This term, then, -the twilight, they choose for the beginning of their day, and call it -Naggé, which is the very time the twilight of the morning lasts. The -same is observed at night, and Meset is meant to signify the instant -of beginning the twilight, between the sun’s falling below the horizon -and the stars appearing. Mid-day is by them called _Kater_, a very old -word, which signifies _culmination_, or a thing’s being arrived or -placed at the middle or highest part of an arch. All the rest of times, -in conversation, they describe by pointing at the place in the heavens -where the sun then was, when what they are describing happened. - -I shall conclude what further I have to say on this subject, by -observing, that nothing can be more inaccurate than all Abyssinian -calculations. Besides their absolute ignorance in arithmetic, their -excessive idleness and aversion to study, and a number of fanciful, -whimsical combinations, by which every particular scribe or monk -distinguishes himself, there are obvious reasons why there should be a -variation between their chronology and ours. I have already observed, -that the beginning of our years are different; ours begin on the 1st -of January, and theirs on the 1st day of September, so that there are -8 months difference between us. The last day of August may be the year -1780 with us, and 1779 only with the Abyssinians. And in the reign of -their kings they very seldom mention either month or day beyond an even -number of years. Supposing, then, it is known that the reign of ten -kings extended from such to such a period, where all the months and -days are comprehended, when we come to assign to each of these an equal -number of years, without the correspondent months and days, it is plain -that, when all these separate reigns come to be added together, the -one sum-total will not agree with the other, but will be more or less -than the just time which that prince reigned. This, indeed, as errors -compensate full as frequently as they accumulate, will seldom amount to -a difference above three years; a space of time too trivial to be of -any consequence in the history of barbarous nations. - -However, it will occur that even this agreement is no positive evidence -of the exactness of the time, for it may so happen that the sum-totals -may agree, and yet every particular sum constituting the whole may be -false, that is, if the quantity of errors which are too much exactly -correspond with the quantity of errors that are too little; to obviate -this as much as possible, I have considered three eclipses of the sun -as recorded in the Abyssinian annals. The first was in the reign of -David III. the year before the king marched out to his first campaign -against Maffudi the Moor, in the unfortunate war with Adel. The year -that the king marched into Dawaro was the 1526, after having dispatched -the Portuguese ambassador Don Roderigo de Lima, who embarked at Masuah -on the 26th of April on board the fleet commanded by Don Hector de -Silveyra, who had come from India on purpose to fetch him; and the -Abyssinian annals say, that, the year before the king marched, a -remarkable eclipse of the sun had happened in the Ethiopic month Ter. -Now, in consulting our European accounts, we find that, on the second -of January, answering to the 18th day of Ter, there did happen an -eclipse of the sun, which, as it was in the time of the year when the -sky is cloudless both night and day, must have been visible all the -time of its duration. So here our accounts do agree precisely. - -The second happened on the 13th year of the reign of Claudius, as the -Abyssinian account states it. Claudius succeeded to the crown in the -1540, and the 13th year of his reign will fall to be on the 1553. Now -we find this eclipse did happen in the same clear season of the year, -that is, on the 24th of January 1553, so in this second instance our -chronology is perfectly correct. - -The third eclipse of the sun happened in the 7th year of the reign of -Yasous II. in Magabit, the seventh month of the Abyssinians. Now Yasous -came to the crown in 1729, so that the 7th year of his reign will be -in 1736, and on the 4th day of October, answering to the 8th day of -the month Tekemt, N. S. in that year, we see this eclipse observed in -Europe. - -As a further confirmation of this, we have dated the particulars of a -comet which, the Abyssinian annals say, appeared at Gondar in the month -of November, in the 9th year of the reign of Yasous I. and as this -comet was observed in Europe to have come to its perihelion in December -1689, and as that year, according to our account, was really the 9th of -that king’s reign, no further proof of the exactness of our chronology -can possibly be required. By means of these observations, counting -backward to the rime of Icon Amlac, and again forward to the death of -Joas, which happened in 1768, and assigning to each prince the number -of years that his own historians say he reigned, I have, in the most -unexceptionable manner that I can devise, settled the chronology of -this country; and the exact agreement it hath with all the remarkable -events, regularly and sufficiently vouched, plainly shews the accuracy -of this method. If, therefore, in a few cases, I differ two or three -years from the Jesuits in their first account of this country, I do -not in any shape believe the fault to be mine, because there are, -at all these periods, errors in point of fact, both in Alvarez and -Tellez, much more material and unaccountable than the mistake of a few -years; and these errors have been adopted with great confidence in the -Hispania Illustrata, and some of the best books of Portuguese history -which have made mention of this country. - - - - -TRAVELS - -TO DISCOVER - -THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. - - - - -BOOK VI. - -FIRST ATTEMPT TO DISCOVER THE SOURCE OF THE NILE FRUSTRATED--A -SUCCESSFUL JOURNEY THITHER, WITH A FULL ACCOUNT OF EVERY THING RELATING -TO THAT CELEBRATED RIVER. - - - - -CHAP. I. - -_The Author made Governor of Ras el Feel._ - - -I soon received an instance of kindness from Ayto Confu which gave me -great pleasure on several accounts. On the south part of Abyssinia, on -the frontiers of Sennaar, is a hot, unwholesome, low stripe of country, -inhabited entirely by Mahometans, divided into several small districts, -known by the general name of Mazaga. Of this I have often before -spoken, and shall have further occasion in the sequel. - -The Arabs of Sennaar that are on bad terms with the governor of -Atbara, fly hither across the desert to avoid the rapine and violence -of that cruel tyrant. The arrival of these produces in an instant the -greatest plenty at Ras el Feel; markets are held everywhere; cattle -of all kinds, milk, butter, elephants teeth, hides, and several other -commodities, are sold to a great amount. - -The Arabs are of many different tribes; the chief are the Daveina, -then the Nile. These, besides getting a good market, and food for -their cattle and protection for themselves, have this great additional -advantage, they escape the Fly, and consequently are not pillaged, as -the rest of the Arabs in Atbara are, when changing abodes to avoid the -havock made by that insect. In return for this, they constantly bring -horses from Atbara, below Sennaar, for the king’s own use, and for such -of his cavalry who are armed with coats of mail, no Abyssinian horse, -or very few at least, being capable of that burden. - -Ayto Confu had many districts of land from his father Kasmati Netcho, -as well as some belonging to his mother Ozoro Esther, which lay -upon that frontier; it was called Ras el Feel, and had a sendick -and nagareet, but, as it was governed always by a deputy who was a -Mahometan, it had no rank among the great governments of the state. -Besides these lands, the patrimony of Confu, Ras Michael had given -him more, and with them this government, young as he was, from favour -to his mother Ozoro Esther. This Mahometan deputy was named Abdel -Jelleel, a great coward, who had refused to bring out his men, tho’ -summoned, to join the king when marching against Fasil. He had also -quarrelled with the Daveina, and robbed them, so that they traded no -more with Ras el Feel, brought no more horses, and the district was -consequently nearly ruined, whilst a great outcry was raised against -Abdel Jelleel by the merchants who used to trade at that market, not -having now money enough to pay the _meery_. - -Ammonios, his Billetana Gueta, was the person Ayto Confu had destined -to go to Ras el Feel to reduce it to order, and displace Abdel Jelleel; -but Ras Michael had put him as a man of trust over the black horse -under me, so he was employed otherwise. Confu himself was now preparing -to go thither to settle another deputy in the place of Abdel Jelleel, -and he had asked the assistance of troops from the king, by which this -came to my knowledge. - -The first time I saw Ozoro Esther, I told her, that, unless she had a -mind to have her son die speedily, she should, by every means in her -power, dissuade him from his journey to Ras el Feel, being a place -where the bloody flux never ceased to rage; and this complaint had -never perfectly left him since he had had the small-pox, but had wore -him to a shadow. There could be no surer way therefore of destroying -him than letting him go thither as he proposed. He had been for some -time indeed taking bark, which had done him great service. His mother -Ozoro Esther, the Iteghè, whose first favourite he was, and all his -friends, now took the alarm, upon which the Ras forbade him positively -to go. - -Negade Ras Mahomet, of whom we have already spoken, brother to Hagi -Saleh, who had procured me my first lodging at Gondar, was head of all -the Mahometans in that capital, nay, I may say, in Abyssinia. He, too, -was a favourite of the Ras, and shewed the same attachment to me, on -account of Metical Aga, as had his brother Saleh. This man came to me -one morning, and told me, that Yasine, whom I had brought with me to -Abyssinia, and was recommended to me by Metical Aga, had married Abdel -Jelleel’s daughter, and that a son of Saleh had married a daughter of -Yasine’s. He said there was not a man in Abyssinia that was a braver -soldier and better horseman than Yasine; that he had no love for money, -but was a man of probity and honour, as indeed I had always found him; -that the people of Ras el Feel, to a man, wished to have him for their -governor in the room of Abdel Jelleel; and that all the Arabs, as well -as Shekh Fidele, governor of Atbara, for Sennaar, wished the same. - -Mahomet did not dare to speak for fear of Ozoro Esther, who was thought -to favour Abdel Jelleel, but he promised, that, if Ayto Confu would -appoint him instead of Abdel Jelleel, he would give him 50 ounces -of gold, besides what Yasine should allow upon his settlement, and -would manage the affair with Michael when he had leave so to do. He -added, that his brother Saleh should furnish Yasine with 200 men from -the Mahometans at Gondar, completely armed with their firelocks, and -commanded by young Saleh in person. - -I was not at this time any judge of the expediency of the measure; but -one resolution I had made, and determined to keep, that I never would -accept a post or employment for myself, or solicit any such for others. -My reader will see, that, for my own safety, most unwillingly I had -been obliged to break the first of these resolutions almost as soon as -it was formed, and I was now deliberating whether it was not better -that I should break the other for the same reason. Two things weighed -with me extremely, the experience of Yasine’s prudence and attachment -to me during the whole journey, and my determination to return by -Sennaar, and never trust myself more in the hands of that bloody -assassin the Naybe of Masuah, who I understood had, at several times, -manifested his bad intentions towards me when I should return by that -island. - -I flattered myself, that great advantage would accrue to me by Yasine’s -friendship with the Arabs and the Shekh of Atbara; and, having -consulted Ayto Aylo first, I made him propose it to Ozoro Esther. -I found, upon speaking to that princess, that there was something -embroiled in the affair. She did not answer directly, as usual, and I -apprehended that the objection was to Yasine. I was no longer in doubt -of this, when Ozoro Esther told me Abba Salama had strongly espoused -the cause of Abdel Jelleel, who had bribed him. Notwithstanding this, -I resolved to mention it myself to Confu, that I might have it in my -power to know where the objection lay, and give a direct answer to -Yasine. - -I saw Confu soon after at Koscam. His bark being exhausted, I brought -him more, and he seemed to be much better, and in great spirits. The -time was favourable in all its circumstances, and I entered into the -matter directly. I was very much surprised to hear him say gravely, -and without hesitation, “I have as good an opinion of Yasine as you can -have; and I have as bad a one of Abdel Jelleel as any man in Gondar, -for which, too, I have sufficient reason, as it is but lately the king -told me peevishly enough, I did not look to my affairs, (which is true) -as he understood that the district was ruined by having been neglected. -But I am no longer governor of Ras el Feel, I have resigned it. I hope -they will appoint a wiser and better man; let him choose for his deputy -Yasine, or who else he pleases, for I have sworn by the head of the -Iteghè, I will not meddle or make with the government of Ras el Feel -more.” - -Tecla Mariam, the king’s secretary, came in at that instant with a -number of other people. I wanted to take Confu aside to ask him further -if he knew who this governor was, but he shuffled among the crowd, -saying, “My mother will tell you all; the man who is appointed is your -friend, and I think Yasine may be the deputy.” I now lost no time in -going to Ozoro Esther to intercede for the government of Ras el Feel -for Yasine. - -Among the crowd I met first Tecla Mariam, the king’s secretary, who -taking me by the hand, said, with a laughing countenance, “O ho, I -wish you joy; this is like a man; you are now no stranger, but one of -us; why was not you at court?” I said I had no particular business -there, but that I came hither to see Ayto Confu, that he might speak -in favour of Yasine to get him appointed deputy of Ras el Feel. “Why -don’t you appoint him yourself? says he; what has Confu to do with the -affair now? You don’t intend always to be in leading strings? You may -thank the king for yourself, but I would never advise you to speak one -word of Yasine to him; it is not the custom; you may, if you please, -to Confu, he knows him already. His estate lies all around you, and he -will enforce your orders if there should be any need.” - -“Pardon me, Tecla Mariam, said I, if I do not understand you. I came -here to solicit for Yasine, that Confu or his successor would appoint -him their deputy, and you answer that you advise me to appoint him -myself.”--“And so I do, replies Tecla Mariam: Who is to appoint him but -you? You are governor of Ras el Feel; are you not?” I stood motionless -with astonishment. “It is no great affair, says he, and I hope you will -never see it. It is a hot, unwholesome country, full of Mahometans; but -its gold is as good as any Christian gold whatever. I wish it had been -Begemder with all my heart, but there is a good time coming.” - -After having recovered myself a little from my surprise, I went to Ayto -Confu to kiss his hand as my superior, but this he would by no means -suffer me to do. A great dinner was provided us by the Iteghé; and -Yasine being sent for, was appointed, cloathed, that is invested, and -ordered immediately to Ras el Feel to his government, to make peace -with the Daveina, and bring all the horses he could get with him from -thence, or from Atbara. I sent there also that poor man who had given -us the small blue beads on the road, as I have already mentioned. The -having thus provided for those two men, and secured, as I thought, a -retreat to Sennaar for myself, gave me the first real pleasure that I -had received since landing at Masuah; and that day, in company with -Heikel, Tecla Mariam, Engedan, Aylo, and Guebra Denghel, all my great -friends and the hopes of this country, I for the first time, since my -arrival in Abyssinia, abandoned myself to joy. - -My constitution was, however, too much weakened to bear any excesses. -The day after, when I went home to Emfras, I found myself attacked -with a slow fever, and, thinking that it was the prelude of an ague, -with which I was often tormented, I fell to taking bark, without any -remission, or, where the remission was very obscure, I shut myself up -in the house, upon my constant regimen of boiled rice, with abundant -draughts of cold water. - -I was at this time told that there was a great commotion at Gondar; -that a monk of Debra Libanos, a favourite of the Iteghè and of the -king too, had excommunicated Abba Salama in a dispute about religion -at the Itchegué’s house; and, the day after, Hagi Mahomet, one of Ras -Michael’s tent-makers, who lived in the town below, through which the -high road from Gojam passes, came to tell me, that many monks from -Gojam had passed through the low town, and expressed themselves very -much dissatisfied by hearing that a frank (meaning me) was in the town -above. He said that when they came in sixes and sevens at a time, there -was no fear; but when they returned altogether (as Michael sometimes -made them do) they were like so many madmen; therefore, if I resolved -to stay at Emfras, he wished I would order him send me some Mahometan -soldiers, who would strictly act as I commanded them. - -At the same time I received news that my great friend, Tecla Mariam, -and his daughter of the same name, the most beautiful woman in -Abyssinia after Ozoro Esther, were both ill at Gondar. There needed -no more for me to repair instantly thither. I muffled my head up as -great officers generally do when riding near the capital. I passed -at different times above twenty of these fanatics on the road, six -and seven together; but either they did not know me, or at least, if -they did, they did not say any thing; I came to Ayto Aylo’s, who was -sitting, complaining of sore eyes, with the queen’s chamberlain, Ayto -Heikel. - -After the usual salutation, I asked Aylo what was the matter in town? -and if it was true that Sebaat Gzier had excommunicated Abba Salama? -and told him that I had conceived these disputes about faith had been -long ago settled. He answered with an affected gravity, “That it was -not so; that this was of such importance that he doubted it would throw -the country into great convulsions; and he would not advise me to be -seen in the street.”--“Tell me, I beseech you, said I, what it is -about. I hope not the old story of the Franks?”--“No, no, says he, a -great deal worse than that, it is about Nebuchadnezzar:”--and he broke -out in a great fit of laughter. “The monk of Debra Libanos says, that -Nebuchadnezzar is a saint; and Abba Salama says that he was a Pagan, -Idolater, and a Turk, and that he is burning in hell fire with Dathan -and Abiram.”--“Very well, said I, I cannot think he was a Mahometan -if he was a Pagan and Idolater; but I am sure I shall make no enemies -upon this dispute.”--“You are deceived, says he; unless you tell your -opinion in this country you are reckoned an enemy to both parties. -Stay, therefore, all night, and do not appear on the streets;” and, -upon my telling them I was going to Tecla Mariam’s, who was ill, they -rose with me to go thither, for the strictest friendship subsisted -between them. We met there with Ozoro Esther, who was visiting the -beautiful Tecla Mariam in her indisposition. Seeing Aylo, Heikel, and -me together at that time of night, she insisted that the young lady -and I should be married, and she declared roundly she would see it -done before she left the house. As neither of my patients were very -ill, a great deal of mirth followed. Ozoro Esther sat late; there was -no occasion for the compliment of seeing her home, she had above three -hundred men with her. - -After she was gone the whole discourse turned upon religion, what we -believed or did not believe in our country, and this continued till -day-light, when we all agreed to take a little sleep, then breakfast, -and go to court. We did so, but Aylo went to Koscam, and Tecla Mariam -to the Ras, so I met none of them with the king. When I went in he was -hearing a pleading upon a cause of some consequence, and paying great -attention. One of the parties had finished, the other was replying with -a great deal of graceful action, and much energy and eloquence.--They -were bare down to their very girdle, and would seem rather prepared for -boxing than for speaking. - -This being over, the room was cleared, and I made my prostration. “I -do demand of you, says the king abruptly, Whether Nebuchadnezzar is -a saint or no?” I bowed, saying, “Your majesty knows I am no judge -of these matters, and it makes me enemies to speak about them.”--“I -know, says he gravely, that you will answer my question when I ask it; -let me take care of the rest.”--“I never thought, said I, Sir, that -Nebuchadnezzar had any pretensions to be a saint. He was a scourge in -God’s hand, as is famine or the plague, but that does not make either -of them a wholesome visitation.”--“What! says he, Does not God call him -his servant? Does he not say that he did his bidding about Tyre, and -that he gave him Egypt to plunder for his recompence? Was not it by -God’s command he led his people into captivity? and did not he believe -in God, when Shadrach, Meshech, and Abednego escaped from the fiery -furnace? Surely he must be a saint.”--“I am perfectly satisfied, said -I, and give my consent to his canonization, rather than either your -majesty, or Abba Salama, should excommunicate me upon the question.” He -now laughed out, and seemed greatly diverted, and was going to speak, -when Tecla Mariam, and a number of others, came in. I withdrew to the -side with respect, as the secretary had a small piece of paper in his -hand. He staid about two minutes with the king, when the room filled, -and the levee began. I wished Tecla Mariam might not be the worse for -last night’s sitting up. “The better, the better, says he, much the -better. You see we are becoming all good, day and night we are busy -about religion.”--“Are you upon Nebuchadnezzar to-day, friend? said I; -the king says to me he is a saint.”--“Just such a saint, I suppose, -says he, as our Ras Michael, who, I believe, is jealous of him, for -he is going himself to decide this dispute immediately. Go to the -Ashoa[112] and you will hear it.” - -There was a number of people in the outer court of the king’s house, -crying very tumultuously for a convocation of the church. At twelve -o’clock there was no word of Michael at the palace; but I saw the -members of the council there, and expected he was coming. Instead -of this, the large kettle-drum, or nagareet, called _the lion_, was -carried to the king’s gate, which occasioned great speculation. But -presently proclamation was made in these words, given me by Tecla -Mariam himself:--“Hear! hear! hear! they that pretend they do not -hear this, will not be the last punished for disobeying:--Whereas -many disorderly and idle persons have flocked to this capital for -some days past, and brought no provisions for themselves or others, -and have frightened the country people from coming to market, whereby -all degrees of men, in this capital, are threatened with famine, and -scarcity is already begun; this is, therefore, to give notice, That if -any such people, after twelve o’clock to-morrow, be found in this city, -or in the roads adjoining thereto, they shall be punished like rebels -and robbers, and their fault not prescribed for seven years.” - -And, in about ten minutes afterwards, another proclamation was -made:--“The king orders four hundred Galla of his troops to patrole -the streets all the night, and disperse summarily all sorts of people -that they shall find gathered together; commands thirty horse to -patrole between Debra Tzai and Kolla, thirty on the road to Woggora, -and thirty on that to Emfras, to protect our subjects coming to market, -and going about their other lawful business: They that are wise will -keep themselves well when they are so.” There was no need of a second -proclamation. The monks were all wise, and returned in an instant every -man to his home. The Galla were mentioned to terrify only, for they did -not exist, Ozoro Esther having cleared the palace of that nation; but -the monks knew there would be found people in their place every bit as -bad as Galla, and did not choose to risk the trial of the difference. - -At this time a piece of bad news was circulated at Gondar, that Kasmati -Boro, whom the Ras had left governor at Damot, had been beaten by -Fasil, and obliged to retire to his own country in Gojam, to Stadis -Amba, near the passage of the Nile, at Minè; and that Fasil, with a -larger army of stranger Galla than that he had brought to Fagitta, had -taken possession of Burè, the usual place of his residence. This being -privately talked of as true, I asked Kefla Yasous in confidence what he -knew of it. Upon its being confirmed, I could not disguise my sorrow, -as I conceived that unexpected turn of affairs to be an invincible -obstacle to my reaching the source of the Nile. “You are mistaken, says -Kefla Yasous to me, it is the best thing can happen to you. Why you -desire to see those places I do not know, but this I am sure of, you -never will arrive there with any degree of safety while Fasil commands. -He is as perfect a Galla as ever forded the Nile; he has neither word, -nor oath, nor faith that can bind him; he does mischief for mischief’s -sake, and then laughs at it.” - -“Michael, after the battle of Fagitta, proposed to his army to pass the -rainy season at Buré, and quarter the troops in the towns and villages -about. He would have staid a year with them, to shew that Fasil could -not help them, but he was over-ruled. At Hydar Michael (that is, in -November next) all Abyssinia will march against him, and he will not -stay for us, and this time we shall not leave his country till we -have eaten it bare; and then, at your ease, you will see every thing, -defend yourself by your own force, and be beholden to nobody; and -remember what I say, peace with Fasil there never will be, for he does -not desire it; nor, till you see his head upon a pole, or Michael’s -army encamped at Burè, will you (if you are wise) ever attempt to pass -Maitsha.” Memorable words! often afterwards reflected upon, though they -were not strictly verified in the extent they were meant when spoken. - - - - -CHAP. II. - -_Battle of Banja--Conspiracy against Michael--The Author retires to -Emfras--Description of Gondar, Emfras, and Lake Tzana._ - - -After Fasil’s defeat at Fagitta, and the affront he received at Assoa -in the heart of his own country, he had continued his route to Burè, a -district of the Agows, where was his constant residence. After this he -had crossed the Nile into the country of Bizamo, and Boro de Gago had -taken up his residence at Buré, when Michael returned to Gondar; but no -sooner had he heard of his arrival in those parts than he marched with -a number of horse, and forced his rival to retire to Gojam. - -The Agows were all loyalists in their hearts, had been forced to join -Fasil, but, immediately after his defeat, had declared for Michael. The -first thing, therefore, Fasil did, when returned to Burè, was to attack -the Agows on every side; a double advantage was sure to follow this -victory, the famishing his enemies at Gondar, and converting so rich a -territory to his own use, by extirpating the Agows, and laying it open -to be possessed by his countrymen, the Galla, from Bizamo. - -A very obstinate battle was fought at Banja, one of their principal -settlements, in which the Agows were entirely defeated, seven of their -chiefs killed, all men of great consequence, among whom was Ayamico, a -very near relation of the king. The news were first brought by a son of -Nanna Georgis, chief of the Agows, who escaped from the battle. Michael -was at dinner, and I was present. It was one of his carousals for the -marriage of Powussen, when young Georgis came into the room, in a torn -and dirty habit, unattended, and almost unperceived, and presented -himself at the foot of the table. Michael had then in his hand a cup of -gold, it being the exclusive privilege of the governor of the province -of Tigré to drink out of such a cup; it was full of wine; before a word -was spoke, and, upon the first appearance of the man, he threw the cup -and wine upon the ground, and cried out, I am guilty of the death of -these people. Every one arose, the table was removed, and Georgis told -his misfortune, that Nanna Georgis his father, Zeegam Georgis, the next -in rank among them, Ayamico the king’s relation, and four other chiefs, -were slain at Banja, and their race nearly extirpated by a victory -gained with much bloodshed, and after cruelly pursued in retaliation -for that of Fagitta. - -A council was immediately called, where it was resolved, that, though -the rainy season was at hand, the utmost expedition should be made -to take the field; that Gusho and Powussen should return to their -provinces, and increase their army to the utmost of their power; that -the king should take the low road by Foggora and Dara, there to join -the troops of Begemder and Amhara, cross the Nile at the mouth of the -lake, above the second cataract, as it is called, and march thence -straight to Buré, which, by speedy marches, might be done in five or -six days. No resolution was ever embraced with more alacrity; the cause -of the Agows was the cause of Gondar, or famine would else immediately -follow. The king’s troops and those of Michael were all ready, and had -just refreshed themselves by a week’s festivity. - -Gusho and Powussen, after having sworn to Michael that they never would -return without Fasil’s head, decamped next morning with very different -intentions in their hearts; for no sooner had they reached Begemder -than they entered into a conspiracy in form against Michael, which -they had long meditated; they had resolved to make peace with Fasil, -and swear with him a solemn league, that they were but to have one -cause, one council, and one interest, till they had deprived Michael of -his life and dignity. The plan was, that, in hopes to join with them, -the army should pass by Dara and the mouth of the lake, as aforesaid, -between that lake, called the lake of Dembea, on the north side, and -another small lake, which seems formerly to have been part of the great -one, and is called Court-ohha; on the south is the village of Derdera, -and the church of St Michael. Here was to be the scene of action; as -soon as Michael advanced to Derdera, Gusho and Powussen were to close -him behind on the north; Fasil, from Maitsha, was to appear on his -front from the south, whilst, between Court-ohha and the lake, in the -midst of these three armies, Michael was to lose his liberty or his -life. The secret was profoundly kept, though known by many; but every -one was employed in preparations for the campaign on the king’s part, -and no suspicion entertained, for nothing costs an Abyssinian less than -to dissemble. - -It had been agreed by Gusho and Powussen before parting, in order to -deceive Michael, that, should Fasil retire from Buré at their approach, -and pass the Nile into his own country, the King, Ras Michael, and part -of the army should remain at Burè all the rainy season; that, upon the -return of the fair weather, they were all again to assemble at Buré, -cross the Nile into Bizamo, and lay waste the country of the Galla, -that the vestige of habitation should not be seen upon it. - -All this time I found myself declining in health, to which the -irregularities of the last week had greatly contributed. The King and -Ras had sufficiently provided tents and conveniencies for me, yet -I wanted to construct for myself a tent, with a large slit in the -roof, that I might have an opportunity of taking observations with my -quadrant, without being inquieted by troublesome or curious visitors. -I therefore obtained leave from the king to go to Emfras, a town about -twenty miles south from Gondar, where a number of Mahometan tent-makers -lived. Gusho had a house there, and a pleasant garden, which he very -willingly gave me the use of, with this advice, however, which at the -time I did not understand, rather to go on to Amhara with him, for I -should there sooner recover my health, and be more in quiet than with -the King or Michael. As the king was to pass immediately under this -town, and as most of those that loaded and unloaded his tents and -baggage were Mahometans, and lived at Emfras, I could not be better -situated, or more at my liberty and ease, than there. - -After having taken my leave of the king and the Ras, I paid the same -compliment to the Iteghè at Koscam: I had not for several days been -able to wait upon her, on account of the riots during the marriage, -where the Ras required my attendance, and would admit of no excuse. -That excellent princess endeavoured much to dissuade me from leaving -Gondar. She treated the intention of going to the source of the Nile as -a fantastical folly, unworthy of any man of sense or understanding, and -very earnestly advised me to stay under her protection at Koscam, till -I saw whether Ras, Michael and the king would return, and then take the -first good opportunity of returning to my own country through Tigré, -the way that I came, before any evil should overtake me. - -I excused myself the best I could. It was not easy to do it with any -degree of conviction, to people utterly unlearned, and who knew nothing -of the prejudice of ages in favour of the attempt I was engaged in. I -therefore turned the discourse to professions of gratitude for benefits -that I had every day received from her, and for the very great honour -that she then did me, when she condescended to testify her anxiety -concerning the fate of a poor unknown traveller like me, who could -not possibly have any merit but what arose from her own gracious and -generous sentiments, and universal charity, that extended to every -object in proportion as they were helpless. “See, see, says she, how -every day of our life punishes us with proofs of the perverseness and -contradiction of human nature; you are come from Jerusalem, through -vile Turkish governments, and hot, unwholesome climates, to see a -river and a bog, no part of which you can carry away were it ever so -valuable, and of which you have in your own country a thousand larger, -better, and cleaner, and you take it ill when I discourage you from -the pursuit of this fancy, in which you are likely to perish, without -your friends at home ever hearing when or where the accident happened. -While I, on the other hand, the mother of kings who have sat upon the -throne of this country more than thirty years, have for my only wish, -night and day, that, after giving up every thing in the world, I could -be conveyed to the church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, and beg -alms for my subsistence all my life after, if I could only be buried in -the street within sight of the gate of that temple where our blessed -Saviour once lay.” This was said in the most melancholy tone possible, -an unusual gloom hanging upon her countenance. Her desiring me, -however, to stay at Koscam, till I knew whether the king and Michael -would return or not, considering the large army they were to lead to -the field, and the feebleness of the so often defeated Fasil, made me -from that instant apprehend that there was something behind with which -I was yet unacquainted. - -Gold, and orders for cattle and provisions while at Emfras, followed -this conversation with the queen; this, indeed, had never failed at -other times, which, by Ayto Aylo’s advice, I never more refused. Here -I cannot help observing the different manner in which three people -did the same thing. When I received gold from Michael, it was openly -from his hand to mine, without compliment, as he paid the rest of the -king’s servants. When I received it from the king, it was likewise -from his own hand; it was always when alone, with a fear expressed -that I suffered myself to be straitened rather than ask, and that I -did not levy, with sufficient severity, the money the several places -allotted to me were bound to pay, which, indeed, was always the case. -The queen, on the other hand, from whom I received constant donations, -never either produced gold herself, nor spoke of it before or after, -but sent it by a servant of hers to a servant of mine, to employ it for -the necessaries of my family. - -I confess I left the queen very much affected with the disposition I -had found her in, and, if I had been of a temper to give credit to -prognostics, and a safe way had been opened through Tigré, I should -at that time, perhaps, have taken the queen’s advice, and returned -without seeing the fountains of the Nile, in the same manner that all -the travellers of antiquity, who had ever as yet endeavoured to explore -them, had been forced to do; but the prodigious bustle and preparation -which I found was daily making in Gondar, and the assurances everybody -gave me that, safe in the middle of a victorious army, I should see, -at my leisure, that famous spot, made me resume my former resolutions, -awakened my ambition, and made me look upon it as a kind of treason -done to my country, in which such efforts were then making for -discoveries, to renounce, now it was in my power, the putting them in -possession of that one which had baffled the courage and perseverance -of the bravest men in all ages. The pleasure, too, of herborising in an -unknown country, such as Emfras was, of continuing to do so in safety, -and the approaching every day to the end of my wishes, chased away all -those gloomy apprehensions which I imbibed from the appearance and -discourse of the queen, and of which I now began to be ashamed. - -Gondar, the metropolis of Abyssinia, is situated upon a hill of -considerable height, the top of it nearly plain, on which the town is -placed. It consists of about ten thousand families in times of peace; -the houses are chiefly of clay, the roofs thatched in the form of -cones, which is always the construction within the tropical rains. On -the west end of the town is the king’s house, formerly a structure -of considerable consequence; it was a square building, flanked with -square towers; it was formerly four storeys high, and, from the top of -it, had a magnificent view of all the country southward to the lake -Tzana. Great part of this house is now in ruins, having been burnt at -different times; but there is still ample lodging in the two lowest -floors of it, the audience-chamber being above one hundred and twenty -feet long. - -A succession of kings have built apartments by the side of it of clay -only, in the manner and fashion of their own country; for the palace -itself was built by masons from India, in the time of Facilidas, and by -such Abyssinians as had been instructed in architecture by the Jesuits -without embracing their religion, and after remained in the country, -unconnected with the expulsion of the Portuguese, during this prince’s -reign. - -The palace, and all its contiguous buildings, are surrounded by a -substantial stone wall thirty feet high, with battlements upon the -outer wall, and a parapet roof between the outer and inner, by which -you can go along the whole and look into the street. There appears to -have never been any embrasures for cannon, and the four sides of this -wall are above an English mile and a half in length. - -The mountain, or hill, on which the town is situated, is surrounded on -every side by a deep valley, which has three outlets; the one to the -south to Dembea, Maitsha, and the Agows; the second to the north-west -towards Sennaar, over the high mountain Debra Tzai, or the Mountain -of the Sun, at the root of which Koscam, the palace of the Iteghé, is -situated, and the low countries of Walkayt and Waldubba; the third is -to the north to Woggora, over the high mountain Lamalmon, and so on -through Tigré to the Red Sea. The river Kahha, coming from the Mountain -of the Sun, or Debra Tzai, runs through the valley, and covers all -the south of the town; the Angrab, falling from Woggora, surrounds it -on the N. N. E. These rivers join at the bottom of the hill, about a -quarter of a mile south of the town. - -Immediately upon the bank opposite to Gondar, on the other side of the -river, is a large town of Mahometans of about a thousand houses. These -are all active and laborious people; great part of them are employed in -taking care of the king’s and nobility’s baggage and field-equipage, -both when they take the field and when they return from it. They pitch -and strike their tents with surprising facility and expedition; they -load and conduct the mules and the baggage, and are formed into a body -under proper officers, but never suffered, nor do they chuse, to fight -on either side. - -Gondar, by a number of observations of the sun and stars made by day -and night, in the course of three years, with an astronomical quadrant -of three feet radius, and two excellent telescopes, and by a mean of -all their small differences, is in lat. 12° 34´ 30´´; and by many -observations of the satellites of Jupiter, especially the first, both -in their immersions and emersions during that period, I concluded its -longitude to be 37° 33´ 0´´ east from the meridian of Greenwich. - -It was the 4th of April 1770, at eight o’clock in the morning, when -I set out from Gondar. We passed the Kahha, and the Mahometan town, -and, about ten in the morning, we came to a considerable river called -the Mogetch, which runs in a deep, rugged bed of flakey blue stones. -We crossed it upon a very solid, good bridge of four arches, a -convenience seldom to be met with in passing Abyssinian rivers, but -very necessary on this, as, contrary to most of their streams, which -become dry, or stand in pools, on the approach of the sun, the Mogetch -runs constantly, by reason that its sources are in the highest hills of -Woggora, where clouds break plentifully at all seasons of the year. In -the rainy months it rolls a prodigious quantity of water into the lake -Tzana, and would be absolutely unpassable to people bringing provision -to the market, were it not for this bridge built by Facilidas; yet it -is not judiciously placed, being close to the mountain’s foot, in the -face of a torrent, where it runs strongest, and carries along with it -stones of a prodigious size, which luckily, as yet, have injured no -part of the bridge. The water of the river Mogetch is not wholesome, -probably from the minerals, or stony particles it carries along with -it, and the slatey strata over which it runs. We have many rivers of -this quality in the Alps, especially between mount Cenis and Grenoble. - -Delivered now from the strait and rugged country on the banks of the -Mogetch, we entered into a very extensive plain, bounded on the east -side by the mountains, and on the west by the large lake of Dembea, -otherwise called the lake Tzana, or Bahar Tzana, the Sea of Tzana, -which geographers have corrupted into the word Barcena. Rejoiced at -last that I had elbow-room, I began the most laborious search for -shrubs and herbs all over the plain, my servants on one side and I on -the other, searching the country on each side of the road. It appeared -to our warm imaginations, that the neighbourhood of such a lake, in -so remote a part of the world, ought infallibly to produce something -perfectly beautiful, or altogether new. In this, however, we were -disappointed, as indeed we always were in meadows, and where grass grew -so exuberantly as it did all over this plain. - -At eleven o’clock we crossed the river Tedda; here the road divides: -that branch to the east leads to Wechnè, in the wild, uncultivated -territory of Belessen, famous for no production but that of honey. - -We continued along the other branch of the road, which led south to -Emfras. One mile distant on our left is the church of St George. About -one o’clock we halted at the church Zingetch Mariam; and a few minutes -after, we passed the river Gomara, a considerable stream rising in -Belessen, which stands in pools during the dry weather, but had now -begun to run; its course N. E. and S. W. across the plain, after which -it falls into the lake Tzana. - -At two we halted at Correva, a small village, beautifully situated on -a gentle-rising ground, through which the road passes in view of the -lake, and then again divides; one branch continuing south to Emfras, -and so on to Foggora and Dara; the other to Mitraha, two small islands -in the lake, lying S. W. from this at the distance of about four hours -journey. The road from Correva to Emfras, for the first hour, is all in -the plain; for the second, along the gentle slope of a mountain of no -considerable height; and the remainder is upon a perfect flat, or along -the lake Tzana. - -The 5th of April, at five in the morning, we left our present station -at Correva, where, though we had employed several hours in the search, -we found very little remarkable of either plants or trees, being mostly -of the kind we had already seen. We continued our road chiefly to the -south, through the same sort of country, till we came to the foot of -a mountain, or rather a hill, covered with bushes and thorny trees, -chiefly the common acacia, but of no size, and seeming not to thrive. -I pitched my tent here to search what that cover would produce. There -were a great quantity of hares, which I could make no use of, the -Abyssinians holding them in abhorrence, as thinking them unclean; but -to make amends, I found great store of Guinea fowls, of the common grey -kind we have in Europe, of which I shot, in a little time, above a -score; and these, being perfectly lawful food, proved a very agreeable -variety from the raw beef, butter, and honey, which we had lived upon -hitherto, and which was to be our diet (it is not an unpleasant one, -at least a part of it) till we reached Emfras. - -At eight in the morning I passed through Tangouri, a considerable -village. About a hundred yards on the right from this we have a finer -prospect of the lake than even from Correva itself. This village is -chiefly inhabited by Mahometans, whose occupation it is to go in -caravans far to the south, on the other side of the Nile, through -the several districts of Galla, to whom they carry beads and large -needles, cohol, or Stibium, myrrh, coarse cloths made in Begemder, -and pieces of blue cotton cloths from Surat, called Marowti. They are -generally nearly a year absent, and bring in return slaves, civet, -wax, hides, and cardomum in large beautiful pods; they bring likewise -a great quantity of ginger, but that is from farther south, nearer -Narea. It appears to me to be a poor trade, as far as I could compute -it, considering the loss of time employed in it, the many accidents, -extortions, and robberies these merchants meet with. Whether it would -be ever worth while to follow it on another footing, and under another -government, is what I am not qualified enough to say. - -On the left of Tangouri, divided from it by a plain of about a mile -in breadth, stands a high rock called Amba Mariam, with a church upon -the very summit of it. There is no possibility of climbing this rock -but at one place, and there it is very difficult and rugged; here the -inhabitants of the neighbouring villages retreat upon any sudden alarm -or inroad of an enemy. - -At nine o’clock, after passing a plain, with the lake Tzana all the way -on our right, in length about three miles, we came to the banks of the -river Gorno, a small but clear stream; it rises near Wechnè, and has a -bridge of one arch over it about half a mile above the ford. Its course -is north and south nearly, and loses itself in the lake between Mitraha -and Lamguè. A mile farther we arrived at Emfras, after a very pleasant, -though not interesting excursion. - -The town is situated on a steep hill, and the way up to it is almost -perpendicular like the ascent of a ladder. The houses are all placed -about the middle of the hill, fronting the west, in number about 300. -Above these houses are gardens, or rather fields, full of trees and -bushes, without any sort of order, up to the very top. Emfras commands -a view of the whole lake, and part of the country on the other side. It -was once a royal residence. On a small hill is a house of Hatzè Hannes, -in form of a square tower, now going fast to ruin. - -Emfras is in lat. 12° 12´ 38´´ N. and long. 37° 38´ 30´´ E. of the -meridian of Greenwich. The distances and directions of this journey -from Gondar were carefully observed by a compass, and computed by -a watch of Ellicot’s, after which these situations were checked by -astronomical observations of latitude and longitude in every way that -they could be taken, and it was very seldom in a day’s journey that we -erred a mile in our computation. - -The lake of Tzana is by much the largest expanse of water known in -that country. Its extent, however, has been greatly exaggerated. Its -greatest breadth is from Dingleber to Lamguè, which, in a line nearly -east and west, is 35 miles; but it decreases greatly at each extremity, -where it is not sometimes above ten miles broad. Its greatest length is -from Bab Baha to a little S. W. and by W. of that part, where the Nile, -after having crossed the end of it by a current always visible, turns -towards Dara in the territory of Alata, which is 49 miles from north -to south, and which extent this lake has in length. In the dry months, -from October to March, the lake shrinks greatly in size; but after that -all those rivers are full which are on every side of it, and fall into -the lake, like radii drawn to a center, then it swells, and extends -itself into the plain country, and has of course a much larger surface. - -There are forty-five inhabited islands in the lake, if you believe the -Abyssinians, who, in every thing, are very great liars. I conceive -the number may be about eleven: the principal is Dek, or Daka, or -Daga[113], nearly in the middle of the lake; its true extent I cannot -specify, never having been there. Besides Dek, the other islands are -Halimoon, nearer Gondar; Briguida, nearer Gorgora, and still farther -in Galila. All these islands were formerly used as prisons for the -great people, or for a voluntary retreat, on account of some disgust or -great misfortune, or as places of security to deposit their valuable -effects during troublesome times. When I was in Abyssinia, a few weeks -after what I have been relating, 1300 ounces of gold, confided by the -queen to Welleta Christos, her governor of Dek, a man of extraordinary -sanctity, who had fasted for forty years, was stolen away by that -priest, who fled and hid himself; nor would the queen ever suffer him -to be searched after or apprehended. - - - - -CHAP. III. - -_The King encamps at Lamgué--Transactions there--Passes the Nile, and -encamps at Derdera--The Author follows the King._ - - -On the 12th of May we heard the king had marched to Tedda. Messengers -from Begemder, and from Gusho of Amhara, had been constantly passing to -and from his majesty, pressing Ras Michael to take the field as soon as -possible, to prevent the utter destruction of the Agows, which Fasil -every day was striving to accomplish. They put him, moreover, in mind, -that the rains were begun; that, in Fasil’s country, they were already -sufficient to swell the many rivers they had to pass before they -arrived at Burè; they desired him to reflect, that, with the armies -they were bringing to his assistance, it was more necessary to save -time than stay for a number of troops; lastly, that it was absolutely -useless to wait for any reinforcement from Tigrè, but that he should -rather march by Emfras, Foggora, and Dara, cross the Nile where it -comes out of the lake; while they, with their united armies, passed -at the bridge near the second cataract, sixteen miles below, burnt -and laid waste Woodage, Asahel’s country, and joined him at Derdera, -between Court-ohha and the lake. This was precisely what Ras Michael -himself had planned; it embraced the whole country of his enemy, -and made his scheme of vengeance complete; hitherto not a word had -transpired that could raise the smallest suspicion of treachery. - -The 13th, by day-break, Netcho, Fit-Auraris to Ras Michael, passed in -great haste below the town towards Foggora. The king had made a forced -march from Tedda, and was that night to encamp at a house of Gusho’s, -near Lamguè. This was great expedition, and sufficiently marked the -eagerness with which it was undertaken. The effects of the approach of -the army were soon seen. Every one hid what was best in his house, or -fled to the mountains with it. Emfras in a few hours was left quite -empty: Ras Michael, advancing at the head of an army, spread as much -terror as would the approach of the day of judgment. It was then - - ----Destruction in a monarch’s voice - Cried havock, and let slip the dogs of war. - -For, strict and just as he was in time of peace, or in preserving the -police, the security of the ways, and the poor from the tyranny of the -rich, he was most licentious and cruel the moment he took the field, -especially if that country which he entered had ever shewn the least -tincture of enmity against him. - -About 11 o’clock in the morning the king’s Fit-Auraris passed. He was -a near relation of Ayamico, one of the chiefs of the Agows who was a -relation of the king, as I have before mentioned, and slain by Fasil -at the battle of Banja. With him I had contracted a great degree -of friendship; he had about 50 horse and 200 foot: as he passed at -several places he made proclamation in name of the king, That nobody -should leave their houses, but remain quiet in them without fear, and -that every house found empty should be burnt. He sent a servant as -he passed, telling me the king was that night to lie at Lamgué, and -desiring me to send him what spirits I could spare, which I accordingly -did, upon his providing a man who could protect the houses adjoining -mine from the robbery and the violence of which the inhabitants were in -hourly fear. - -About the close of the evening we heard the king’s kettle-drums. -Forty-five of these instruments constantly go before him, beating all -the way while he is on his march. The Mahometan town near the water -was plundered in a minute; but the inhabitants had long before removed -every thing valuable. Twenty different parties of stragglers came up -the hill to do the same by Emfras. Some of the inhabitants were known, -others not so, but their houses had nothing in them; at last these -plunderers all united in mine, demanding meat and drink, and all sort -of accommodation. Our friend, left with us by the Fit-Auraris, resisted -as much as one man could do with sticks and whips, and it was a scuffle -till mid-night; at last, having cleared ourselves of them, luckily -without their setting fire to the town, we remained quiet for the rest -of the night. - -On the 14th, at day-break, I mounted my horse, with all my -men-servants, leaving the women-servants and an old man to take care -of the house. It was very unsafe to travel in such company at such an -hour. We crossed the river Arno, a little below Emfras, before we got -into the plain; after which we went at a smart gallop, and arrived at -Lamgué between eight and nine o’clock. - -Early as it was, the king was then in council, and Ras Michael, who -had his advisers assembled also in his tent, had just left it to go to -the king’s. There was about 500 yards between their tents, and a free -avenue is constantly left, in which it is a crime to stand, or even -to cross, unless for messengers sent from the one to the other. The -old general dismounted at the door of the tent; and though I saw he -perceived us, and was always at other times most courteous, he passed -us without taking the least notice, and entered the tent of the king. - -Although my place in the household gave me free access to wherever the -king was, I did not choose, at that time, to enter the back tent, and -place myself behind his chair, as I might have done; I rather thought -it better to go to the tent of Ozoro Esther, where I was sure at least -of getting a good breakfast: Nor was I disappointed. As soon as I -shewed myself at the door of the tent of that princess, who was lying -upon a sofa, the moment she cast her eyes upon me, cried out, There is -Yagoube! there is the man I wanted! The tent was cleared of all but -her women, and she then began to enumerate of several complaints which -she thought, before the end of the campaign, would carry her to her -grave. It was easy to see they were of the slightest kind, though it -would not have been agreeable to have told her so, for she loved to be -thought ill, to be attended, and flattered; she was, however, in these -circumstances, so perfectly good, so conversable, so elegant in all her -manners, that her physician would have been tempted to wish never to -see her well. - -She was then with child by Ras Michael; and the late festival, upon her -niece’s marriage with Powussen of Begemder, had been much too hard for -her constitution, always weak and delicate since her first misfortunes, -and the death of Mariam Barea. After giving her my advice, and -directing her women how to administer what I was to send her, the doors -of the tent were thrown open; all our friends came flocking round us, -when we presently saw that the interval employed in consultation had -not been spent uselessly, for a most abundant breakfast was produced -in wooden platters upon the carpet. There were excellent stewed fowls, -but so inflamed with Cayenne pepper as almost to blister the mouth; -fowls dressed with boiled wheat, just once broken in the middle, in the -manner they are prepared in India, with rice called _pillaw_, this, -too, abundantly charged with pepper; Guinea hens, roasted hard without -butter, or any sort of sauce, very white, but as tough as leather; -above all, the never-failing _brind_, for so they call the collops of -raw beef, without which nobody could have been satisfied; but, what was -more agreeable to me, a large quantity of wheat-bread, of Dembea flour, -equal in all its qualities to the best in London or Paris. - -The Abyssinians say, you must plant first and then water; nobody, -therefore, drinks till they have finished eating; after this the -glass went chearfully about; there was excellent red wine, but strong, -of the nature of cote-roti, brought from Karoota, which is the wine -country, about six miles south-east from the place where we then were; -good new brandy; honey-wine, or hydromel, and a species of beer called -Bouza, both of which were fermented with herbs, or leaves of trees, -and made very heady; they are disagreeable liquors to strangers. Our -kind landlady, who never had quitted her sofa, pressed about the glass -in the very briskest manner, reminding us that our time was short, and -that the drum would presently give the signal for striking the tents. -For my part, this weighed exceedingly with me the contrary way to her -intentions, for I began to fear I should not be able to go home, and I -was not prepared to go on with the army; besides, it was indispensibly -necessary to see both the king and Ras Michael, and that I by no means -chose to do when my presence of mind had left me; I therefore made my -apology to Ozoro Esther, by a message delivered by one of her women, -and slipt out of the tent to wait upon the king. - -I thought to put on my most sedate appearance, that none of my -companions in the king’s tent should see that I was affected with -liquor; tho’ intoxication in Abyssinia is neither uncommon nor a -reproach, when you are not engaged in business or attendance. I -therefore went on as composedly as possible, without recollecting that -I had already advanced near a hundred yards, walking on that forbidden -precinct or avenue between the king’s tent and Ras Michael’s, where -nobody interrupted me. The ease with which I proceeded, among such a -crowd and bustle, soon brought my transgression to my mind, and I -hurried out of the forbidden place in an instant. - -I met several of my acquaintance, who accompanied me to the king’s -tent. It was now noon; a plentiful dinner or breakfast was waiting, -which I had absolutely refused to partake of till I had seen the king. -Thinking all was a secret that had passed at Ozoro Esther’s, I lifted -the curtain behind the king’s chair, and coming round till nearly -opposite to him, I was about to perform the usual prostration, when in -the very instant the young prince George, who was standing opposite to -me on the king his brother’s right hand, stept forward and laid his -hand across my breast as if to prevent me from kneeling; then turning -to the king, who was sitting as usual in his chair in the alcove, Sir, -says he, before you allow Yagoube to kneel, you should first provide -two men to lift him up again, for Ozoro Esther has given him so much -wine that he will never be able to do it himself. - -Though it was almost impossible to avoid laughing, it was visible the -king constrained himself, and was not pleased. The drink had really -this good effect, that it made me less abashed than I otherwise -should have been at this unexpected sally of the young prince. I was, -however, somewhat disconcerted, and made my prostration perhaps less -gracefully than at another time, and this raised the merriment of those -in waiting, as attributing it to intoxication. Upon rising, the king -most graciously stretched out his hand for me to kiss. While I was -holding his hand, he said to his brother, coldly, Surely if you thought -him drunk, you must have expected a reply; in that case, it would -have been more prudent in you, and more civil, not to have made your -observation. - -The prince was much abashed. I hastened across the carpet, and took -both his hands and kissed them; the laughers did not seem much at -their ease, especially when I turned and stood before the king. He was -kind, sensible, composed, and condescending; he complained that I had -abandoned him; asked if I had been well-used at Emfras, and doubted -that I had wanted every thing; but I sent you nothing on purpose, says -he, because you said fasting would do you good after too much feasting -at Gondar, and I knew that hunger would bring you soon back again to -us. If your majesty, said I, takes the prince’s word, I have been -carousing to-day in your camp more than ever I did at Gondar; and, I -do assure your majesty, prince George’s reflections were not without -foundation. - -Come, come, says the king, Georgis is your firm and fast friend, and so -he ought, he owes it to you that he is so able a horseman and so good a -marksman, without which he could never be more than a common soldier. -He has commanded a division of the army to-day;--“Of 500 horse, cries -out the prince in extacy; and, when the king my brother to-morrow -leads the van, you shall be my Fit-Auraris, if you please, when we -pass the Nile, and with my party I shall scour Maitsha.” I should be -very unhappy, prince, said I, to have a charge of that importance, -for which I know myself to be totally unqualified; there are many -brave men who have a title to that office, and who will fill it with -honour to themselves and safety to your person. So you will not trust -yourself, says the prince, with me and my party when we shall cross -the Nile? Are you angry with me, Yagoube, or are you afraid of Woodage -Asahel? Were you in earnest, prince, in what you now say, replied I, -you suppose two things, both greater reproaches than that of being -overtaken with wine. Assure yourself I am, and always shall be, your -most affectionate and most faithful servant; and that I shall think -it an honour to follow you in Maitsha, or elsewhere, even as a common -horseman, though, instead of one, there were in it ten thousand Woodage -Asahels. O ho! says the king, then you are all friends; and I must tell -you one thing, Georgis is more drunk with the thoughts of his command -to-day than any soldier in my camp will be to-night with bouza. And -this, indeed, seemed to be the case, for he was else a prince rather -reserved and sparing of words, especially before his brother. - -Tell me, Yagoube, continues the king, and tell me truly--at that very -instant came in a messenger from Ras Michael, who, going round the -chair without saluting, spoke to the king, upon which the room was -cleared; but I after learned, that news were received from Begemder, -that Powussen and his troops were ready to march, but that two of -Gusho’s nephews had rebelled, whom it had taken some time to subdue; -that another messenger was left behind, but had fallen sick at Aringo, -who, however, would come forward as soon as possible with his master’s -message, and would be probably at the camp that night. He brought also -as undoubted intelligence, that Fasil, upon hearing Ras Michael’s -march, was preparing to repass the Nile into the country of the Galla. -This occasioned very great doubts, because dispatches had arrived from -Nanna Georgis’s son, the day before at Tedda, which declared that -Fasil had decamped from Buré that very day the messenger came away, -advancing northward towards Gondar, but with what intention he could -not say; and this was well known to be intelligence that might be -strictly and certainly relied upon. - -On the 15th, the king decamped early in the morning, and, as prince -George had said the night before, led the van in person; a flattering -mark of confidence that Ras Michael had put in him now for the first -time, of which the king was very sensible. The Ras, however, had given -him a dry nurse[114], as it is called, in Billetana Gueta Welleta -Michael, an old and approved officer, trained to war from his infancy, -and surrounded with the most tried of the troops of Tigré. The king -halted at the river Gomara, but advanced that same night to the passage -where the Nile comes out of the lake Tzana, and resumes again the -appearance of a river. - -The king remained the 15th and 16th encamped upon the Nile. Several -things that should have given umbrage, and begot suspicion, happened -while they were in this situation. Aylo, governor of Gojam, had been -summoned to assist Ras Michael when Powussen and Gusho should march -to join him with their forces of Begemder and Amhara, and his mother -Ozoro Welleta Israel, then at Gondar, had promised he should not fail. -This lady was younger sister to Ozoro Esther; both were daughters of -the Iteghé. She was as beautiful as Ozoro Esther, but very much her -inferior in behaviour, character, and conduct: she had refused the old -Ras, who asked her in marriage before he was called from Tigrè to -Gondar, and a mortal hatred had followed her refusal. It was therefore -reported, that he was heard to say, he would order the eyes of Welleta -Israel to be pulled out, if Aylo her son did not join him. It must have -been a man such as Ras Michael that could form such a resolution, for -Welleta Israel’s eyes were most captivating. She was then in the camp -with her sister. - -A single small tent had appeared the evening of the 15th on the other -side of the Nile, and, on the morning of the 16th, Welleta Israel and -the tent were missing: she boldly made her escape in the night. The -tent had probably concealed her son Aylo, or some of his friends, to -show her the passage; for the Nile there was both broad and deep, -rolling along a prodigious mass of water, with large, black, slippery -stones at the bottom. It was therefore a very arduous, bold undertaking -for soldiers and men accustomed to pass rivers in the day-time; but -for a woman, and in the night, too, with all the hurry that the fear -of being intercepted must have occasioned, it was so extraordinary as -to exceed all belief. But she was conducted by an intrepid leader, for -with her deserted Ayto Engedan son of Kasmati Eshté, and consequently -nephew to Ozoro Welleta Israel; but their own inclinations had given -them still a nearer relation than the degree received from their -parents, or decency should have permitted. All the camp had trembled -for Welleta Israel; and every one now rejoiced that so bold an attempt -had been attended with the success it merited. It was necessary, -however, to dissemble before Michael, who, intent upon avenging the -Agows against Fasil, carried his reflections at that time no further; -for Aylo’s not coming was attributed to the influence of Fasil, whose -government of Damot joins Gojam, and it was even said, that Welleta -Israel, his mother, had been the occasion of this, from her hatred to -Michael and her attachment to Fasil; the first cause was sufficiently -apparent, the last had formerly been no less so. - -On the 17th, after sun-rise, the king passed the Nile, and encamped -at a small village on the other side, called Tsoomwa, where his -Fit-Auraris had taken post early in the morning. I have often mentioned -this officer without explanation, and perhaps it may now be right to -state his duty. The Fit-Auraris is an officer depending immediately -upon the commander in chief, and corresponding with him directly, -without receiving orders from any other person. He is always one of -the bravest, most robust, and most experienced men in the service; he -knows, with the utmost exactness, the distance of places, the depth of -rivers, the state of the fords, the thickness of the woods, and the -extent of them; in a word, the whole face of the country in detail. His -party is always adapted to the country in which the war is; sometimes -it is entirely composed of horse, sometimes of foot, but generally -of a mixture of both. He has the management of the intelligence and -direction of the spies. He is likewise limited to no number of troops; -sometimes he has 1000 men, sometimes 200. In time of real danger he has -generally about 300, all picked from the whole army at his pleasure; he -had not now about 50 horse, as it was not yet thought to be the time of -real business or danger. - -As the post of Fit-Auraris is a place of great trust, so it is endowed -with proportionable emoluments. The king’s Fit-Auraris has territories -assigned him in every province that he ever passes through, so has -that of the Ras, if he commands in chief. Every governor of a province -has also an officer of this name, who has a revenue allowed him -within his own province. It is a place of great fatigue. Their post -is at different distances from the van of the army, according to the -circumstances of the war; sometimes a day’s march, sometimes four or -six hours. As he passes on he fixes a lance, with a flag upon it, in -the place where the king’s tent is to be pitched that night, or where -he is to halt that day. He has couriers, or light runners, through -which he constantly corresponds with the army; whenever he sees the -enemy, he sends immediate advice, and falls back himself, or advances -farther, according as his orders are. - -From Tsoomwa the king marched on, a short day’s march, to Derdera, -and encamped near the church of St Michael. Derdera, was a collection -of small villages, between the lake Dembea and Court-ohha, where, it -will be remembered, the agreement was the confederates should inclose -Michael, and give him battle; but he had now lost all patience, as -there was no appearance of either Gusho or Powussen; and being, -besides, in an enemy’s country, he began to proceed in his usual -manner, by giving orders to lay waste the whole adjacent territory with -fire and sword. The whole line of march, two day’s journey in breadth -from the lake, was set on fire; the people who could not escape were -slain, and every wanton barbarity permitted. - -The king’s passage of the Nile was the signal given for me to set out -to join him. It was the 18th of May, at noon, I left Emfras, my course -being southward whilst in the plain of Mitraha. At three o’clock we -entered among a few hills of no consideration, and, soon after, began -to coast close along the side of the lake Tzana; we saw this day a -great number of hippopotami; some swimming in the lake at a small -distance, some rising from feeding on the high grass in the meadows, -and walking, seemingly at great leisure, till they plunged themselves -out of sight. They are exceeding cautious and shy while on land, -and not to be approached near enough to do execution with the best -rifle-gun. At four in the afternoon we halted, and passed the night at -Lamgué, a village situated a few paces from the side of the lake. - -On the 19th of May we left Lamguè about six in the morning, our course -south and by west, and at eight we found ourselves in the middle of -twenty-five or thirty villages called Nabca, stretching for the length -of seven or eight miles; a few minutes afterwards we came to the river -Reb, which falls into the lake a little north-west of the place where -we now were. Close by where the Reb joins the lake is a small village -of Pagans, called Waito, who live quite separate from the Abyssinians, -and are held by them in utter abhorrence, so that to touch them, or any -thing that belongs to them, makes a man unclean all that day till the -evening, separates him from his family and friends, and excludes him -from the church and all divine service, till he is washed and purified -on the following day. Part of this aversion is certainly owing to their -manner of feeding; for their only profession is killing the crocodile -and hippopotamus, which they make their daily sustenance. They have -a most abominable stench, are exceedingly wan, or ill-coloured, very -lean, and die often, as is said, of the lousy disease. There are, -indeed, no crocodiles in the lake Tzana, owing, as it is said, to the -cataracts, which they cannot get up. However, as they are amphibious -animals, and walk very well on shore, I think they might surmount this -difficulty as easily as the hippopotamus; I rather think the cause is -the coldness of the water and climate, which does not agree with the -crocodile, but much with the river-horse. - -The Waito speak a language radically different from any of those in -Abyssinia; but though I have often endeavoured to get some insight into -this, their religion, and customs, I could never so far succeed as to -be able to give the public any certain information. A false account in -such cases is certainly worse than no account at all. I once desired -the king to order that one of them might be brought to Gondar. Two -men, an old and a young one, were accordingly brought from the lake, -but they would neither answer nor understand any questions; partly, I -believe, through fear, partly from obstinacy. The king at this became -so angry that he ordered them both to be hanged; they seemed perfectly -unconcerned, and it was with some difficulty I procured their release; -I never therefore made an experiment of that kind afterwards. The -Abyssinians believe they are sorcerers, can bewitch with their eyes, -and occasion death by their charms even at a considerable distance. It -is likely, if that had been so, these two would have tried their power -upon me, of which I do not recollect to have ever been sensible. - -We passed the Reb at nine o’clock in the morning. It rises high in the -mountains of Begemder, and is one of those rivers that continue running -the whole year, and has a tolerable ford, although it was visibly -increased by rain. We continued our journey in sight of many villages -till, three quarters after twelve, we came to the river Gomara, where -we staid in search of trees and herbs the rest of the day. At night we -received a message from Ayto Adigo, Shum, or governor, of Karoota. He -was an officer of confidence of the Iteghé’s; had been a great friend -of Mariam Barea’s, one of whose vassals he was, and in his heart an -inveterate enemy to Ras Michael and the new succession. Ever since the -murder of Joas he had not ventured to Gondar. When I first came there -the Ras had given his house, as that of an outlaw, to me. Afterwards, -as soon as he returned, I offered immediately to surrender it to him; -but he would not by any means accept it, but asked leave to pitch his -tent in one of the courts surrounded with walls, for it was a spacious -building. Perhaps it was the best situation he could have chosen, for -we did him great service by the means of Ozoro Esther, as he was but -very ill-looked upon, and was rich enough to be considered as an object -of Ras Michael’s rapacity and avarice. Our neighbourhood occasioned -us to pass many evenings together, and we contracted a friendship, -the rather because he was a servant of the Iteghè, and we were known -favourites of Ozoro Esther. - - - - -CHAP. IV. - -_Pass the River Gomara--Remarkable Accident there--Arrive at -Dara--Visit the great Cataract of Alata--Leave Dara, and resume our -Journey._ - - -On the 20th of May, between six and seven in the morning, as Adigo was -not arrived, I sent the baggage and tents that we had with us forward -with Strates, a Greek, who was an avowed enemy to all learned inquiries -or botanical researches. My orders were to encamp at Dara, in some -convenient place near the house of Negadé Ras Mahomet. In the mean time -I staid expecting Ayto Adigo’s arrival; he came near eleven o’clock. -As a temporary shelter from the sun, a cloak upon cross sticks was set -up, instead of a tent, to save time. We sat down together to such fare -as Adigo had brought along with him; it was a soldier’s dinner, coarse -and plentiful. Adigo told me Kasmati Ayabdar, an uncle of Gusho, had -left his house the night before, accompanied by the men of Foggora, the -country where we then were of which he was governor, and had taken the -high road to join the forces of Begemder. - -Netcho, a near relation of the old queen, arrived from Kuara just as -we were sitting down to dinner. He had about 50 horse and 200 foot, -all bad troops, and ill armed; he was, however, a respectable, tried -veteran, who having had many opportunities of becoming rich, gave the -whole to his soldiers, and those of his dependents that lived with -him; on which account he was extremely beloved, and it was hoped that, -if the issue of this campaign was favourable, Ras Michael would make -him governor of Kuara, in room of Coque Abou Barea, a man of a very -different character, who had intruded himself into that province by the -power of Fasil, and after maintained himself in it by open rebellion. - -The mules that had hitherto carried my quadrant and telescopes being -bad, I had luckily kept them behind, in hopes that either Adigo or -Netcho would supply me with better; and I had now placed them upon -the fresh mules I had obtained, and had not sent them on with the -servants, and we were then taking a friendly glass. It was, I suppose, -about noon, when we saw our servants coming back, and Strates also -among the rest, stript of every thing that he had, except a cotton -night-cap, which he wore on his head. The servants swam over the Gomara -immediately, nor was Strates interrupted, but passed at the ford. They -told us that Gusho and Powussen were in rebellion against the king, and -confederated with Fasil, that they were advancing fast to cut off the -Ras’s retreat to Gondar, and that Guebra Mehedin, and Confu, Powussen’s -Fit-Auraris, had fallen in with our servants; and plundered them, as -belonging to the king and the Ras. - -I was, for some minutes, in the utmost astonishment at this torrent -of bad news. Whether the others knew more than I, it is impossible to -say; dissimulation, in all ranks of these people, is as natural as -breathing. Guebra Mehedin and Confu were the Iteghé’s two nephews, -sons of Basha Eusebius her brother, a worthless man, and his sons no -better. They were young men, however, whom I saw continually at the -queen’s palace, and to whom I should have gone immediately without -fear, if I had known their houses had been in my way, and they happened -to be near Lebec at the hot wells; notwithstanding their rank, they -were of such dissipated manners, that they were of no account, but -treated as castaways in the house of the queen their aunt, and never, -as far as I knew, had entered into the presence of the king. I had -often ate and drank with them, however, in the house of Ayto Engedan, -their cousin-german, who was gone off with Welleta Israel his aunt, at -the passage of the Nile as before mentioned. They had beat Strates, -who was their intimate acquaintance, violently; as also two others of -my servants, to make them confess in what package the gold was. They -had taken from them also a large blunderbuss, given me by the Swedish -consul, Brander, at Algiers; a pair of pistols, a double-barrelled gun, -and a Turkish sword mounted with silver, which, as there was then no -prospect of their being immediately needed, were sent forward with the -baggage. - -Netcho and Adigo, and all present, agreed that the whole was a -fiction, and that, supposing the account to be true that Begemder -and Amhara were in rebellion, young, wild, and worthless people, like -Guebra Mehedin and Confu, could never be those pitched upon for the -respectable office of Fit-Auraris. The worst that could be, as they -conceived, was, that some misunderstanding might subsist between Ras -Michael and the governors above named, but Fasil was undoubtedly the -enemy of them all. They imagined therefore that this disgust, if any, -would be soon got over, and concluded that it was highly absurd, in any -case, to attack me, as they certainly knew that the queen, Powussen, -and Gusho, would be full as ill-pleased with it as the king or Ras -Michael. It therefore appeared to them, as it also did to me, that -these wild, young men, had taken the first surmise of a rebellion, -as a pretence for robbing all that came in their way, and that I, -unfortunately, had been the first. - -We were in the middle of this conversation when the parties appeared. -They had, perhaps, an hundred horse, and were scattered about a large -plain, skirmishing, playing, pursuing one another, shrieking and -hooping like so many frantic people. They stopt, however, upon coming -nearer, seeing the respectable figure that we made, just ready to pass -the ford, which alone divided us. Our servants had neither seen Netcho -nor Adigo, when they went in the morning, though they knew Adigo was -expected, and these marauders hoped to have intercepted me, thinly -accompanied, as they had done my baggage. - -Guebra Mehedin and his brother approached nearer the banks than the -rest, and a servant was sent from them, who crossed the river to us, -upbraiding Ayto Adigo with protecting a Frank proscribed by the laws -of their country, and also with marching to the assistance of Ras -Michael, the murderer of his sovereign, offering at the same time to -divide the spoil with him if he would surrender me and mine to him. -Servants here, who carry messages in time of war between the contending -parties, are held sacred like heralds. They are sent even with insults -and defiances; but it is constantly understood that their errand -protects them from suffering any harm, whether on the road, or when in -words they perform these foolish, useless commissions. - -Adigo and Netcho were above observing this punctilio with robbers. -Some were for cutting the servant’s ears off, and some for carrying -him bound to Ras Michael; I begged they would let him go: and Netcho -sent word by him to Guebra Mehedin to get the goods and mules he had -robbed us of together, for he was coming over to share them with him. -The servants having given the messenger a severe drubbing with sticks, -torn the cloth from about his middle, and twisted it about his neck -like a cord, in that plight sent him back to Guebra Mehedin, and we all -prepared to take the ford across the river. Guebra Mehedin, who saw -his servant thus disgraced returning towards him, and a considerable -motion among the troops, advanced a few steps with two or three more of -his company, stretching forth his hand and crying out, but still at a -distance that we could not hear. He was distinguished by a red sash of -silk twisted about his head. I, with my servants and attendants, first -passed the river at the ford, and I had no sooner got up the bank, and -stood upon firm ground, than I fired two shots at him; the one, from a -Turkish rifle, seemed to have given him great apprehensions, or else to -have wounded him, for, after four or five of his people had flocked -about him, they galloped all off across the plain of Foggora towards -Lebec. - -Netcho had passed the Gomara close after me, crying upon me to let -him go first, but Adigo declared his resolution to go no farther. He -hated Ras Michael; was a companion of Powussen and Gusho, as well -as a neighbour, and wished for a revolution with all his heart. He, -therefore, returned to Emfras and Karoota, and with him I sent five of -my servants, desiring him to escort my quadrant, clock, and telescopes -into the island of Mitraha, and deliver them to Tecla Georgis, the -king’s servant, governor of that island. Adigo, being left alone by -the servants, could not be persuaded but some great treasure was hid -in those boxes. He, therefore, carried them to his house, and used -the servants well, but opened and examined every one of the packages. -Surprised to find nothing but iron and rusty brass, he closed them -again, and delivered them safely to Tecla Georgis, there to be kept for -that campaign. - -Delivered now from the embarrassment of my baggage by the industry of -Guebra Mehedin, and of my cases and boxes by my own inclination, we -set out with Netcho to take up our quarters with Negadè Ras Mahomet at -Dara, where we arrived in the afternoon, having picked up one of our -mules in the way, with a couple of carpets and some kitchen furniture -upon it, all the rest being carried off. - -The object which now first presented itself, and called our attention, -was Strates in a night-cap, in other respects perfectly naked, with -a long gun upon his shoulder, without powder or shot, but prancing -and capering about in a great passion, and swearing a number of Greek -oaths, which nobody there understood a word of but myself. This -spectacle was rather diverting for some minutes; at last Netcho, though -I believe he was not over-well provided, gave him an upper cloak to -wrap round him. It was not then warm, indeed, but it was not very -cold. After recovering the mule, he got on between the panniers, and I -advised him to put the smallest carpet about him, which he soon after -did; he had not yet spoke a word to me from sullenness. - -“Strates, said I, my good friend, lay aside that long gun, for you will -fall and break it, besides, it hath not been charged since it was fired -at Guebra Mehedin. If you carry it to strike terror, it is altogether -unnecessary; for, if we had dressed you as you are now accoutred, when -we sent you forward with the baggage to Dara, there is not a thief in -all Begemder would have ventured to come near you.” He looked at me -with a countenance full of anger and contempt, though he said nothing; -but, in Greek, pronounced anathemas against the father of Guebra -Mehedin, according to the Greek form of cursing. “Curse himself and his -brother, said I, and not his father, for he has been dead these twenty -years.”--“I will curse whom I please, says he, in a great passion, I -curse his father, himself, and his brother, the Ras, and the king, and -everybody that has brought me into such a scrape as I have been to-day. -I have been stripped naked, and within an inch of having my throat -cut, besides being gelded; and well may you laugh now at the figure I -make. If you had seen those damned crooked knives, with their black -hands, all begging, as if it had been for charity, to be allowed to -do my business, you would have been glad for my making no worse figure -to-night than I do with this carpet upon my head.” - -“My dear Strates, said I, it is the fortune of war, and many princes -and great men, who, at this moment I am speaking to you, live in the -enjoyment of every thing they can desire, before a month expires, -perhaps, will be stretched on the cold ground, a prey to the birds and -wild beasts of the field, without so much as a carpet to cover them -such as you have. You as yet are only frightened; though, it is true, -a man may be as well killed as frightened to death.” “Sir, says he, in -a violent rage, that I deny, it is not the same? a man that is killed -feels no more, but he that is frightened to death, _as I have been -to-day_, suffers ten thousand times more than if he had been killed -outright.”--“Well, said I, Strates, I will not dispute with you; I -believe they suffer much the same after they are dead; but you, I thank -God, have only lost your cloaths, and you are now most comfortably, -though not ornamentally, wrapped up in my carpet; as soon as we get to -Dara, you shall be dressed from head to foot, by Negadé Ras Mahomet, -at the expence of the king, in better cloaths than you ever wore in -your life, at least since I knew you; only give me your gun till your -passion is allayed; you know it is a valuable one; which I never quit.” - -He then gave me the gun sullenly enough; and I continued, “I will -this very night present you with one of the handsomest Turkish sashes -that Mahomet has to sell. I saw him in the king’s house, with many -new ones that he had procured, a little before I went to Emfras.” -I cannot pretend to say whether his visage cleared up, for he was -still perfectly hid with the carpet, as it began to grow cool as well -as dark; but the sight of the lights in the houses of Dara, and the -promise of the new cloaths and the sash, had very much softened his -voice and expressions. - -“Sir, says he, bringing his mule close up to mine, now, _you are not in -a passion_, one may speak to you. Do you not think that it is tempting -Providence to come so far from your own country to seek these d--n’d -weeds and flowers, at the risk of having your throat cut every hour of -the day, and, what is _worse_, my throat cut too, and of being gelded -into the bargain? Are there no weeds, and bogs, and rivers in your own -country? what have you to do with that d--n’d Nile, where he rises, or -whether he rises at all, or not? What will all those trees and branches -do for you when these horrid blacks have done your business, as they -were near doing mine? He then made a sign towards his girdle with his -fingers, which made me understand what he meant--“Nile, says he, curse -upon his father’s head the day that he was born.” - -“Strates, replied I gravely, he has no father, and was never _born_. -_Fertur sine teste creatus_, says the poet.”--“There’s your Latin -again; the poet is an ass and a blockhead, let him be who he will, -continued Strates; and I do maintain, whether you be angry or not, that -at Stanchio and Scio there are finer trees than ever you saw, or will -see in Abyssinia. There is a tree, says he, that fifty men like you, -spreading all your hands round about, would not be able to grasp it. -Nay, it is not a tree, it is but half a tree; it is as old, I believe, -as Methuselah: Did you ever see it?”--“I tell you, friend Strates, -said I, I never was at Scio in my life, and, therefore, could not -see it.”--“Nor at Stanchio?”--Yes, I have been at Stanchio, and have -seen the large plane-tree there. I believe it may be about eighteen -or twenty feet in circumference.”--“Galen and Hippocrates lived, adds -he, there together, 2000 years before our Saviour: Did you ever hear -that?”--“I have read, said I, Strates, that, about 500 years before -Christ, Hippocrates did live there; but Galen was not born till 200 -years after Christ. I do not recollect if he was ever at Stanchio; but, -surely, never lived there with Hippocrates.” - -Strates was in the middle of a declaration, that those were all -falsehoods of Latins and Papists; and we were ascending, composedly -enough, through a narrow, rocky road, thick-covered with high trees and -bushes, when, just before our entrance into the village of Dara, a gun -was fired, and the ball distinctly heard passing through the leaves -among the branches. This occasioned a great alarm to our disputant, who -immediately supposed that Guebra Mehedin, and all his robbers, were -there expressly waiting for us; nor was he the only person that felt -uneasily. Netcho, myself, and the generality of his officers, thought -this was more than probable; we all therefore dismounted, loaded our -fire-arms, halted till all our stragglers came up, and consulted what -we were to do. - -Strates, though tired and naked, found it was better to go back under -his carpet, and, if possible, overtake Ayto Adigo, than take possession -of his new cloaths from Negadé Ras Mahomet, with the risk of meeting -Guebra Mehedin there. In vain I remonstrated to him, that he, of all -others, had nothing to lose but Netcho’s old cloak and the carpet. -His fears, however, made him think otherwise, nor could he banish -his apprehensions of the crooked knives, and, what he called, _the -operation_. Netcho having ordered and conversed with his men in his own -language, which I did not understand, said after, with great composure -and firm tone of voice, That he had come to lodge in the market-place -of Dara that night, and would not be put out of his quarters by boys of -the character of Mehedin and Confu; that, in his present circumstances, -with the few troops he had, he did not seek to fight, but even -with this force, such as it was, if attacked, he would not decline -it.--Whatever country, or whatever distance of time and place heroes -live at, their hearts are always in unison, and speak the same language -on similar and great occasions. There old Netcho, without having ever -heard of Shakespeare, repeated the very words that, 300 years ago, our -great king Henry V. did before the battle of Agincourt:-- - - The sum of all my answer is but this, - We would not seek a battle as we are; - Yet, as we are, we say we will not shun it. - So tell your master---- - SHAKESPEARE. - -We had not advanced but a few paces, before two of the town came to -us; the noise of our approach had been heard, and all the dogs had -been barking for half an hour. Soon after, arrived a son of Negadé Ras -Mahomet, who assured us all was in peace; that they had been expecting -us and Ayto Adigo with us; that he heard nothing of Guebra Mehedin, -only that he had retreated with great precipitation homewards across -the plain, as they apprehended, from fear of the approach of our party. -He had, indeed, for some days, been guilty of great irregularities; -had slain two men, and wounded the son of Mahomet, the Shum, or chief -of Alata, in attempting to take from him the revenue due from that -territory to the king; after which they had been beat back by Mahomet -without their booty, and nothing more was known of them. - -This brought us to Negadè Ras Mahomet’s house, who killed a cow for -Netcho, or rather allowed him to kill one for himself; for it is -equal to a renunciation of Christianity to eat meat when the beast is -slaughtered by a Mahometan. Strates, who from his infancy, in his own -country, had fared on nothing else, was not so scrupulous, though he -concealed it; he therefore had a very hearty supper privately with -Negadé Ras Mahomet and his family, who very willingly promised to get -his new cloaths ready by the next morning. - -As I was myself, however, full of thoughts upon the difficulties and -dangers I was already engaged in, and of the prospect of still greater -before me, I had no stomach for either of their suppers, but ordered -some coffee, and went to bed. After I lay down I desired Negadè Ras -Mahomet to come to me, and, when we were alone, I interrogated him if -he knew any thing of the rebellion in Begemder. At first he declared -he did not; he laughed at the notion of Guebra Mehedin and Confu being -Fit-Auraris to Gusho and Powussen, and said, that either of these -generals would hang them the first time they came into their hands. He -told me, however, that Woodage Asahel had been assembling troops, and -had committed some cruelties upon the king’s servants in Maitsha; but -this, he imagined, was at the instigation of Fasil, for he never was -known to have been connected either with Powussen or Gusho. He told -me after, under the seal of secrecy, that Ras Michael had halted two -days at Derdera; that, upon a message he had received from Begemder, -he had broke out into violent passions against Gusho and Powussen, -calling them liars and traitors, in the openest manner; that a council -had been held at Derdera, in presence of the king, where it was in -deliberation whether the army should not turn short into Begemder, to -force that province to join them; but that it was carried, for the sake -of the Agows, to send Powussen a summons to join him for the last time: -that, in the mean while, they should march straight with the greatest -diligence to meet Fasil, and give him battle, then return, and reduce -to proper subordination both Begemder and Amhara. - -This was the very worst news I could possibly receive according to the -resolutions that I had then taken, for I was within about fourteen -miles of the great cataract, and it was probable I never again should -be so near, were it even always accessible; to pass, therefore, without -seeing it, was worse, in my own thoughts, than any danger that could -threaten me. - -Negade Ras Mahomet was a sober plain man, of excellent understanding, -and universal good character for truth and integrity; and, as such, -very much in the favour both of the King and Ras Michael. I therefore -opened my intentions to him without reserve, desiring his advice how -to manage this excursion to the cataract. “Unless you had told me you -was resolved, says he, with a grave air, though full of openness and -candour, I would, in the first place, have advised you not to think -of such an undertaking; these are unsettled times; all the country is -bushy, wild, and uninhabited, quite to Alata; and though Mahomet, the -Shum, is a good man, my friend and relation, and the king reposes trust -in him, as he does in me, yet Alata itself is at any time but a bad, -straggling place, there are now many strangers, and wild people there, -whom Mahomet has brought to his assistance, since Guebra Mehedin made -the attack upon him. If, then, any thing was to befal you, what should -I answer to the king and the Iteghè? it would be said, the Turk has -betrayed him; though, God knows, I was never capable of betraying your -dog, and rather would be poor all my life, than the richest man of the -province by doing the like wrong, even if the bad action was never to -be revealed, or known, unless to my own heart.” - -“Mahomet, said I, you need not dwell on these professions; I have lived -twelve years with people of your religion, my life always in their -power, and I am now in your house, in preference to being in a tent out -of doors with Netcho and his Christians. I do not ask you whether I am -to go or not, for that is resolved on; and, tho’ you are a Mahometan, -and I a Christian, no religion teaches a man to do evil. We both agree -in this, that God, who has protected me thus far, is capable to protect -me likewise at the cataract, and farther, if he has not determined -otherwise, for my good; I only ask you as a man who knows the country, -to give me your best advice, how I may satisfy my curiosity in this -point, with as little danger, and as much expedition as possible, -leaving the rest to heaven.”--“Well, says he, I shall do so. I think, -likewise, for your comfort, that, barring unforeseen accidents, you -may do it at this time, without great danger. Guebra Mehedin will -not come between this town and Alata, because we are all one people, -and the killing two men, and wounding Mahomet’s son, makes him a -_dimmenia_[115]. At Alata he knows the Shum is ready to receive him as -he deserves, and he is himself afraid of Kasmati Ayabdar, with whom -he is as deep in guilt as with us, and here he well knows he dare not -venture for many reasons.” “Ayabdar, said I, passed the Karoota three -days ago.” “Well, well, replied Mahomet, so much the better. Ayabdar -has the leprosy, and goes every year once, sometimes twice, to the hot -wells at Lebec; they must pass near one another, and that is the reason -Guebra Mehedin has assembled all these banditti of horse about him. He -is a beggar, and a spendthrift; a fortnight ago he sent to me to borrow -twenty ounces of gold. You may be sure I did not lend it him; he is too -much in my debt already; and I hope Ras Michael will give you his head -in your hand before winter, for the shameful action he has been guilty -of to you and yours this day.” - -“Woodage Asahel, said I, what say you of him?”--“Why, you know, replied -Mahomet, nobody can inform you about his motions, as he is perpetually -on horseback, and never rests night nor day; however, he has no -business on this side of the water, the rather that he must be sure Ras -Michael, when he passed here, took with him all the king’s money that -I had in my hands. When day-light is fairly come, for we do not know -the changes a night may produce in this country, take half a dozen of -your servants; I will send with you my son and four of my servants; -you will call at Alata, go down and see the cataract, but do not stay, -return immediately, and, _Ullah Kerim_, God is merciful.” - -I thanked my kind landlord, and let him go; but recollecting, called -him again, and asked, “What shall I do with Netcho? how shall I rejoin -him? my company is too small to pass Maitsha without him.”--“Sleep in -peace, says he, I will provide for that. I tell you in confidence, the -king’s money is in my hands, and was not ready when the Ras passed; -my son is but just arrived with the last of it this evening, tired to -death; I send the money by Netcho, and my son too, with forty stout -fellows well armed, who will die in your service, and not run away -like those vagabond Christians, in whom you must place no confidence -if danger presents itself, but immediately throw yourself among the -Mahometans. Besides, there are about fifty soldiers, most of them from -Tigré, Michael’s men, that have been loitering here these two days. It -was one of these that fired the gun just before you came, which alarmed -Netcho; so that, when you are come back in safety from the cataract, -they shall be, by that time, all on their march to the passage. My son -shall mount with you; I fear the Nile will be too deep, but when once -you are at Tsoomwa, you may set your mind at rest, and bid defiance to -Woodage Asahel, who knows his enemy always before he engages him, and -at this time will not venture to interrupt your march.” - -As I have mentioned the name of this person so often, it will be -necessary to take notice, that he was by origin a Galla, but born in -Damot, of the clan Elmana, or Densa, two tribes settled there in the -time of Yasous I. that he was the most intrepid and active partizan in -his time, and had an invincible hatred to Ras Michael, nor was there -any love lost betwixt them. It is impossible to conceive with what -velocity he moved, sometimes with 200 horse, sometimes with half that -number. He was constantly falling upon some part of Michael’s army, -whether marching or encamped; the blow once struck, he disappeared in -a minute. When he wanted to attempt something great, he had only to -summon his friends and acquaintance in the country, and he had then a -little army, which dispersed as soon as the business was done. It was -Ras Michael’s first question to the spies; Where was Woodage Asahel -last night? a question they very seldom could answer with certainty. -He was in his person too tall for a good horseman, yet he was expert -in this qualification by constant practice. His face was yellow, as -if he had the jaundice, and much pitted with the small-pox; his eyes -staring, but fiery; his nose as it were broken, his mouth large, his -chin long and turned up at the end; he spoke very fast, but not much, -and had a very shy, but ill-designing look. In his character, he was -avaricious, treacherous, inexorable, and cruel to a proverb; in short, -he was allowed to be the most merciless robber and murderer that age -had produced in all Abyssinia. - -Wearied with thinking, and better reconciled to my expedition, I fell -into a sound sleep. I was awakened by Strates in the morning, (the -21st of May) who, from the next room, had heard all the conversation -between me and Negadé Ras, and began now to think there was no safety -but in the camp of the king. I will not repeat his wise expostulations -against going to the cataract. We were rather late, and I paid little -regard to them. After coffee, I mounted my horse, with five servants -on horseback, all resolute, active, young fellows, armed with lances -in the fashion of their country. I was joined that moment by a son of -Mahomet, on a good horse, armed with a short gun, and pistols at his -belt, with four of his servants, Mahometans, stout men, each having his -gun, and pistols at his girdle, and a sword hung over his shoulder, -mounted upon four good mules, swifter and stronger than ordinary -horses. We galloped all the way, and were out of sight in a short -time. We then pursued our journey with diligence, but not in a hurry; -we went first to a hilly and rocky country, full of trees, mostly of -unknown kinds, and all of the greatest beauty possible, having flowers -of a hundred different colours and forms upon them, many of the trees -were loaded with fruit, and many with both fruit and flowers. I was -truly sorry to be obliged to pass them without more distinct notice; -but we had no time, as the distance to the cataract was not absolutely -certain, and the cataract then was our only object. - -After passing the plain, we came to a brisk stream which rises in -Begemder, passes Alata, and throws itself into the Nile below the -cataract. They told me it was called Mariam Ohha; and, a little -farther, on the side of a green hill, having the rock appearing in -some parts of it, stands Alata, a considerable village, with several -smaller, to the south and west. Mahomet, our guide, rode immediately -up to the house where he knew the governor, or Shum, resided, for -fear of alarming him; but we had already been seen at a considerable -distance, and Mahomet and his servants known. All the people of the -village surrounded the mules directly, paying each their compliments to -the master and the servants; the same was immediately observed towards -us; and, as I saluted the Shum in Arabic, his own language, we speedily -became acquainted. Having overshot the cataract, the noise of which -we had a long time distinctly heard, I resisted every entreaty that -could be made to me to enter the house to refresh myself. I had imbibed -part of Strates’s fears about the unsettledness of the times, and all -the kind invitations were to no purpose; I was, as it were, forced to -comply to refresh our horses. - -I happened to be upon a very steep part of the hill full of bushes; and -one of the servants, dressed in the Arabian fashion, in a burnoose, -and turban striped white and green, led my horse, for fear of his -slipping, till it got into the path leading to the Shum’s door. I heard -the fellow exclaiming in Arabic, as he led the horse, “Good Lord! to -see you here! Good God! to see you here!”--“I asked him who he was -speaking of, and what reason he had to wonder to see me there.”--“What! -do you not know me!” “I said I did not.”--“Why, replied he, I was -several times with you at Jidda. I saw you often with Capt. Price and -Capt. Scott, with the Moor Yasine, and Mahomet Gibberti. I was the -man that brought your letters from Metical Aga at Mecca, and was to -come over with you to Masuah, if you had gone directly there, and had -not proceeded to Yemen or Arabia Felix. I was on board the Lion, with -the Indian nokeda (so they call the captain of a country ship) when -your little vessel, all covered with sail, passed with such briskness -through the English ships, which all fired their cannon; and everybody -said, there is a poor man making great haste to be assassinated among -those wild people in Habesh; and so we all thought. He concluded, -Drink! no force! Englishman! very good! G--d damn, drink!” We had just -arrived, while my friend was uttering these exclamations, at the place -where the Shum and the rest were standing. The man continued repeating -the same words, crying as loud as he could, with an air of triumph, -while I was reflecting how shameful it was for us to make these -profligate expressions by frequent repetition, so easily acquired by -strangers that knew nothing else of our language. - -The Shum, and all about him, were in equal astonishment at seeing the -man, to all appearance, in a passion, bawling out words they did not -understand; but he, holding a horn in his hand, began louder than -before, drink! very good! Englishman! shaking the horn in the Shum his -master’s face. Mahomet of Alata was a very grave, composed man; “I do -declare, says he, Ali is become mad: Does anybody know what he says or -means?”--“That I do, said I, and will tell you bye-and-bye; he is an -old acquaintance of mine, and is speaking English; let us make a hasty -meal, however, with any thing you have to give us.” - -Our horses were immediately fed; bread, honey, and butter served: Ali -had no occasion to cry, drink; it went about plentifully, and I would -stay no longer, but mounted my horse, thinking every minute that I -tarried might be better spent at the cataract. The first thing they -carried us to was the bridge, which consists of one arch of about -twenty-five feet broad, the extremities of which were strongly let -into, and rested on the solid rock on both sides; but fragments of the -parapets remained, and the bridge itself seemed to bear the appearance -of frequent repairs, and many attempts to ruin it; otherwise, in its -construction, it was exceedingly commodious. The Nile here is confined -between two rocks, and runs in a deep trough, with great roaring and -impetuous velocity. We were told no crocodiles were ever seen so high, -and were obliged to remount the stream above half a mile before we came -to the cataract, through trees and bushes of the same beautiful and -delightful appearance with those we had seen near Dara. - -The cataract itself was the most magnificent sight that ever I beheld. -The height has been rather exaggerated. The missionaries say the fall -is about sixteen ells, or fifty feet. The measuring is, indeed, very -difficult, but, by the position of long sticks, and poles of different -lengths, at different heights of the rock, from the water’s edge, I may -venture to say that it is nearer forty feet than any other measure. The -river had been considerably increased by rains, and fell in one sheet -of water, without any interval, above half an English mile in breadth, -with a force and noise that was truly terrible, and which stunned and -made me, for a time, perfectly dizzy. A thick fume, or haze, covered -the fall all round, and hung over the course of the stream both above -and below, marking its track, though the water was not seen. The river, -though swelled with rain, preserved its natural clearness, and fell, as -far as I could discern, into a deep pool, or bason, in the solid rock, -which was full, and in twenty different eddies to the very foot of the -precipice, the stream, when it fell, seeming part of it to run back -with great fury upon the rock, as well as forward in the line of its -course, raising a wave, or violent ebullition, by chaffing against each -other. - -Jerome Lobo pretends, that he has sat under the curve, or arch, made by -the projectile force of the water rushing over the precipice. He says -he sat calmly at the foot of it, and looking through the curve of the -stream, as it was falling, saw a number of rainbows of inconceivable -beauty in this extraordinary prism. This however I, without hesitation, -aver to be a downright falsehood. A deep pool of water, as I mentioned, -reaches to the very foot of the rock, and is in perpetual agitation. -Now, allowing that there was a seat, or bench, which there is not, in -the middle of the pool, I do believe it absolutely impossible, by any -exertion of human strength, to have arrived at it. Although a very -robust man, in the prime and vigour of life, and a hardy, practised, -indefatigable swimmer, I am perfectly confident I could not have got -to that seat from the shore through the quietest part of that bason. -And, supposing the friar placed in his imaginary seat under the curve -of that immense arch of water, he must have had a portion of firmness, -more than falls to the share of ordinary men, and which is not likely -to be acquired in a monastic life, to philosophise upon optics in such -a situation, where every thing would seem to his dazzled eyes to be in -motion, and the stream, in a noise like the loudest thunder, to make -the solid rock (at least as to sense) shake to its very foundation, and -threaten to tear every nerve to pieces, and to deprive one of other -senses besides that of hearing. It was a most magnificent sight, that -ages, added to the greatest length of human life, would not deface or -eradicate from my memory; it struck me with a kind of stupor, and a -total oblivion of where I was, and of every other sublunary concern. -It was one of the most magnificent, stupendous sights in the creation, -though degraded and vilified by the lies of a groveling, fanatic -peasant. - -I was awakened from one of the most profound reveries that ever I -fell into, by Mahomet, and by my friend _Drink_, who now put to me a -thousand impertinent questions. It was after this I measured the fall, -and believe, within a few feet, it was the height I have mentioned; but -I confess I could at no time in my life less promise upon precision; -my reflection was suspended, or subdued, and while in sight of the -fall I think I was under a temporary alienation of mind; it seemed -to me as if one element had broke loose from, and become superior to -all laws of subordination; that the fountains of the great deep were -extraordinarily opened, and the destruction of a world was again begun -by the agency of water. - -It was now half an hour past one o’clock, the weather perfectly good; -it had rained very little that day, but threatened a showery evening; -I peremptorily refused returning back to Alata, which our landlord -importuned us to. He gave us a reason that he thought would have -weight with us, that he, too, had his meery, or money, to send to the -king, which would be ready the next morning as early as we pleased. -The mention of to-morrow morning brought all my engagements and their -consequences into my mind, and made me give a flat refusal, with some -degree of peevishness and ill-humour. I had soon after found, that he -had otherwise made up this affair with Mahomet our guide; but being -resolute, and, a moment after, taking leave of our kind Shum, we were -joined by Seide his eldest son, and our _English friend Drink_, each -upon a mule, with two servants on foot, his father, as he said, being -unwilling to spare more people, as the whole inhabitants of Alata, -their neighbours and friends, intended soon to surprise Guebra Mehedin, -if a feasible opportunity offered. - -Though we went briskly, it was past five before we arrived at Dara. -Netcho had not stirred, and had procured another cow from Mahomet, of -which all the strangers, and soldiers who remained, partook. Mahomet, -I believe, out of kindness to me, had convinced them of the necessity -of taking along with them the Shum of Alata’s money; and Netcho well -knew that those who brought any part of the revenue to Ras Michael were -always received kindly; and he was not interested enough in the cause -to make more haste than necessary to join the king. - -Strates was completely cloathed, and received his sash upon my arrival. -He feigned to be wonderfully hurt at my having left him behind in my -excursion to the cataract. At supper I began to question him, for -the first time, what had happened to him with Guebra Mehedin. “Sure, -Strates, said I, you two were once friends; I have dined with you -together many a time at Ayto Engedan’s, and often seen you with him -in Gondar.”--“Gondar! says he, I have known him these fourteen years, -when he was a child in his father Basha Eusebius’s house; he was always -playing amongst us at his uncle Kasmati Eshté’s; he was just one of us; -nay, he is not now twenty-six.” - -Strates proceeded--“We were crossing the plain below Dara, and not -being inclined to go into the town without you, we made to a large -daroo-tree, and sat down to rest ourselves till you should come up. -As the ground was somewhat elevated, we saw several horses in the -bed of a torrent where there was no water running, and, when these -were pulled up the bank, their masters got immediately upon them. I -conceived the one with the red sash upon his head was Guebra Mehedin, -and presently eight or ten naked people, armed with lances and shields, -came out of the hole nearest me. I was surprised, and thought they -might be robbers, and, kneeling down upon one knee, I presented the -large blunderbuss at them. On this they all ran back to their hole, and -fell flat on their faces; and they did well; I should have given them -a confounded peppering.”--“Certainly, said I, there is little doubt of -that.”--“You may laugh, continued Strates, but the first thing I saw -near me was Confu and Guebra Mehedin, the one with a red, the other a -kind of white fillet tied round his forehead. O ho! friend, says Guebra -Mehedin, where are you going? and held out his hand to me as kindly, -familiarly, and chearfully as possible. I immediately laid down my -blunderbuss, and went to kiss his hand. You know they are the good old -queen’s nephews; and I thought if their house was near we should have -good entertainment, and some merriment that night. I then saw one of -their servants lift the blunderbuss from the ground, but apparently -with fear, and the rest took possession of the mules and baggage. I -began to ask Guebra Mehedin what this meant? and said accidentally, -_ente you!_ instead of speaking it _entow_, as you know they pronounce -it to great people. Without further provocation he gave me a lash with -his whip across the eyes, another behind took hold of your sword that -was flung upon my shoulders, and would have strangled me with the cord -if I had not fallen backwards; they all began then to strip me. I -was naked in a minute as I was the hour I was born, having only this -night-cap; when one of them, a tall black fellow, drew a crooked knife, -and proposed to pay me a compliment that has made me shudder every time -I have since thought of it. I don’t know what would have been the end -of it, if Confu had not said, Poh! he is a _white_ man, and not worth -the _scarifying_: Let us seek his master, says Guebra Mehedin, he will -by this have passed the Gomara; he has always plenty of gold both from -the king and Iteghé, and is a real Frank, on which account it would be -a sin to spare him. On this away they went skirmishing about the plain. -Horsemen came to join them from all parts, and every one that passed me -gave me a blow of some kind or other. None of them hurt me very much, -but, no matter; I may have my turn: we shall see what figure he will -make before the Iteghé some of these days, or, what is better, before -Ras Michael.” - -“That you shall never see, says Negadé Ras Mahomet, who entered the -room in the instant, for there is a man now without who informs us -that Guebra Mehedin is either dead or just a-dying. A shot fired at -him, by one of you at the Gomara, cut off part of his cheek-bone; the -next morning he heard that Kasmati Ayabdar was going to the hot waters -at Lebec with servants only, and the devil to whom he belonged would -not quit him; he would persist, ill as he was, to attack Ayabdar, who -having, unknown to him, brought a number of stout fellows along with -him, without difficulty cut his servants to pieces. In the fray, Tecla -Georgis, a servant who takes care of Ayabdar’s horse, coming up with -Guebra Mehedin himself, hurt as he was, struck him over the skull with -a large crooked knife like a hatchet, and left him mortally wounded on -the field, whence he was carried to a church, where he is now lying -a miserable spectacle, and can never recover.” Strates could hold no -longer. He got up and danced as if he had been frantic, sometimes -singing Greek songs, at another time pronouncing ten thousand curses, -which he wished might overtake him in the other world. For my part, -I felt very differently, for I had much rather, considering whose -nephew he was, that he should have lived, than to have it said that he -received his first wound, not a mortal one, but intended as such, from -my hand. - - - - -CHAP. V. - -_Pass the Nile and encamp at Tsoomwa--Arrive at Derdera--Alarm on -approaching the Army--Join the King at Karcagna._ - - -On the 22d of May we were all equally desirous to resume our journey. -We set out accordingly at six o’clock in the morning, ascending some -hills covered, as the former ones, with trees and shrubs, utterly -unknown to me, but of inexpressible beauty, and many of extraordinary -fragrance. We continued ascending about three miles, till we came to -the top of the ridge within sight of the lake. As we rose, the hills -became more bare and less beautiful. We afterwards descended towards -the passage, partly over steep banks which had been covered with -bushes, all trodden down by the army, and which had made the access -to the river exceedingly slippery. Here we saw the use of Mahomet’s -servants, three of whom, each with a lance in one hand, holding that of -his companion in the other, waded across the violent stream, sounding -with the end of their lances every step they took. The river was very -deep, the current, I suppose, fifty yards broader than it was at the -cataract; but the banks were, for a great way on each side, almost -perfectly level, though much obstructed with black stones. In the -middle it was very deep, and the stream smooth, so that it was apparent -our horses must swim. For my part I did not like the smooth stones -at the bottom, as a fall there would have been irrecoverable; and my -horse was shod with iron, which is not usual in Abyssinia. I therefore -resolved to swim where I could not wade, and, wrapping my cloaths in a -bundle, I gave them to a servant, who carried them over on his head. I -then waded in, and found the water unexpectedly cold. Mahomet rode on -a mule by my side, sometimes swimming, sometimes walking. I attempted -to sound up towards the lake, and found it deeper there. I returned, -therefore, being unwilling to try experiments, and, committing myself -to the stream, swam to the other side, much comforted by the assurance -that no crocodile passed the cataract. - -The beasts having got over, the men followed much quicker; many women, -going to join the army, swam over, holding the tails of the horses, and -we were all on the other side before twelve o’clock, the beasts a good -deal tired with the passage, the steepness of the access to it, and the -still greater depth on the other side. For my part, I thought we could -not have gone on to Tsoomwa, but it was carried against me. Tsoomwa is -about twelve miles distant; and I suppose it was not much past three -o’clock when we arrived there, which was very fortunate, as we had -scarcely pitched our tents before a most terrible storm of rain, wind, -and thunder overtook us. My tent was happily placed in one respect, -being on a flat on the lee-side of a hill, and sheltered from the -storm; but, on the other hand, the water ran so plentifully from above -as quite to overflow it on the inside till a trench was dug to carry it -off. - -Ras Michael had burnt nothing at Tsoomwa, though there was a house of -Powussen’s in the place, built by his father. But that dissembler, to -prevent the worst, and carry on the farce to the uttermost, had sent -many bags of flour for the use of the King and the Ras, which were to -be distributed to the army in case they wanted. - -From the passage to Tsoomwa, all the country was forsaken; the houses -uninhabited, the grass trodden down, and the fields without cattle. -Every thing that had life and strength fled before that terrible -leader, and his no less terrible army; a profound silence was in the -fields around us, but no marks as yet of desolation. We kept strict -watch in this solitude all that night. I took my turn till twelve, as I -was the least fatigued of any. Netcho had picquets about a quarter of a -mile on every side of us, with fire-arms to give the alarm. - -On the 23d, about three in the morning, a gun was heard on the side -towards the passage. This did not much alarm us, though we all turned -out. In a few minutes came Ayto Adigo, (not the Shum of Karoota, -already mentioned, who left us at the Gomara,) but a young nobleman -of Begemder of great hopes, one of the gentlemen of the king’s -bed-chamber, and consequently my colleague. He intended to have brought -four horses to the king, one of which he had drowned, or rather, as -I afterwards understood, throttled in passing the Nile at the mouth -of the lake; and two men, the king’s servants, had perished there -likewise. He came in great hurry, full of the news from Begemder, -and of the particulars of the conspiracy, such as have been already -stated. With Ayto Adigo came the king’s cook, Sebastos, an old Greek, -near seventy, who had fallen sick with fatigue. After having satisfied -his inquiries, and given him what refreshment we could spare, he left -Sebastos with us, and pursued his journey to the camp. - -On the 24th, at our ordinary time, when the sun began to be hot, we -continued our route due south, through a very plain, flat country, -which, by the constant rains that now fell, began to stand in large -pools, and threatened to turn all into a lake. We had hitherto lost -none of our beasts of carriage, but we now were so impeded by streams, -brooks, and quagmires, that we despaired of ever bringing one of them -to join the camp. The horses, and beasts of burthen that carried the -baggage of the army, and which had passed before us, had spoiled -every ford, and we saw to-day a number of dead mules lying about the -fields, the houses all reduced to ruins, and smoking like so many -kilns; even the grass, or wild oats, which were grown very high, were -burnt in large plots of a hundred acres together; every thing bore the -marks that Ras Michael was gone before, whilst not a living creature -appeared in those extensive, fruitful, and once well-inhabited plains. -An awful silence reigned everywhere around, interrupted only at times -by thunder, now become daily, and the rolling of torrents produced -by local showers in the hills, which ceased with the rain, and were -but the children of an hour. Amidst this universal silence that -prevailed all over this scene of extensive desolation, I could not -help remembering how finely Mr Gray paints the passage of such an army, -under a leader like Ras Michael-- - - Confusion in his van with flight combin’d, - And Sorrow’s faded form, and Solitude behind. - -At Derdera we saw the church of St Michael, the only building which, -in favour of his own name, the Ras had spared. It served us then for a -very convenient lodging, as much rain had fallen in the night, and the -priests had all fled or been murdered. We had this evening, when it -was clear, seen the mountain of Samseen. Our next stage from Derdera -was Karcagna, a small village near the banks of the Jemma, about two -miles from Samseen. We knew the king had resolved to burn it, and we -expected to have seen the clouds of smoke arising from its ruins, but -all was perfectly cool and clear, and this very much surprised us, -considering the time he had to do this, and the great punctuality and -expedition with which his army used to execute orders of this kind. As -we advanced, we had seen a great number of dead mules and horses, and -the hyænas so bold as only to leave the carcase for a moment, and snarl -as if they had regretted at seeing any of us pass alive. - -Since passing the Nile I found myself more than ordinarily depressed; -my spirits were sunk almost to a degree of despondency, and yet nothing -had happened since that period more than was expected before. This -disagreeable situation of mind continued at night while I was in bed. -The rashness and imprudence with which I had engaged myself in so -many dangers without any necessity for so doing; the little prospect -of my being ever able to extricate myself out of them, or, even if -I lost my life, of the account being conveyed to my friends at home; -the great and unreasonable presumption which had led me to think that, -after every one that had attempted this voyage had miscarried in it, -I was the only person that was to succeed; all these reflections upon -my mind, when relaxed, dozing, and half oppressed with sleep, filled -my imagination with what I have heard other people call the _horrors_, -the most disagreeable sensation I ever was conscious of, and which I -then felt for the first time. Impatient of suffering any longer, I -leaped out of bed, and went to the door of the tent, where the outward -air perfectly awakened me, and restored my strength and courage. All -was still, and at a distance I saw several bright fires, but lower -down, and more to the right than I expected, which made me think I was -mistaken in the situation of Karcagna. It was then near four in the -morning of the 25th. I called up my companions, happily buried in deep -sleep, as I was desirous, if possible, to join the king that day. We -accordingly were three or four miles from Derdera when the sun rose; -there had been little rain that night, and we found very few torrents -on our way; but it was slippery, and uneasy walking, the rich soil -being trodden into a consistence like paste. - -About seven o’clock we entered upon the broad plain of Maitsha, and -were fast leaving the lake. Here the country is, at least a great part -of it, in tillage, and had been, in appearance, covered with plentiful -crops, but all was cut down by the army for their horses, or trodden -under foot, from carelessness or vengeance, so that a green blade -could scarcely be seen. We saw a number of people this day, chiefly -straggling soldiers, who, in parties of threes and fours, had been -seeking, in all the bushes and concealed parts of the river, for the -miserable natives, who had hid themselves thereabouts; in this they had -many of them been successful. They had some of them three, some of them -four women, boys and girls, who, though Christians like themselves, -they nevertheless were carrying away into slavery to sell them to the -Turks for a very small price. - -A little before nine we heard a gun fired that gave us some joy, as the -army seemed not to be far off; a few minutes after, we heard several -dropping shots, and, in less than a quarter of an hour’s time, a -general firing began from right to left, which ceased for an instant, -and then was heard again as smart as ever, about the occasion of which -we were divided in opinion. - -Netcho was satisfied that Woodage Asahel, from Samseen, had fallen upon -Ras Michael at Karcagna, to prevent his burning it, and that Fasil had -strongly reinforced him that he might be able to retard the army’s -march. On the other hand, having been informed by Ayto Adigo, that news -were come to Gondar that Fasil had left Buré, and that Derdera was the -place agreed on by Gusho and Powussen to shut up Michael on the rear, -I thought that it was Fasil, to make good his part of his promise, who -had crossed the Nile at Goutto, and attacked Ras Michael before he -suffered him to burn Samseen. Indeed we all agreed that both opinions -were likely to be true, and that Fasil and Woodage Asahel would both -attack the king at the same time. The firing continued much in the same -way, rather slacker, but apparently advancing nearer us; a sure sign -that our army was beaten and retreating. We, therefore, made ourselves -ready, and mounted on horseback, that we might join them. Yet it was -a thing appeared to us scarcely possible, that Fasil should beat Ras -Michael so easily, and with so short a resistance. - -We had not gone far in the plain before we had a sight of the enemy, -to our very great surprise and no small comfort. A multitude of deer, -buffaloes, boars, and various other wild beasts, had been alarmed by -the noise and daily advancing of the army, and gradually driven before -them. The country was all overgrown with wild oats, a great many of -the villages having been burnt the year before the inhabitants had -abandoned them; in this shelter the wild beasts had taken up their -abodes in very great numbers. When the army pointed towards Karcagna to -the left, the silence and solitude on the opposite side made them turn -to the right to where the Nile makes a semi-circle, the Jemma being -behind them, and much overflowed. When the army, therefore, instead of -marching south and by east towards Samseen, had turned their course -north-west, their faces towards Gondar, they had fallen in with these -innumerable herds of deer and other beasts, who, confined between the -Nile, the Jemma, and the lake, had no way to return but that by which -they had come. These animals, finding men in every direction in which -they attempted to pass, became desperate with fear, and, not knowing -what course to take, fell a prey to the troops. The soldiers, happy -in an occasion of procuring animal food, presently fell to firing -wherever the beasts appeared; every loaded gun was discharged upon -them, and this continued for very near an hour. A numerous flock of the -largest deer met us just in the face, and seemed so desperate, that -they had every appearance of running us down; and part of them forced -themselves through, regardless of us all, whilst others turned south to -escape across the plain. - -The king and Ras Michael were in the most violent agitation of mind: -though the cause was before their eyes, yet the word went about that -Woodage Asahel had attacked the army; and this occasioned a great panic -and disorder, for everybody was convinced with reason that he was not -far off. The firing, however, continued, the balls flew about in every -direction, some few were killed, and many people and horses were hurt; -still they fired, and Ras Michael, at the door of his tent, crying, -threatening, and tearing his grey locks, found, for a few minutes, the -army was not under his command. At this instant, Kasmati Netcho, whose -Fit-Auraris had fallen back on his front, ordered his kettle-drums, -to be beat before he arrived in the king’s presence; and this being -heard, without it being known generally who we were, occasioned another -panic; great part of the army believed that Powussen and Gusho were -now at hand to keep their appointment with Fasil, and that Netcho and -I were his Fit-Auraris. The king ordered his tent to be pitched, his -standard to be set up, his drums to beat, (the signal for encamping) -and the firing immediately ceased. But it was a long while before all -the army could believe that Woodage Asahel had not been engaged with -some part of it that day. Happily, if near at hand, he did not lay hold -of this favourable opportunity; for I am convinced, if, just before our -arrival, he had attacked Michael on the Samseen side, with 500 horse, -our whole army had fled without resistance, and dispersed all over the -country. - -Here I left Kasmati Netcho, and was making my way towards the king’s -tent, when I was met by a servant of confidence of Kefla Yasous, who -had that day commanded the rear in the retreat, a very experienced -officer, brave even to a fault, but full of mildness and humanity, and -the most sensible and affable man in the army. He sent to desire that -I would come to him alone, or that I would send one of the Greeks that -followed me. I promised to do so, after having answered most of the -questions that he bade his servant ask of me. After this I searched for -Strates and Sebastos, who had been sick upon the road. - -I soon came up with them, and was more surprised than I had been for -several days, to see them both lie extended on the ground; Strates -bleeding at a large wound in his forehead, speaking Greek to himself, -and crying out his leg was broken, whilst he pressed it with both his -hands below the knee, seemingly regardless of the gash in his head, -which appeared to me a very ugly one, so that I, of course, thought his -leg was still worse. Sebastos was lying stretched along the ground, -scarcely saying any thing, but sighing loudly. Upon my asking him -whether his arm was broken? he answered feebly, that he was a dying -man, and that his legs, his arms, and his ribs were broken to pieces. -I could not for my life conceive how this calamity had happened so -suddenly, for I had not been half an hour absent talking to Kefla -Yasous’s servant; and, what seemed to me still stranger, every body -around them were bursting out into fits of laughter. - -Ali Mahomet’s servant, who was the only person that I saw concerned, -upon my asking, told me that it was all owing to prince George, who -had frightened their mules. I have already hinted that this prince was -fond of horsemanship, and rode with saddle, bridle, and stirrups, like -an Arab; and, though young, was become an excellent horseman, superior -to any in Abyssinia. The manner that two Arabs salute one another, when -they meet, is, the person inferior in rank, or age, presents his gun at -the other, about 500 yards distance, charged with powder only; he then, -keeping his gun always presented, gallops these 500 yards as fast as he -can, and, being arrived close, lowers the muzzle of his gun, and pours -the explosion just under the other’s stirrups, or horse’s belly. This -they do, sometimes twenty at a time, and you would often think it was -impossible somebody should escape being bruised or burnt. - -The prince had learned this exercise from me, and was very perfect at -the performance of it. We had procured him a short gun, with a lock and -flint instead of a match, and he shot not only justly, but gracefully -on horseback. He had been out after the deer all the morning; and -hearing that I was arrived, and seeing the two Greeks riding on their -mules, he came galloping furiously with his gun presented, and, not -seeing me, he fired a shot under the belly of Strates’s mule, upon the -ground, and wheeling as quick as lightning to the left, regardless of -the mischief he had occasioned, was out of sight in a moment, before he -knew the consequences. - -Never was compliment worse timed or relished. Strates had two panniers -upon his mule, containing two great earthen jars of hydromel for the -king; Sebastos had also some jars and pots, and three or four dozen of -drinking-glasses, likewise for the king; each of the mules was covered -with a carpet, and also the panniers; and upon the pack-saddle, between -these panniers, did Strates and Sebastos ride. The mules as well as the -loading belonged to the king, and they only were permitted to ride them -because they were sick. Strates went first, and, to save trouble, the -halter of Sebastos’s mule was tied to Strates’s saddle, so the mules -were fastened to and followed one another. Upon firing the gun so near -it, Strates’s mule, not used to compliments of this kind, started, and -threw him to the ground; it then trampled upon him, began to run off, -and wound the halter around Sebastos behind, who fell to the ground -likewise amongst some stones. Both the mules then began kicking at -each other, till they had thrown off the panniers and pack-saddles, -and broke every thing that was brittle in them. The mischief did not -end here, for, in struggling to get loose, they fell foul of the mule -of old Azage Tecla Haimanout, one of the king’s criminal judges, a -very old, feeble man, and threw him upon the ground, and broke his -foot, so that he could not walk alone for several months afterwards. -As soon as I had pitched a tent for the wounded, and likewise dressed -Tecla Haimanout’s foot, I went to Kefla Yasous, while the two Mahomets -proceeded to the Ras with their money. - -The moment I came into the tent, Kefla Yasous rose up and embraced -me. He was sitting alone, but with rather a chearful than a dejected -countenance; he told me they were all in great concern, till Ayto -Adigo’s arrival, at a report which came from Gondar that we had fought -with Guebra Mehedin, and had all been slain. I informed him every thing -I knew, or had heard, but he had better intelligence than I in every -article but this last, fresh news having arrived the night before -by way of Delakus. He said, the rebellion of Gusho and Powussen was -certain; that the King and Ras knew every circumstance of it, and that -Court-ohha was the place appointed with Fasil to meet and cut them off; -he had not heard of Woodage Asahel’s march, but seemed to give full -credit to it; he said it was certain, likewise, that Fasil had advanced -towards Maitsha; but where his quarters were he did not know, probably -they were not at a great distance. He complained violently of his -march, and of the number of beasts which they had lost; he wished also -that Fasil would be induced to give battle where they were encamped, as -his horse would probably be of little use to him among so many torrents -and rivers, and must suffer considerably in their advancing hither. - -I asked him whither they were now marching? He said, that, as soon -as the news of the conspiracy were known, a council was held, where -it was the general opinion they should proceed, briskly forward, and -attack Fasil alone at Buré, then turn to Gondar to meet the other two; -but then they had it upon the very best authority that great rain had -fallen to the southward; that the rivers, which were so frequent in -that part of the country, were mostly impassable, so there would be -great danger in meeting Fasil with an army spent and fatigued with the -difficulty of the roads. It was, therefore, determined, and the Ras was -decidedly of that opinion, that they should keep their army entire for -a better day, and immediately cross the Nile, and march back to Gondar; -that they had accordingly wheeled about, and that day was the first of -their proceeding, which had been interrupted by the accident of the -firing. Kefla Yasous offered me all sorts of refreshments, and I dined -with him; he sent also great abundance for my servants to my tent, -lest I should not have yet got my appointments from the king. I then -went directly to my own tent, where I found all that belonged to me -had arrived safe, under the care of Francisco; and having now procured -clothes, instead of those taken from me by Guebra Mehedin, I waited -upon the king, and staid a considerable time with him, asking much the -same questions Kefla Yasous had done. I would have paid my respects to -the Ras also, but missed him, for he was at council. - - - - -CHAP. VI. - -_King’s Army retreats towards Gondar--Memorable Passage of the -Nile--Dangerous Situation of the Army--Retreat of Kefla Yasous--Battle -of Limjour--Unexpected Peace with Fasil--Arrival at Gondar._ - - -It was on the 26th of May, early in the morning, that the army marched -towards the Nile. In the afternoon we encamped, between two and three, -on the banks of the river Coga, the church Abbo being something more -than half a mile to the north-west of us. - -Next morning, the 27th, we left the river Coga, marching down upon the -Nile; we passed the church of _Mariam-Net_, as they call the church of -St Anne. Here the superior, attended by about fifty of his monks, came -in procession to welcome Ras Michael; but he, it seems, had received -some intelligence of ill-offices the people of this quarter had done -to the Agows by Fasil’s direction; he therefore ordered the church to -be plundered, and took the superior, and two of the leading men of the -monks, away with him to Gondar; several of the others were killed and -wounded, without provocation, by the soldiers, and the rest dispersed -through the country. - -Prince George had sent immediately in the morning to put me in mind -that I had promised, in the king’s tent at Lamgué, under Emfras, -to ride with him in his party when in Maitsha. He commanded about -two hundred and fifty chosen horse, and kept at about half a mile’s -distance on the right flank of the army. I told the king the prince’s -desire; who only answered, dryly enough, “Not till we pass the Nile; -we do not yet know the state of this country.” Immediately after this, -he detached the horse of Siré and Serawé, and commanded me with his -own guards to take possession of the ford where the Fit-Auraris had -crossed, and to suffer no mule or horse to pass till their arrival. - -There were two fords proposed for our passage; one opposite to the -church Boskon Abbo, between the two rivers Kelti and Aroossi, (on the -west of the Nile,) and the Coga and Amlac Ohha from the east; it was -said to be deep, but passable, though the bottom was of clay, and very -soft; the other ford proposed was higher up, at the second cataract of -Kerr. It was thought of consequence to chuse this ford, as the Kelti, -(itself a large and deep river) joined by the Branti, which comes from -the westward of Quaquera, brings, in the rainy season, a prodigious -accession of water to the Nile; yet, below this, the guides had advised -the Ras to pass, and many found it afterwards a sound bottom, very -little deeper, with level ground on both sides. We arrived about four -on the banks of the Nile, and took possession in a line of about 600 -yards of ground. - -From the time we decamped from Coga it poured incessantly the most -continued rain we ever had yet seen, violent claps of thunder followed -close one upon another, almost without interval, accompanied with -sheets of lightning, which ran on the ground like water; the day -was more than commonly dark, as in an eclipse; and every hollow, or -foot-path, collected a quantity of rain, which fell into the Nile -in torrents. It would have brought into the dullest mind Mr Hume’s -striking lines on my native Carron-- - - Red ran the river down, and loud and oft - The angry spirit of the water shriek’d. - DOUGLAS. - -The Abyssinian armies pass the Nile at all seasons. It rolls with it -no trees, stones, nor impediments; yet the sight of such a monstrous -mass of water terrified me, and made me think the idea of crossing -would be laid aside. It was plain in the face of every one, that they -gave themselves over for lost; an universal dejection had taken place, -and it was but too visible that the army was defeated by the weather, -without having seen an enemy. The Greeks crowded around me, all forlorn -and despairing, cursing the hour they had first entered that country, -and following these curses with fervent prayers, where fear held the -place of devotion. A cold and brisk gale now sprung up at N. W. with a -clear sun; and soon after four, when the army arrived on the banks of -the Nile, these temporary torrents were all subsided, the sun was hot, -and the ground again beginning to become dry. - -Netcho, Ras Michael’s Fit-Auraris, with about 400 men, had passed -in the morning, and taken his station above us in little huts like -bee-hives, which the soldiers, who carry no tents, make very speedily -and artificially for themselves, of the long, wild oats, each straw of -which is at least eight feet long, and near as thick as an ordinary -man’s little finger. He had sent back word to the king, that his men -had passed swimming, and with very great difficulty; that he doubted -whether the horses, or loaded mules, could cross at any rate; but, -if it was resolved to make the trial, they should do it immediately, -without staying till the increase of the river. He said both banks were -composed of black earth, slippery and miry, which would become more so -when horses had puddled it; he advised, above all, the turning to the -right immediately after coming ashore, in the direction in which he had -fixed poles, as the earth there was hard and firm, besides having the -advantage of some round stones which hindered the beasts from slipping -or sinking. Instead, therefore, of resting there that night, it was -resolved that the horse should cross immediately. - -The first who passed was a young man, a relation of the king, brother -to Ayamico killed at the battle of Banja; he walked in with great -caution, marking a track for the king to pass. He had gone upon rather -solid ground, about twice the length of his horse, when he plunged -out of his depth, and swam to the other side. The king followed him -immediately with a great degree of haste, Ras Michael calling to him to -proceed with caution, but without success. Afterwards came the old Ras -on his mule, with several of his friends swimming both with and without -their horses on each side of him, in a manner truly wonderful. He -seemed to have lost his accustomed calmness, and appeared a good deal -agitated; forbade, upon pain of death, any one to follow him directly, -or to swim over, as their custom is, holding their mules by the tail. -As soon as these were safely ashore, the king’s household and black -troops, and I with them, advanced cautiously into the river, and swam -happily over, in a deep stream of reddish-coloured water, which ran -without violence almost upon a level. - -Each horseman had a mule in his hand, which swam after him, or by his -side, with his coat of mail and head-piece tied upon it. My horse was -a very strong one, and in good condition, and a servant took charge -of my mule and coat of mail, so that, being unembarrassed, I had the -happiness to get safe and soon over, and up the path to the right -without great difficulty, so had most others of the cavalry who swam -along with us; but the ground now began to be broken on both sides of -the passage, and it was almost as difficult to get in, as it was to -scramble up the bank afterwards. - - _Quis cladem illius noctis, quis funera fando, - Temperet a lachrymis._---- - VIRG. - -It is impossible to describe the confusion that followed; night was -hard upon us, and, though it increased our loss, it in great measure -concealed it; a thousand men had not yet passed, though on mules and -horses; many mired in the muddy landing-place, fell back into the -stream, and were carried away and drowned. Of the horse belonging to -the king’s household, one hundred and eighty in number, seven only were -missing; with them Ayto Aylo, vice-chamberlain to the queen, and Tecla -Mariam the king’s uncle, a great friend of Ras Michael’s, both old men. - -The ground on the west side was quite of another consistence than was -that upon the east, it was firm, covered with short grass, and rose -in small hills like the downs in England, all sloping into little -valleys which carried off the water, the declivity being always towards -the Nile. There was no baggage (the tent of the Ras and that of the -king excepted) which had as yet come over, and these were wet, being -drenched in the river. The Fit-Auraris had left, ready made, two rafts -for Ozoro Esther, and the other two ladies, with which she might have -easily been conducted over, and without much danger; but the Ras had -made Ozoro Esther pass over in the same manner he had crossed himself, -many swimming on each side of her mule. She would have fain staid on -the east side, but it was in vain to remonstrate. She was with child, -and had fainted several times; but yet nothing could prevail with -the Ras to trust her on the other bank till morning. She crossed, -however, safely, though almost dead with fright. It was said he had -determined to put her to death if she did not pass, from jealousy of -her falling into the hands of Fasil; but this I will by no means vouch, -nor do I believe it. The night was cold and clear, and a strong wind -at north-west had blown all the afternoon. Guebra Mascal, and several -of Ras Michael’s officers, had purposely tarried behind for gathering -in the stragglers. The river had abated towards mid-night, when, -whether from this cause, or, as they alledged, that they found a more -favourable ford, all the Tigré infantry, and many mules lightly loaded, -passed with less difficulty than any of the rest had done, and with -them several loads of flour; luckily also my two tents and mules, to my -great consolation, came safely over when it was near morning. Still the -army continued to pass, and those that could swim seemed best off. I -was in the greatest distress for the good Ammonios, my lieutenant, who -was missing, and did not join us till late in the morning, having been -all night busy in seeking Ayto Aylo, the queen’s chamberlain, and Tecla -Mariam, who were his great companions, drowned probably at the first -attempt to pass, as they were never after heard of. - -The greatest part of the foot, however, crossed in the night; and -many were of opinion that we had mistaken the passage altogether, by -going too high, and being in too great a haste; the banks, indeed, -were so steep, it was very plain that this could never have been an -accustomed ford for cavalry. Before day-light the van and the center -had all joined the king; the number, I believe, that had perished was -never distinctly known, for those that were missing were thought to -have remained on the other side with Kefla Yasous, at least for that -day. Kefla Yasous, indeed, with the rear and all the baggage of the -army, had remained on the other side, and, with very few tents pitched, -waited the dawn of the morning. - -It happened that the priests of the church of Mariam Net, in the -confusion, had been left unheeded, chained arm to arm, in the rear -with Kefla Yasous, and they had began interceding with him to procure -their pardon and dismission. He was a man, as I said, of the greatest -affability and complacency, and heard every one speak with the utmost -patience. These priests, terrified to death lest Michael should pull -their eyes out, or exercise some of his usual cruelties upon them, -which was certainly his intention by bringing them with him to Gondar, -frankly declared to Kefla Yasous what they apprehended. They said that -they had never known a ford there before, though they had lived many -years in the neighbourhood, nor had ever heard of one at Kerr, the -first cataract, which the guides had persuaded the rather of the two; -they did believe, therefore, that Michael’s guides had deceived him on -purpose, and that they intended the same thing by him to-morrow, if he -attempted to pass at Kerr. They told him further, that, about three -days before Michael had arrived in the neighbourhood of Samseen, they -had heard a nagareet beat regularly every evening at sun-set, behind -the high woody hill in front, whereon was the church of Boikon Abbo; -that they had seen also a man the day before who had left Welleta -Yasous, Fasil’s principal officer and confident, at Goutto, waiting the -arrival of some more troops to pass the Nile there, whence they doubted -not that there was treachery intended. - -The sagacious and prudent Kefla Yasous weighed every word of this -in his mind, and, combining all the circumstances together, was -immediately convinced that there had been a snare laid by Fasil -for them. Entering further into conversation with the priests, and -encouraging them with assurances of reward instead of punishment, he -inquired if they certainly knew any better ford below. They answered -him they knew of no ford but the common one of Delakus, about eight -miles below; that it was true it was not good, and it was deeper than -ordinary, as the rainy season had begun early, but that it was so -perfectly fordable that all the country people had gone with asses -loaded with butter and honey, and other provisions, for the market of -Gondar last week; from whence they inferred that he could easily ford -it, and safely, even with loaded mules. They advised him farther, as -the night was dry, and the rain fell generally in the day, to lose -no time, but to collect his troops, weary as they were, as soon as -possible, and send the heavy baggage before; that there was no river -or torrent in their way, but Amlac Ohha, which, at that time of night, -was at its lowest, and they might then pass it at their leisure, while -he covered them with his troops behind; that in such case they might -all be safe over the ford by the time the sun became to be hot in the -morning, about which hour they did not doubt he would be attacked by -Welleta Yasous. They said farther, that, though they could claim little -merit, being prisoners, by offering to be his guides, yet he might -perhaps find his use in the measure, and would thereby prove their -faith and loyalty to the king. - -Although all this bore the greatest shew of probability, and the lives -of the informers were in his hands, that cautious general would not -undertake a step of so much consequence, as to separate the rear of -the army from the king, without further inquiry. There was then in -his camp, waiting the event of next day, two of the guides who had -brought them to this ford; a third had gone over the river with Ras -Michael. There was likewise in his camp a servant of Nanna Georgis, -who had arrived some days before with information to Ras Michael. The -two guides pretended to be Agows, consequently friends to the king. He -called these into his presence, and ordered them to be put in irons, -and then sent for the servant of Nanna Georgis. This man immediately -knew the one to be his countryman, but declared the other was a Galla, -both of them servants of Fasil, and then living in Maitsha. - -Kefla Yasous immediately ordered the Kanitz Kitzera (the executioner -of the camp) to attend, and having exhorted them to declare the truth -for fear of what would speedily follow, and no satisfactory answer -being given, he directed the eyes of the eldest, the Galla, to be -plucked out; and he continuing still obstinate, he delivered him to the -soldiers, who hewed him to pieces with their large knives in presence -of his companion. In the mean time the priests had been very earnest -with the young one, the Agow, to confess, with better success; but -this execution, to which he had been witness, was more prevailing than -all their arguments. Upon promise of life, liberty, and reward, he -declared that he had left Fasil behind a hill, which he then shewed, -about three miles distant, in front of the king’s army, and had gone -down to Welleta Yasous, who was waiting at Goutto ready to pass the -Nile: that they were sent forward to decoy the king to that passage, -under the name of a ford, where they expected great part of the army -would perish if they attempted to pass: that Fasil was to attack such -part of the king’s army as should have passed as soon as it appeared -upon the heights above the river, but not till, by the firing on the -east side, he knew that Welleta Yasous was engaged with the rear, or -part of the army, which should still remain on that side separated by -the river: that they did not imagine Ras Michael could have passed -that night, but that to-morrow he would certainly be attacked by Fasil, -as his companion, who had crossed with Ras Michael, was to go directly -to Fasil and inform him of the situation of the King, the Ras, and the -army. - -Kefla Yasous sent two of his principal officers, with a distinct detail -of this whole affair, to the king. It being now dark, they swam the -river on horseback, with much more difficulty and danger than we had -done, and they found Ras Michael and the king in council, to whom they -told their message with every circumstance, adding, that Kefla Yasous, -as the only way to preserve the army, quite spent with fatigue, and -encumbered with such a quantity of baggage, had struck his tent, and -would, by that time, be on his march for the ford of Delakus, which he -should cross, and, after leaving a party to guard the baggage and sick, -he should with the freshest of his men join the army. The spy that had -passed with Michael and the king was now sought for, but he had lost no -time, and was gone off to Fasil at Boskon Abbo. Kefla Yasous, having -seen all the baggage on their way before him, did, as his last act, -perhaps not strictly consistent with justice, hang the poor unfortunate -informer, the Agow, upon one of the trees at the ford, that Welleta -Yasous, when he passed in the morning, might see how certainly his -secret was discovered, and that consequently he was on his guard. - -On the 28th he crossed Amlac Ohha with some degree of difficulty, and -was obliged to abandon several baggage-mules. He advanced after this -with as great diligence as possible to Delakus, and found the ford, -though deep, much better than he expected. He had pitched his tent on -the high road to Gondar, before Welleta Yasous knew he was decamped, -and of this passage he immediately advised Michael refreshing his -troops for any emergency. - -About two in the afternoon Welleta Yasous appeared with his horse on -the other side of the Nile, but it was then too late. Kefla Yasous -was so strongly posted, and the banks of the river so guarded with -fire-arms, down to the water-edge, that Fasil and all his army would -not have dared to attempt the passage, or even approach the banks of -the river. - -As soon as Ras Michael received the intelligence, he dispatched the -Fit-Auraris, Netcho, to take post upon the ford of the Kelti, a large -river, but rather broad than deep, about three miles off. He himself -followed early in the morning, and passed the Kelti just at sun-rise, -without halting; he then advanced to meet Kefla Yasous, as the army -began to want provisions, the little flour that had been brought over, -or which the soldiers had taken with them, being nearly exhausted -during that night and the morning after. It was found, too, that the -men had but little powder, none of them having recruited their quantity -since the hunting of the deer; but what they had was in perfect good -order, being kept in horns and small wooden bottles, corked in such -a manner as to be secured from water of any kind. Kefla Yasous, -therefore, being in possession of the baggage, the powder, and the -provisions, a junction with him was absolutely necessary, and they -expected to effect this at Wainadega, about twenty miles from their -last night’s quarters. The ground was all firm and level between Kelti -and the Avoley, a space of about 15 miles. - -Ras Michael halted after passing the Kelti, and sent on the Fit-Auraris -about five miles before him; he then ordered what quantity of flour, -or provisions of any kind could be found, to be distributed among the -men, and directed them to refresh themselves for an hour before they -again began their march, because they might expect soon to engage -with Fasil. The day being clear, and the sun hot, those that the cold -affected, from the passage of last night, began to recover their former -health and agility; their clothes were now all dry, clean washed, and -comfortable; and had it not been for the fatigue that remained from -the two last days, and the short allowance to which they were reduced, -perhaps there were few occasions wherein the army was fitter for an -engagement. Being now disembarrassed from dangerous rivers, they were -on dry solid ground, which they had often marched over before in -triumph, and where all the villages around them, lying in ruins, put -them in mind of many victorious campaigns, and especially the recent -one at Fagitta over this same Fasil. Add to all this, they were on -their way home to Gondar, and that alone made them march with a tenfold -alacrity. Gondar, they thought, was to be the end of all their cares, a -place of relaxation and ease for the rest of the rainy season. - -It was between twelve and one we heard the Fit-Auraris engaged, and -there was sharp firing on both sides, which soon ceased. Michael -ordered his army immediately to halt; he and the king, and Billetana -Gueta Tecla, commanded the van; Welleta Michael,and Ayto Tesfos of -Siré, the rear. Having marched a little farther, he changed his order -of battle; he drew up the body of troops which he commanded, together -with the king, on a flat, large hill, with two valleys running parallel -to the sides of it like trenches. Beyond these trenches were two -higher ridges of hills that ran along the side of them, about half a -musket-shot from him; the valleys were soft ground which yet could bear -horses, and these hills, on his right and on his left, advanced about -100 yards on each side farther than the line of his front. The gross -of these side-divisions occupied the height; but a line of soldiers -from them came down to the edge of the valleys like wings. In the -plain ground, about three hundred yards directly in his front, he had -placed all the cavalry, except the king’s body-guards drawn up before -him, commanded by an old officer of Mariam Barea. As prince George -was in the cavalry, he strongly solicited the Ras at least to let him -remain with them, and see them engage; but the Ras, considering his -extreme youth and natural rashness, called him back, and placed him -beside me before the king. It was not long before the Fit-Auraris’s two -messengers arrived, running like deer along the plain, which was not -absolutely flat, but sloped gently down towards us, declining, as I -should guess, not a fathom in fifteen. - -Their account was, that they had fallen in with Fasil’s Fit-Auraris; -that they had attacked him smartly, and, though the enemy were greatly -superior, being all horse, except a few musqueteers, had killed four of -them. The Ras having first heard the message of the Fit-Auraris alone, -he sent a man to report it to the king; and, immediately after this, he -ordered two horsemen to go full gallop along the east side of the hill, -the low road to Wainadega, to warn Kefla Yasous of Fasil’s being near -at hand; he likewise directed the Fit-Auraris to advance cautiously -till he had seen Fasil, and to pursue no party that should retreat -before him. - -The King, the Ras, and the whole army, began to be in pain for Kefla -Yasous; and we should have changed our ground, and marched forward -immediately, had we not heard the alarm-guns fired by Fit-Auraris -Netcho, and presently he and his party came in, the men running, and -the horses at full gallop. Ras Michael had given his orders, and -returned to the presence of the king on his mule; he could not venture -among horse, being wounded in the middle of the thigh, and lame in that -leg, but always charged on a mule among the musquetry. He said shortly -to the king, “No fear, Sir, stand firm; Fasil is lost if he fights -to-day on this ground.” - -Fasil appeared at the top of the hill. I have no guess about the -number of such large bodies of troops, but, by those more used to such -computations, it is said he had about 3000 horse. It was a fine sight, -but the evening was beginning to be overcast. After having taken a -full view of the army, they all began to move slowly down the hill, -beating their kettle-drums. There were two trees a little before the -cavalry, that were advanced beyond our front. Fasil sent down a party -to skirmish with these, and he himself halted after having made a few -paces down the hill. The two bodies of horse met just half way at -the two trees, and mingled together, as appeared at least, with very -decisive intention; but whether it was by orders or from fear, (for -they were not overmatched in numbers) our horse turned their backs -and came precipitately down, so that we were afraid they would break -in upon the foot. Several shots were fired from the center at them by -order of the Ras, who cried out aloud in derision, “Take away these -horses and send them to the mill.” They divided, however, to the right -and left, into the two grassy valleys under cover of the musquetry, and -a very few horse of Fasil’s were carried in along with them, and slain -by the soldiers on the side of the hill. On the king’s side no man of -note was missing but Welleta Michael, nephew of Ras Michael, whose -horse falling, he was taken prisoner and carried off by Fasil. - -A few minutes after this, arrived a messenger from Fasil, a dwarf, -named Doho, a man always employed on errands of this kind; it is an -intercourse which is permitted, and the messenger not only protected, -but rewarded, as I have before observed; it is a singular custom, and -none but shrewd fellows are sent, very capable of making observations, -and Doho was one of these. He told the Ras to prepare immediately, for -Fasil intended to attack him as soon as he had brought his foot up: -Doho further added a request from his master, as a mark of his duty, -that the king might not change his dress that day, lest he might fall -into the hands of some of the stranger troops of Galla, who might not -know him otherwise, or shew the proper respect to his person. The -Ras, I was told afterwards, for he was too far before us to hear him, -laughed violently at this compliment. “Tell Fasil, says he, to wait but -a few minutes where he now is, and I promise him that the king shall -dress in any way he pleases.” When Doho’s message was told to the king, -he sent back answer to Ras Michael, “Let Doho tell Fasil from me, that, -if I had known those two trees had been where they are, I would have -brought Welleta Gabriel, Ozoro Esther’s steward, to him; by which he -very archly alluded to the battle of Fagitta, where that drunkard, -shooting from behind a tree, and killing one Galla, made all the rest -fly for fear of the zibib.” - -Doho being thus dismissed, the whole army advanced immediately at a -very brisk pace, hooping and screaming, as is their custom, in a most -harsh and barbarous manner, crying out Hatzé Ali! Michael Ali! But -Fasil, who saw the forward countenance of the king’s troops, and that -a few minutes would lay him under necessity of risking a battle, which -he did not intend, withdrew his troops at a smart trot over the smooth -downs, returning towards Boskon Abbo. It seems, as we heard afterwards, -he was in as great anxiety about the fate of Welleta Yasous, of whom -he had no intelligence, as we had been for that of Kefla Yasous; and -he had got as yet no intelligence till he had taken Welleta Michael -prisoner; he had heard no firing, nor did he consequently know -whether Kefla Yasous had passed the Nile with the Ras or not; he had, -therefore, left his camp, and marched with his horse only to take a -view of Michael, but had no sort of intention to give him battle; and -he was now very much exasperated against both Gusho and Powussen, by -whom he saw plainly that he had been betrayed. - -This is what was called the battle of Limjour, from a village burnt by -Ras Michael last campaign, which stood where the two trees are; the -name of a battle is surely more than it deserves. Had Fasil been half -as willing as the Ras, it could not have failed being a decisive one. -The Ras, who saw that Fasil would not fight, easily penetrated his -reasons, and no sooner was he gone, and his own drums silent, than he -heard a nagareet beat, and knew it to be that of Kefla Yasous. This -general encamped upon the river Avoley, leaving his tents and baggage -under a proper guard, and had marched with the best and freshest of -his troops to join Michael before the engagement. All was joy at -meeting, every rank of men joined in extolling the merit and conduct -of their leaders; and, indeed, it may be fairly said, the situation of -the king and the army was desperate at that instant, when the troops -were separated on different sides of the Nile; nor could they have -been saved but by the speedy resolution taken by Kefla Yasous to march -without loss of time and pass at the ford of Delakus, and the diligence -and activity with which he executed that resolution. - -Although a good part of Kefla Yasous’s soldiers were left at the -Avoley, the Ras, as a mark of confidence, gave him the command of the -rear. We were retreating before an enemy, and it was, therefore, the -post of honour, where the Ras would have been himself, had not Kefla -Yasous joined us. We soon marched the five miles, or thereabout, that -remained to the Avoley, and arrived just as the sun was setting, and -there heard from the spies that Welleta Yasous with his troops had -retired again to Goutto, after having been joined by Woodage Asahel. -There again were fresh rejoicings, as every one recovered their baggage -and provisions, many rejoined their friends they had given over as lost -at the passage, and the whole army prepared their supper. All but Ras -Michael seemed to have their thoughts bent upon sleep and rest; whilst -he, the most infirm and aged of the army, no sooner was under cover of -his tent than he ordered the drum to beat for assembling a council. -What passed there I did not know; I believe nothing but a repetition -of the circumstances that induced Kefla Yasous to advance to Delakus, -for, after supper, just before the king went to bed in the evening, a -man from Kefla Yasous brought the four priests of Mariam Net, who had -been the guides to the ford at Delakus. The king ordered meat to be set -before them, but they had done very well already with Kefla Yasous, -and, therefore, only took a small piece of bread and a cup of bouza, -the eating and drinking in presence of the king being an assurance that -their life was safe and pardon real. They had then five ounces of gold, -and several changes of clothes given to each of them, and the king took -them to Gondar with him, to provide for them there, out of the reach of -the revenge of Fasil, and placed them in the church of Hamar Noh[116]. - -The army marched next day to Dingleber, a high hill, or rock, -approaching so close to the lake as scarcely to leave a passage -between. Upon the top of this rock is the king’s house. As we arrived -very early there, and were now out of Fasil’s government, the king -insisted upon treating Ras Michael and all the people of consideration. -A great quantity of cattle had been sent thither from Dembea by those -who had estates in the neighbourhood, out of which he gave ten oxen to -Ras Michael, ten to Kefla Yasous, the same number to several others, -and one to myself, with two ounces of gold for Strates and Sebastos to -buy mules; but they had already provided themselves; for, besides the -two they rode upon of mine, they and my servants had picked up four -others in very good condition, whose masters had probably perished in -the river, for they were never claimed afterwards. - -Just as the king sat down to dinner an accident happened that -occasioned great trepidation among all his servants. A black eagle[117] -was chased into the king’s tent by some of the birds of prey that hover -about the camp; and it was after in the mouth of every one the king -would be dethroned by a man of inferior birth and condition. Every -body at that time looked to Fasil: the event proved the application -false, though the omen was true. Powussen of Begemder was as low-born -as Fasil, as great a traitor, but more successful, to whom the ominous -presage pointed; and, though we cannot but look upon the whole as -accident, it was but too soon fulfilled. - -In the evening of the 29th arrived at Dingleber two horsemen from -Fasil, clad in habits of peace, and without arms; they were known to be -two of his principal servants, were grave, genteel, middle-aged men; -this message had nothing of Doho’s buffoonery. They had an audience -early after their coming, first of the Ras, then of the King. They -said, and said truly, that Fasil had repassed the Kelti, was encamped -on the opposite side, and was not yet joined by Welleta Yasous. Their -errand was, to desire that the Ras might not fatigue his men by -unnecessarily hurrying on to Gondar, because he might rest secured of -receiving no further molestation from Fasil their master, as he was -on his march to Burè. They told the Ras the whole of the conspiracy, -as far as it regarded him, and the agreement that Powussen and Gusho -had made with their master to surround him at Derdera: they mentioned, -moreover, how sensible Fasil was of their treason towards him; that, -instead of keeping their word, they had left him to engage the King and -the Ras’s whole force at a time when they knew the greatest part of -his Galla troops were retired to the other side of the Nile, and could -be assembled with difficulty: That if the Ras by chance had crossed -at Delakus, as Kefla Yasous had done, instead of embarrassing his -army among the rivers of Maitsha, and crossing the Nile at that most -dangerous place near Amlac-Ohha, (a passage never before attempted in -the rainy season) the consequence would have been, that he must have -either fought at great disadvantage with an inferior army against the -Ras, or have retired to Metchakel, leaving his whole country to the -mercy of his enemies. Fasil declared his resolution never again to -appear in arms against the king, but that he would hold his government -under him, and pay the accustomed taxes punctually: he promised -also, that he would renounce all manner of connection with Gusho and -Powussen, as he had already done, and he would take the field against -them next season with his whole force, whenever the king ordered him. -The messengers concluded, with desiring the Ras to give Fasil his -grand-daughter, Welleta Selassé, in marriage, and that he would then -come to Gondar without distrust. - -At the audience they had of the king the same night, they added, That -Fasil could not trust Ras Michael, he broke his word so often, and had -so many reservations and evasions in his promises. - -The Ras, though he did not believe all this, made no difficulty -in agreeing to every thing that they desired. He promised the -grand-daughter; and, as an earnest of his believing the rest, the -king’s two nagareets were brought to the door of the tent, where, to -our very great surprise, we heard it proclaimed, “Fasil is governor -of the Agow, Maitsha, Gojam, and Damot; prosperity to him, and long -may he live a faithful servant to the king our master!”--This was an -extraordinary revolution in so small a space of time. It was scarce 43 -hours since Fasil had laid a scheme for drowning the greater part of -the army in the Nile, and cutting the throats of the residue on both -sides of it; it was not twenty-four hours, since he had met us to fight -in open field, and now he was become the king’s lieutenant-general in -four of the most opulent provinces of Abyssinia. This was produced, -however, by the necessity of the times, and both parties were playing -at the same game who should over-reach the other. Fasil’s messengers -were magnificently cloathed, and it was first intended they should -have gone back to him; but, after reflection, another person was sent, -these two chusing to go to Gondar with the king to remain hostages for -Fasil’s word, and to bring back his investiture from thence to Burè. -The whole camp abandoned itself to joy. - -Late in the evening Ozoro Esther came to the king’s tent. She had been -ill, and alarmed, as she well might, at the passage of the Nile, which -had given her a more delicate look than ordinary; she was dressed -all in white, and I thought I seldom had seen so handsome a woman. -The king, as I have mentioned, had sent ten oxen to Ras Michael, but -he had given twenty to Ozoro Esther; and it was to thank him for -this extraordinary mark of favour that she had come to visit him in -his tent. I had for some time past, indeed, thought they were not -insensible to the merit of each other. Upon her thanking the king -for the distinction he had shewn her, Madam, said he, your husband -Ras Michael is intent upon employing, in the best way possible for -my service, those of the army that are strong and vigorous; you, I -am told, bestow your care on the sick and disabled, and, by your -attention, they are restored to their former health and activity; the -strong active soldier eats the cows that I have sent to the Ras; the -enfeebled and sick recover upon yours, for which reason I sent you a -double portion, that you may have it in your power to do double good. -After this the room was cleared; and she had an audience alone for half -an hour. I doubt very much whether Ras Michael had any share in the -conversation; the king was in the very gayest humour, and went to rest -about twelve. The Ras loved Ozoro Esther, but was not jealous. - -I had violent threatenings of the ague, and had gone to bed full of -reflections on extraordinary events that, in a few hours, had as it -were crowded upon one another. I had appointed Fasil’s servants to come -to my tent in the evening. I understood a council had been called, to -which Welleta Kyrillos, the king’s historiographer, had been sent for, -and instructed how to give an account of this campaign of Maitsha, -the passage of the Nile, and the meeting with Fasil at Limjour. Kefla -Yasous’s march to Delakus, and passage there, were ordered to be -written in gold letters, and so was Fasil’s appointment to Damot and -Maitsha. From this authentic copy, and what I myself heard or observed, -I formed these notes of the campaign. - -On the 30th of May nothing material happened, and, in a few days, -we arrived at Gondar. The day before we entered, being encamped on -the river Kemona, came two messengers from Gusho and Powussen, with -various excuses why they had not joined. They were very ill received by -the Ras, and refused an audience of the king. Their present, which is -always new clothes to some value, was a small piece of dark-blue Surat -cloth, value about half-a-crown, intended as an affront; they were not -suffered to sleep in the camp, but forwarded to Fasil where they were -going. - -The 3d of June the army encamped on the river Kahha, under Gondar. From -the time we left Dingleber, some one or other of the Ras’s confidential -friends had arrived every day. Several of the great officers of state -reached us at the Kemona, many others met us at Abba Samuel. I did not -perceive the news they brought increased the spirits either of the King -or the Ras; the soldiers, however, were all contented, because they -were at home; but the officers, who saw farther, wore very different -countenances, especially those that were of Amhara. - -I, in particular, had very little reason to be pleased; for, after -having undergone a constant series of fatigues, dangers, and expences, -I was returned to Gondar disappointed of my views in arriving at the -source of the Nile, without any other acquisition than a violent ague. -The place where that river rises remained still as great a secret as it -had been ever since the catastrophe of Phaeton:-- - - _Nilus in extremum fugit perterritus orbem, - Occuluitque caput, quod adhuc latet._---- - OVID. METAM. lib. ii. - - - - -CHAP. VII. - -_King and Army retreat to Tigré--Interesting Events following that -Retreat--The Body of Joas is found--Favourable Turn of the King’s -Affairs--Socinios, a new King, proclaimed at Gondar._ - - -The king had heard that Gusho and Powussen, with Gojam under Ayto Aylo, -and all the troops of Belessen and Lasta, were ready to fall upon him -in Gondar as soon as the rains should have swelled the Tacazzé, so -that the army could not retire into Tigré; and it was now thought to -be the instant this might happen, as the king’s proclamation in favour -of Fasil, especially the giving him Gojam, it was not doubted, would -hasten the motion of the rebels. Accordingly that very morning, after -the king arrived, the proclamation was made at Gondar, giving Fasil -Gojam, Damot, the Agow, and Maitsha; after which his two servants were -again magnificently cloathed, and sent back with honour. - -As I had never despaired, some way or other, of arriving at the -fountains of the Nile, from which we were not fifty miles distant when -we turned back at Karcagna, so I never neglected to improve every means -that held out to me the least probability of accomplishing this end. -I had been very attentive and serviceable to Fasil’s servants while -in the camp. I spoke greatly of their master, and, when they went -away, gave each of them a small present for himself, and a trifle also -for Fasil. They had, on the other hand, been very importunate with -me as a physician to prescribe something for a cancer on the lip, as -I understood it to be, with which Welleta Yasous, Fasil’s principal -general, was afflicted. - -I had been advised, by some of my medical friends, to carry along -with me a preparation of hemlock, or cicuta, recommended by Dr Stork, -a physician at Vienna. A considerable quantity had been sent me from -France by commission, with directions how to use it. To keep on the -safe side, I prescribed small doses to Welleta Yasous, being much more -anxious to preserve myself from reproach than warmly solicitous about -the cure of my unknown patient. I gave him positive advice to avoid -eating raw meat; to keep to a milk diet, and drink plentifully of whey -when he used this medicine. They were overjoyed at having succeeded -so well in their commission, and declared before the king, That Fasil -their master would be more pleased with receiving a medicine that -would restore Welleta Yasous to health, than with the magnificent -appointments the king’s goodness had bestowed upon him. “If it is so, -said I, in this day of grace, I will ask two favours.”--“And that’s a -rarity, says the king; come, out with them; I don’t believe anybody is -desirous you should be refused; I certainly am not; only I bar one of -them, you are not to relapse into your usual despondency, and talk of -going home.”--“Well, Sir, said I, I obey, and that is not one of them. -They are these--You shall give me, and oblige Fasil to ratify it, the -village Geesh, and the source where the Nile rises, that I may be from -thence furnished with honey for myself and servants; it shall stand me -instead of Tangouri, near Emfras, and, in value, it is not worth so -much. The second is, That, when I shall see that it is in his power to -carry me to Geesh, and shew me those sources, Fasil shall do it upon my -request, without fee or reward, and without excuse or evasion.” - -They all laughed at the easiness of the request; all declared that -this was nothing, and wished to do ten times as much. The king said, -“Tell Fasil I do give the village of Geesh, and those fountains he is -so fond of, to Yagoube and his posterity for ever, never to appear -under another’s name in the deftar, and never to be taken from him, -or exchanged, either in peace or war. Do you swear this to him in the -name of your master.” Upon which they took the two fore fingers of my -right hand, and, one after the other, laid the two fore fingers of -their right hand across them, then kissed them; a form of swearing used -there, at least among those that call themselves Christians. And as -Azage Kyrillos, the king’s secretary and historian, was then present, -the king ordered him to enter the gift in the deftar, or revenue-book, -where the taxes and revenue of the king’s lands are registered. “I will -write it, says the old man, in letters of gold, and, poor as I am, will -give him a village four times better than either Geesh or Tangouri, -if he will take a wife and stay amongst us, at least till my eyes -are closed.” It will be easily guessed this rendered the conversation -a chearful one. Fasil’s servants retired to set out the next day, -gratified to their utmost wish, and, as soon as the king was in bed, I -went to my apartment likewise. - -But very different thoughts were then occupying Michael and his -officers. They could not trust Fasil, and, besides, he could do them no -service; the rain was set in, and he was gone home; the western part -of the kingdom was ready to rise upon them; Woggora, to the north, -immediately in his way, was all in arms, and impatient to revenge the -severities they had suffered when Michael first marched to Gondar. -The Tacazzé, which separates Tigrè from Woggora, and runs at the -foot of the high mountains of Samen, was one of the largest and most -rapid rivers in Abyssinia, and, though not the first to overflow, -was, when swelled to its height, impassable by horse or foot, rolling -down prodigious stones and trees with its current. Dangerous as the -passage was, however, there was no safety but in attempting it: -Michael, therefore, and every soldier with him, were of opinion that, -if they must perish, they should rather meet death in the river, on the -confines of their own country, than fall alive into the hands of their -enemies in Amhara. For this, preparation had been making night and day, -since Ras Michael entered Gondar, and probably before it. - -There was in Belessen, on the nearest and easiest way to a ford of the -Tacazzè, a man of quality called Adero, and his son Zor Woldo. To these -two Ras Michael used to trust the care of the police of Gondar when -he was absent upon any expedition; they were very active and capable, -but had fallen from their allegiance, and joined Powussen and Gusho, -at least in councils. The Ras, immediately upon arriving at Gondar, -dissembling what he knew of their treason, had sent to them to prepare -a quantity of flour for the troops that were to pass their way; to -get together what horses they could as quietly as possible; to send -him word what state the ford was in; and also, if Powussen had made -any movement forward; or if Ayto Tesfos, governor of Samen, had shewn -any disposition to dispute the passage through Woggora into Tigré. -Word was immediately returned by the traitor Adero, that the ford was -as yet very passable; that it was said Powussen was marching towards -Maitsha; that Ayto Tesfos was at home upon his high rock, the seat of -his government, and that no time was to be lost, as he believed he -had already flour enough to suffice; he added also, that it would be -dangerous to collect more, for it would give the alarm. This was all -received as truth, and a messenger sent back with orders, that Zor -Woldo should leave the flour in small bags at Ebenaat, and that he -should himself and his father wait the Ras at the ford, with what horse -they had, the fourth day from that, in the evening. - -The next morning the whole army was in motion. I had the evening before -taken leave of the king in an interview which cost me more than almost -any one in my life. The substance was, That I was ill in my health, -and quite unprepared to attend him into Tigré; that my heart was set -upon completing the only purpose of my coming into Abyssinia, without -which I should return into my own country with disgrace; that I hoped, -through his majesty’s influence, Fasil might find some way for me to -accomplish it; if not, I trusted soon to see him return, when I hoped -it would be easy; but, if I then went to Tigré, I was fully persuaded -I should never have the resolution to come again to Gondar. - -He seemed to take heart at the confidence with which I spoke of his -return. “You, Yagoube, says he, in a humble, complaining tone, could -tell me, if you pleased, whether I shall or not, and what is to befal -me; those instruments and those wheels, with which you are constantly -looking at the stars, cannot be for any use unless for prying into -futurity.”--“Indeed, said I, prince, these are things by which we guide -ships at sea, and by these we mark down the ways that we travel by -land; teach them to people that never passed them before, and, being -once traced, keep them thus to be known by all men for ever. But of the -decrees of Providence, whether they regard you or myself, I know no -more than the mule upon which you ride.”--“Tell me then, I pray, tell -me, what is the reason you speak of my return as certain?”--“I speak, -said I, from observation, from reflections that I have made, much more -certain than prophecies and divinations by stars. The first campaign of -your reign at Fagitta, when you was relying upon the dispositions that -the Ras had most ably and skillfully made, a drunkard, with a single -shot, defeated a numerous army of your enemies. Powussen and Gusho -were your friends, as you thought, when you marched out last, yet they -had, at that very instant, made a league to destroy you at Derdera; -and nothing but a miracle could have saved you, shut up between two -lakes and three armies. It was neither you nor Michael that disordered -their councils, and made them fail in what they had concerted. You -was for burning Samseen, whilst Woodage Asahel was there in ambush -with a large force, with a knowledge of all the fords, and master -of all the inhabitants of the country. Remember how you passed those -rivers, holding hand in hand, and drawing one another over. Could you -have done this with an enemy behind you, and such an enemy as Woodage -Asahel? He would have followed and harrassed you till you took the -ford at Goutto, and there was Welleta Yasous waiting to oppose you -with 6000 men on the opposite bank. When Ras Michael marched by Mariam -Net, he found the priests at their homes. Was that the case in any of -the other churches we passed? No; all were fled for fear of Michael; -yet these were more guilty than any by their connections with Fasil; -notwithstanding which, they alone, of all others, staid, though they -knew not why; an invisible hand held them that they might operate your -preservation. Nothing could have saved the army but the desperate -passage, so tremendous that it will exceed the belief of man, crossing -the Nile that night. Yet if the priests had crossed before this, not -a man would have proceeded to the ford. The priests would have been -Ras Michael’s prisoners, and, on the other side, they never would have -spoken a word whilst in the presence of Michael. Providence, therefore, -kept them with Kefla Yasous; all was discovered, and the army saved by -the retreat, and his speedy passing at the ford of Delakus.” - -What would have happened to Kefla Yasous, had Fasil marched down to -Delakus either before or after the passage? Kefla Yasous would have -been cut off before Ras Michael had passed the Kelti; instead of -which, an unknown cause detained him, most infatuated-like, beating -his kettle-drums behind Boskon Abbo, while our army under the Ras -was swimming that dangerous river, and most of us passing the night, -naked, without tents, provision, or powder. Nor did he ever think of -presenting himself till we had warmed ourselves by an easy march in a -fine day, when we were every way his superiors, and Kefla Yasous in -his rear. From all these special marks of the favour of an over-ruling -Providence, I do believe stedfastly that God will not leave his work -half finished. “He it is who, governing the whole universe, has yet -reserved specially to himself the department of war; he it is who has -stiled himself the God of Battles.” The king was very much moved, -and, as I conceived, persuaded. He said, “O Yagoube, go but with me -to Tigrè, and I will do for you whatever you desire me.”--“You do, -Sir, said I, whatever I desire you, and more. I have told you my -reasons why that cannot be; let me stay here a few months, and wait -your return.” The king then advised me to live entirely at Koscam with -the Iteghé, without going out unless Fasil came to Gondar, and to -send him punctually word how I was treated. Upon this we parted with -inexpressible reluctance. He was a king worthy to reign over a better -people; my heart was deeply penetrated with those marks of favour and -condescension which I had uniformly received from him ever since I -entered his palace. - -On the 5th of June, while Powussen, Adero, and the conspirators were -waiting his passage through Belessen, (that is to the S. W.) the king’s -army marched towards Koscam, over the mountain Debra Tzai towards -Walkayt, and the low, hot provinces of Abyssinia which lie to the N. E. -so that the distance between them increased every day in the greatest -proportion possible. - -The queen ordered her gates at Koscam to be shut. A little before the -Ras mounted his mule, Ozoro Esther and her servants took refuge with -her mother the Iteghè; Gondar was like a town which had been taken by -an enemy; every one that had arms in his hands did just what he pleased. - -Two very remarkable things were said to have happened the night -before Michael left the city. He had always pretended, that, before -he undertook an expedition, a person, or spirit, appeared to him, who -told him the issue and consequence of the measures he was then taking; -this he imagined to be St Michael the archangel, and he presumed very -much upon this intercourse. In a council that night, where none but -friends were present, he had told them that his spirit had appeared -some nights before, and ordered him, in his retreat, to surprise the -mountain of Wechné, and either slay or carry with him to Tigré the -princes sequestered there. Nebrit Tecla, governor of Axum, with his -two sons, (all concerned in the late king’s murder) were, it is said, -strong advisers of this measure; but Ras Michael, (probably satiated -with royal blood already) Kefla Yasous, and all the more worthy men of -any consequence, acting on principle, absolutely refused to consent to -it. It was upon this the passage by Belessen was substituted instead of -the attempt on Wechné, and it was determined to conceal it. - -The next advice which, the Ras said, this devil, or angel, gave him, -was, that they should set fire to the town of Gondar, and burn it to -the ground, otherwise his good fortune was to leave him there for ever; -and for this there was a great number of advocates, Michael seeming -to lean that way himself. But, when it was reported to the king, -that young prince put a direct negative upon it, by declaring that -he would rather stay in Gondar, and fall by the hands of his enemies, -than either conquer them, or escape from them, by the commission of so -enormous a crime. When this was publicly known, it procured the king -universal good-will, as was experienced afterwards, when he and Michael -were finally defeated, and taken prisoners, upon their march in return -to Gondar. - -The army advanced rapidly towards Walkayt. Being near the Tacazzé, they -turned short upon Mai-Lumi, (the River of Limes) the governor of which, -as I have already said, in our journey from Masuah, detained us several -days at Addergey with a view to rob us, upon a report prevailing that -Ras Michael was defeated at Fagitta. This thief the king surprised and -made prisoner, set fire to his house after having plundered it, and -carried him as hostage to Tigré, for the payment of a sum which he laid -upon every village to save them from being set on fire. - -Being now safely arrived on the banks of the Tacazzè, the first -province beyond which is that of Sirè, Michael sent before him Ayto -Tesfos the governor, a man exceedingly beloved, to assemble all -sort of assistance for passing the river. Every one flocked to the -stream with the utmost alacrity; the water was deep, and the baggage -wet in crossing, but the bottom was good and hard; they passed both -expeditiously and safely, and were received in Siré, and then in Tigré, -with every demonstration of joy. - -Michael, now arrived in his government, set himself seriously to -unite every part under his own jurisdiction. It was now the rainy -season; there was no possibility of taking the field, and a rebellion -prevailed in two different districts of his province. The sons of -Kasmati Woldo, whose father Ras Michael put to death, had declared -for themselves, in their paternal government of Enderta, and Netcho -who married Ras Michael’s daughter, had taken possession of the -mountain Aromata, commonly called Haramat, an ancient strong-hold of -his father’s, of which Michael had made himself master, while yet a -young man, after besieging it fifteen years. Netcho had also united -himself with Za Menfus Kedus, a man of great property in that and the -neighbouring country. Enderta is a flat, fertile territory, in the very -south-east of Abyssinia, depending on Tigré, and the mountain Aromata -is situated near the middle of that province; before taking the field, -Michael had directed the two Woldos to be assassinated during a feast -at Enderta, and their party dispersed of itself without farther effort. - -The mountain shewed a better countenance, and seemed to promise -employment for a long time; it was garrisoned by old and veteran troops -who had served under Ras Michael. Netcho was the son of his hereditary -enemy, anciently governor of that mountain, whom he had reconciled -by giving him his daughter in marriage; notwithstanding which he had -now rebelled, just as the Ras marched to Maitsha against Fasil, by -the persuasion of Gusho and Powussen, purposely that he might form a -diversion in Tigré, and for this reason he had little hopes of mercy, -if ever he fell into the hands of Ras Michael. I had seen him often, -and knew him; he was a tall, thin, dull man, of a soft temper, and -easily imposed upon. Za Menfus, the other chief in the mountain, was a -very active, resolute, enterprising man, of whom Michael was afraid. -He had a large property all around the mountain; had been put in irons -by Michael, and had escaped; besides, on his return to Tigré, he had -slain the father of Guebra Mascal, Michael’s nephew by marriage, who -was commander in chief of all the musquetry Michael had brought from -Tigrè, so that he feared nothing so much as falling into Ras Michael’s -hands. - -Ras Michael saw the danger of leaving an enemy so prepared and so -situated behind him; he therefore, before the rainy season was yet -finished, ordered the whole mountain to be surrounded with barracks, -or huts, for his soldiers; he also erected three houses for himself, -the principal officers, and the king. The country people were called in -to plow and sow the ground in the neighbourhood, so that his intention -was plainly never to rise from thence till he had reduced the mountain -of Aromata for the second time, after having once before succeeded in -taking it, after fifteen years siege, from Netcho’s father. There we -shall leave him at this siege, and return to Gondar. - -It was on the 10th of June that Gusho and Powussen entered Gondar, -and next day, the 11th, waited upon the queen; they both beseeched -her to return from Koscam to the capital, and take into her hands the -reins of government for the interim: this she positively refused, -unless peace was first made with Fasil. She said, that Fasil was the -only person who had endeavoured to avenge his master Joas’s death; -that he had continued till that day in arms in that quarrel; and, -notwithstanding all the offers that could be made her, she never would -come to Gondar, nor take any part in public business, without this -condition. Fasil, moreover, informed her by a messenger, that there was -no trust to be put either in Gusho or Powussen; that they had failed -in their engagement of following and fighting Ras Michael in Maitsha, -and had purposely staid at home till a superior army should fall upon -him singly, and ravage his country: That they had broken their word a -second time by entering into Gondar without him; whereas the agreement -was, that they all three should have done this at once, to settle the -form of government by their joint deliberation. Many days passed in -these negociations; Fasil always promising to come upon some condition -or other, but never keeping his word, or stirring from Buré. - -On the 20th, the queen’s servants, who had gone to offer terms of -reconciliation to Fasil on the part of Gusho and Powussen, returned -to their homes. The same day he ordered it to be proclaimed in the -market-place, That Ayto Tesfos should be governor of Samen, and that -whoever should rob on that road, or commit any violence, should suffer -death. This was an act of power, purposely intended to affront Powussen -and Gusho, and seemed to be opening a road for a correspondence with -Ras Michael; but, above all, it shewed contempt for their party and -their cause, and that he considered his own as very distinct from -theirs; for Tesfos had taken arms in the late king’s lifetime, at the -same time, and upon the same principles and provocation, as Fasil, and -had never laid down his arms, or made peace with Ras Michael, but kept -his government in defiance of him. - -On the 24th, for fear of giving umbrage, I waited upon Gusho and -Powussen at Gondar. I saw them in the same room where Ras Michael used -to sit. They were both lying on the floor playing at draughts, with -the figure of a draught-table drawn with chalk upon the carpet; they -offered no other civility or salutation, but, shaking me each by the -hand, they played on, without lifting their heads, or looking me in the -face. - -Gusho began by asking me, “Would it not have been better if you had -gone with me to Amhara, as I desired you, when I saw you last at -Gondar? you would have saved yourself a great deal of fatigue and -trouble in that dangerous march through Maitsha.” To this I answered, -“It is hard for me, who am a stranger, to know what is best to be -done in such a country as this. I was, as you may have heard, the -king’s guest, and was favoured by him; it was my duty therefore to -attend him, especially when he desired it; and such I am informed has -always been the custom of the country; besides, Ras Michael laid his -commands upon me.” On this, says Powussen, shaking his head, “You see -he cannot forget Michael and the Tigré yet.”--“Very naturally, added -Gusho, they were good to him; he was a great man in their time; they -gave him considerable sums of money, and he spent it all among his -own soldiers, the king’s guard, which they had given him to command -after the Armenian. Yagoube taught him and his brother George to -ride on horseback like the Franks, and play tricks with guns and -pikes on horseback; folly, all of it to be sure, but I never heard -he meddled in affairs, or that he spoke ill of any one, much less -did any harm, like those rascals the Greeks when they were in favour -in Joas’s time, for it was not their fault they did not direct every -thing.”--“I hope I never did, said I; sure I am I never so intended, -nor had I any provocation. I have received much good usage from every -one; and the honour, if I do not forget, of a great many professions -and assurances of friendship from you, said I, turning to Gusho. He -hesitated a little, and then added very superciliously, “Aye, aye, we -were, as I think, always friends.”--“You have had, says Powussen, a -devilish many hungry bellies since we left Gondar.”--“You will excuse -me, Sir, replied I, as to that article; I at no time ever found any -difference whether you was in Gondar or not.”--“There, says Gusho, by -St Demetrius, there is a truth for you, and you don’t often hear that -in Begemder. May I suffer death if ever you gave a jar of honey to any -white man in your life.”--“But I, says Powussen, sitting upright on the -floor, and leaving off play, will give you, Yagoube, a present better -than Gusho’s paultry jars of honey. I have brought with me, addressing -himself to me, your double-barrelled gun, and your sword, which I took -from that son of a wh--e Guebra Mehedin: by St Michael, continued -Powussen, if I had got hold of that infidel I would have hanged him -upon the first tree in the way for daring to say that he was one of -my army when he committed that unmanly robbery upon your people. The -Iteghé, your friend, would yesterday have given me ten loads of wheat -for your gun, for she believes I am to carry it back to Begemder again, -and do not mean to give it you, but come to my tent to-morrow and you -shall have it.” I very well understood his meaning, and that he wanted -a present; but was happy to recover my gun at any rate. - -I arose to get away, as what had passed did not please me; for before -the king’s retreat to Tigré, Gusho had sat in my presence uncovered to -the waist, in token of humility, and many a cow, many a sheep, and jar -of honey he had sent me; but my importance was now gone with the king; -I was fallen! and they were resolved, I saw, to make me sensible of it. -I told the queen, on my return, what had passed. They are both brutes, -said she; but Gusho should have known better. - -The next morning, being the 25th, about eight o’clock, I went to -Powussen’s tent. His camp was on the Kahha, near the church of Ledata, -or the Nativity. After waiting near an hour, I was admitted; two women -sat by him, neither handsome nor cleanly dressed; and he returned me my -gun and sword, which was followed by a small present on my part. This, -says he, turning to the women, is a man who knows every thing that is -to come; who is to die, and who is to live; who is to go to the devil, -and who not; who loves her husband, and who cuckolds him.”--“Tell me -then, Yagoube, says one of the women, will Tecla Haimanout and Michael -ever come to Gondar again?”--“I do not know who you mean, Madam, said -I; is it the king and the Ras you mean?”--“Call him the King, says the -other woman in half a whisper; he loves the king.”--“Well, aye, come, -let it be the king then, says she; will the King and Ras Michael ever -come to Gondar?”--“Surely, said I, the king is king, and will go to any -part of his dominions he pleases, and when he pleases; do you not hear -he is already on his way?”--“Aye, aye, by G--d, says Powussen, no fear -he’ll come with a vengeance, therefore I think it is high time that I -was in Begemder.” He then shrugged up his shoulders, and rose, upon -which I took my leave. He had kept me standing all the time; and when -I came to Koscam I made my report as usual to the Iteghé, who laughed -very heartily, though the king’s arrival, which was prophecied, was -likely to be a very serious affair to her. - -That very day, in the evening, came a servant from Ras Michael, with -taunts and severe threats to the queen, to Powussen, and Gusho; he said -he was very quickly bringing the king back to Gondar, and being now -old, intended to pass the rest of his life in Tigré; he, therefore, -hoped they would await the king’s coming to Gondar, and chuse a Ras for -his successor from among themselves, as he understood they were all -friends, and would easily agree, especially as it was to _oblige him_. - -On the 27th, Gusho and Powussen waited upon the queen to take their -leave. They declared it was not their intention to stay at Gondar, -merely to be alternately the subject of merriment and scoffing to -Michael and to Fasil, and upon this they immediately set out on their -way home, without drum or trumpet, or any parade whatever. - -Immediately after, arrived another servant from Fasil to the queen, -desiring that Powussen and Gusho might halt at Emfras, adding, that -he had just then begun his march from Buré, and would be at Gondar in -a few days. Gusho and Powussen did accordingly halt there, and were -detained for the space of six weeks, amused by false pretences and -messages, in very uncomfortable quarters, till their armies disbanded, -the soldiers, from hunger and constant rains, deserted their leaders, -and went every man to his home. - -In the beginning of August the queen came to Gondar, and sat on the -throne all day. She had not been there these three years, and I -sincerely wished she had not gone then. It was in meditation that day -to chuse a new king; she was present at that deliberation, and her -intention was known to place a son of Aylo, Joas’s brother, a mere -infant, upon the throne. All those that were in fear of Michael, and -it was very general at that time, cried out against an infant king at -such a critical period; but, old as that princess was, the desire of -reigning had again returned. - -Upon the return of the Iteghé that night to Koscam, Sanuda held a -council of the principal officers that had remained at Gondar, and -fixed upon one Welleta Girgis, a young man of about 24 years of age, -who had, indeed, been reputed Yasous’s son, but his low life and -manners had procured him safety and liberty by the contempt they had -raised in Ras Michael. His mother, indeed, was of a noble origin, but -so reduced in fortune as to have been obliged to gain her livelihood by -carrying jars of water for hire. The mother swore this son was begot by -Yasous, and as that prince was known not to have been very nice in his -choice of mistresses, or limited in their number, it was, perhaps, as -likely to be true as not, that Welleta Girgis was his son. He took the -name of Socinios. On the morning after, the new king came to Koscam, -attended by Sanuda and his party, with guards, and all the ensigns -of royalty. He threw himself at the Iteghé’s feet, and begged her -forgivenness if he had vindicated the rights of his birth, without her -leave or participation; he declared his resolution to govern entirely -by her advice, and begged her to grant his request and come to Gondar, -and again take possession of her place as Iteghé, or regent of the -kingdom. - -It was about the 10th of August that an accident happened, which it -was generally thought would have determined Fasil to come to Gondar. A -common woman, wife of a Galla at Tchelga, a town upon the frontiers -of Sennaar, being at variance with her husband, upbraided him with -being the person that, with his own hand, had assassinated the late -king Joas. This Galla was immediately seized and sent to Gondar, and -was examined before the queen, where I was present. He, with very -little hesitation, declared, That, on a night immediately after the -battle of Azazo, he was sent for to Ras Michael, who gave him some -money and large promises, on condition that he would undertake to -murder the king that night. The persons present were Laeca Netcho, and -his two sons, Nebrit Tecla and his two sons, Shalaka Becro relation -to the present king, and Woldo Hawaryat a monk of Tigré The prisoner -said, he was afraid, if he should refuse, they would murder him for -the sake of secrecy. He further said, that they had given him spirits -to drink till he was intoxicated, and then delivered to him the keys -of the apartments where Joas was confined, and they all went with him -to the palace; they found the unfortunate king alone, walking in his -apartment, very pensive, and, though at the late hour of twelve at -night, dressed in his usual habit. Two of Laeca Netcho’s sons attempted -to put a cord round his neck, but the king, being young and strong, -shewed a disposition to defend himself, and wrested the cord out of the -murderers hands; upon which Zor Woldo (the name of the Galla) struck -him a violent blow with a bludgeon on the head, which felled him to the -ground: The others then, with a short cord, strangled him, the monk, -Woldo Hawaryat, crying, dispatch him quickly; after this they carried -the body to the neighbouring church of St Raphael, where a grave, or -rather hole, was ready, into which they threw it with the clothes just -as he was. The prisoner said, That, when they were carrying the king’s -body out of the palace into the church-yard, over a breach in the -church-yard wall, they were challenged by a person, who asked them what -they were about? to which they replied, Burying a stranger who died -that day of a pestilential fever. - -Immediately upon this confession, the Galla was carried out and hanged -upon the daroo-tree before the king’s gate. Many condemned this hasty -execution, but many likewise thought it prudent; for he had already -named a great part of the people about the queen as accessary to the -death of her son. - -I have said his name was Zor Woldo; he was of the race of Galla, -called Toluma, on the borders of Amhara; he had been formerly a -servant to Kasmati Becro; was of small stature, thin and lightly made; -his complexion a yellowish black, and singularly ill-favoured. When -under the tree, he acknowledged the murder of the king with absolute -indifference; nor did he desire any favour, or shew any fear of death. -Zor Woldo’s examination and declaration were sent immediately to Fasil, -who, as usual, promised to come to Gondar quickly. The body of Joas was -raised also, and laid in the church (in his clothes, just as he was dug -up) upon a little straw; his features were easily distinguishable, but -some animal had ate part of his cheek. - -The day after, I went from Koscam to Gondar without acquainting the -Iteghé, and took a Greek called Petros with me; he had been chamberlain -to Joas. We went about eleven o’clock in the forenoon to the church -of St Raphael, expecting to have seen many as curious as ourselves, -but, by reason of the atrociousness of the act, now for the first -time known to be true, and the fear of Ras Michael threatening Gondar -every day, not a living soul was there but a monk belonging to the -church itself, who kept the key. It was thought criminal to know what -it was apparent Michael had wished to conceal. Petros no sooner saw his -master’s face than, saying, It is he! he ran off with all the speed -possible: for my part, I was shocked at the indecent manner in which -the body was exposed; it affected me more than the murder itself, for -it appeared as if it had been thrown down upon the ground, the head, -arms, and legs lying in all sorts of directions, and great part of -his haunch and thigh bare. I desired the monk to lock the door, and -come along with me to Petros’s house. Petros was a merchant who sold -carpets, and such sort of goods used in the country, which he brought -from Cairo. It was full an hour before we could make him behave -sensibly, or deliver me a small Persian carpet, such as Mahometans use -to pray upon, that is about seven feet long and four feet broad, and -a web of coarse muslin, which I bought of him. I told the priest (for -Petros absolutely refused to return to the church) how to lay the body -decently upon the carpet, and to cover his face and every part with -the muslin cloth, which might be lifted when any body came to see the -corpse. - -The priest received the carpet with great marks of satisfaction, and -told me it was he who had challenged the murderers when carrying the -body over the wall; that he knew them well, and suspected they had been -about some mischief; and, upon hearing the king was missing the next -day, he was firmly convinced it was his body that had been buried. Upon -going also to the place early in the morning, he had found one of the -king’s toes, and part of his foot, not quite covered with earth, from -the haste the murderers were in when they buried him; these he had -put properly out of sight, and constantly ever after, as he said, had -watched the place in order to hinder the grave from being disturbed, or -any other person being buried there. - -About the beginning of October, Guebra Selassé, a servant of the king -and one of the porters in the palace, came on a message to the queen. -It was a laconic one, but very easily understood.--“Bury your boy, -now you have got him; or, when I come, I will bury him, and some of -his relations with him.” Joas, upon this, was privately buried. As -this Selassé was a favourite of mine, who took care of my shoes when -I pulled them off to go into the audience-room, I waited impatiently -for this messenger’s coming to my apartment, which he did late in the -evening. I was alone, and he advanced so softly that I did not at first -hear or know him; but, when the door was shut, he began to give two -or three capers; and, pulling out a very large horn, “Drink! drink! -G--d d--n! repeating this two or three times, and brandishing his horn -over his head. Selassé, said I, have you lost your senses, or are you -drunk? you used to be a sober man.”--“And so I am yet, says he, I have -not tasted a morsel since noon; and, being tired of running about on -my affairs, I am now come to you for my supper, as I am sure you’ll -not poison me for my master’s sake, nor for my own either, and I have -now enemies enough in Gondar.”--“I then asked, How is the king?”--“Did -not you hear, said he--Drink!--the king told me to say this to you -that you might know me to be a true messenger.” And an Irish servant -of mine, opening the door in the instant, thinking it was I that -called _drink_! Selassé adroitly continued, “He knows you are curious -in horns, and sent you this, desiring me first to get it filled at the -Iteghé’s with good red wine, which I have done; and now, Hallo! Drink! -Englishman!” He then added in a whisper, when the servant had shut the -door, “I’ll tell it you all after supper, when the house is quiet, for -I sleep here all night, and go to Tigré to-morrow morning.” - -The time being come, he informed me Ras Michael and Fasil had made -peace; Welleta Michael, the Ras’s nephew, taken by Fasil at the battle -of Limjour, had been the mediator; that the king and Michael, by their -wise behaviour, had reconciled Tigré as one man, and that the Ras -had issued a proclamation, remitting to the province of Tigré their -whole taxes from the day they passed the Tacazzé till that time next -year, in consideration of their fidelity and services; and this had -been solemnly proclaimed in several places by beat of drum. The Ras -declared, at the same time, that he would, out of his own private -fortune, without other assistance, bear the expence of the campaign -till he seated the king on his throne in Gondar. A kind of madness, he -said, had seized all ranks of people to follow their sovereign to the -capital; that the mountain Haramat still held out; but that all the -principal friends, both of Za Menfus and Netcho, had been up with the -governors of that fortress offering terms of peace and forgivenness, -and desiring they would not be an obstacle in the king’s way, and a -hinderance to his return, but that all terms had been as yet refused; -however, says he, you know the Ras as well as I, he will play them a -trick some of these days, winking with his eye, and then crying out, -Drink! - -I asked him if any notice had been taken of the carpet I had procured -to cover the body of Joas, and hoped it had given no umbrage. He said, -“No; none at all; on the contrary, the king had said twenty kind things -upon it; that he was present also when a priest told it to Ras Michael, -who only observed, Yagoube, who is a stranger in this country, is -shocked to see a man taken out of his grave, and thrown like a dog upon -the bare floor. This was all Michael said, and he never mentioned a -word on the subject afterwards;” nor did he, or the king, ever speak of -it to me upon their return to Gondar. - -The Iteghé, too, had much commended me, so did all the nobility, more -than the thing deserved; for surely common humanity dictated thus much, -and the fear of Michael, which I had not, was the only cause that so -proper an action was left in a stranger’s power. Even Ozoro Esther, -enemy to Joas on account of the death of her husband Mariam Barea, -after I had attended her one Sunday from church to the house of the -Iteghé, and when she was set down at the head of a circle of all those -that were of distinction at the court, called out aloud to me, as I was -passing behind, and pointing to one of the most honourable seats in the -room, said, Sit down there, Yagoube; God has exalted you above all in -this country, when he has put it in your power, though but a stranger, -to confer charity upon the king of it. All was now acclamation, -especially from the ladies; and, I believe, I may safely say, I had -never in my life been a favourite of so many at one time. - -I dispatched Guebra Selassé with a message to the king, that I was -resolved now to try once more a journey to the head of the Nile; that -I thought I should have time to be there, and return to Gondar, before -the Tacazzé was fordable, soon after which I expected he would cross -it, and that nothing but want of health would prevent me from joining -him in Belessen, or sooner, if any opportunity should offer. - -Before I took my last resolutions I waited upon the queen. She was -exceedingly averse to the attempt; she bade me remember what the last -trial had cost me; and begged me to defer any further thoughts of it -till Fasil arrived in Gondar; that she would then deliver me into his -hands, and procure from him sure guides, together with a safe conduct. -She bade me beware also of troops of Pagan Galla which were passing -and repassing to and from his army, who, if they fell in with me, -would murder me without mercy. She added, that the priests of Gojam -and Damot were mortal enemies to all men of my colour, and, with a -word, would raise the peasants against me. This was all true; but then -many reasons, which I had weighed well, concurred to shew that this -opportunity, dangerous as it was, might be the only time in which my -enterprise could be practicable; for I was confident a speedy rupture -between Fasil and Michael would follow upon the king’s return to -Gondar. I determined therefore to set out immediately without farther -loss of time. - - - - -CHAP. VIII. - -_Second Journey to discover the Source of the Nile--Favourable Turn of -the King’s Affairs in Tigré--We fall in with Fasil’s Army at Bamba._ - - -Though the queen shewed very great dislike to my attempting this -journey at such a time, yet she did not positively command the -contrary; I was prepared, therefore, to leave Gondar the 27th of -October 1770, and thought to get a few miles clear of the town, and -then make a long stretch the next day. I had received my quadrant, -time-keeper, and telescopes from the island of Mitraha, where I had -placed them after the affair of Guebra Mehedin, and had now put them in -the very best order. - -But, about twelve o’clock, I was told a message from Ras Michael had -arrived with great news from Tigré. I went immediately to Koscam as -fast as I could gallop, and found there Guebra Christos, a man used -to bring the jars of bouza to Ras Michael at his dinner and supper: -low men are always employed on such errands, that they may not, from -their consequence excite a desire of vengeance. The message that he -brought was to order bread and beer to be ready for 30,000 men who were -coming with the king, as he had just decamped from before the mountain -Haramat, which he had taken, and put Za Menfus to the sword, with every -man that was in it: this message struck the queen with such a terror -that she was not visible the whole day. - -After asking the messenger if he had any word from the king to me, he -said, “Very little;” that the king had called him to tell me he should -soon begin his march by Belessen; and that he would send for me to meet -him when he should arrive at Mariam-Ohha; he told me besides, that the -king had got a stone for me with writing upon it of old times, which he -was bringing to me; that it had been dug up at Axum, and was standing -at the foot of his bed, but that he did not order him to tell me this, -and had only learned it from the servants. My curiosity was very much -raised to know what this stone could be, but I soon saw it was in vain -to endeavour to learn any thing from Guebra Christos; he answered in -the affirmative to every inquiry: when I asked if it was blue, it was -blue; and if black, it was black; it was round, and square, and oblong, -just as I put my question to him: all he knew about it at last, he -said, was, that it cured all sort of sickness; and, if a man used it -properly, it made him invulnerable and immortal: he did not, however, -pretend to warrant this himself, but swore he had the account from -a priest of Axum who knew it. I was perfectly satisfied all further -inquiry was unnecessary; he had got a very plentiful portion of bouza -from his friends, and was, I saw, fast engaged in the pursuit of more, -so I gave him a small present for his good news, and took my leave, my -mind being full of reflections upon the king’s goodness, who, after -such an absence, and in so critical a situation as he then was, still -remembered the trifling pursuits in which he had seen me often engaged. - -In the afternoon I received a message from Ozoro Esther, as brought -to her by a servant of Ras Michael. It seems the giving up the king’s -revenue due from Tigré, and all sort of taxes upon the inhabitants, -had interested the whole province so strongly, that all of them, as -one man, endeavoured to remove the obstacle which stood in the way of -the king’s return: Michael, moreover, offered peace and pardon to the -rebels, certain compensations, and an amnesty of all that was past. All -the friends, both of Netcho and Za Menfus, and the other leaders upon -the mountain, endeavoured to persuade them to accept the terms offered, -whilst all the priests and hermits, eminent for sanctity, became as -mediators between them and Ras Michael: this intercourse, though it had -no effect upon Za Menfus, had seduced Netcho, and opened a large field -for treachery. - -In the midst of this treaty, Kefla Yasous, with a detachment of chosen -men, in a very stormy night, was appointed to ascend up a private path -to that part of the mountain where Netcho kept the principal guard, -and being admitted, found the garrison mostly asleep; he surprised and -obliged them to surrender, with very little bloodshed; Za Menfus was -taken prisoner, and, while Kefla Yasous conducted him to the camp, -was met by Guebra Mascal, who thrust him through with a lance, as a -retaliation for his father’s death. Netcho and the rest of the garrison -being pardoned, all joined Ras Michael’s army. I looked upon these news -as a good omen, and experienced a degree of confidence and composure of -mind to which I for a long time had been a stranger. I slept sound that -night, and it was not till half after nine in the morning that I was -ready for my journey. - -In the evening before, I had endeavoured to engage my old companion -Strates to accompany me on this attempt as he had done, on the former; -but the recollection of past dangers and sufferings was not yet -banished from his mind; and upon my asking him to go and see the head -of this famous river, he coarsely, according to his stile, answered, -Might the devil fetch him if ever he sought either his head or his tail -again. - -It was on the 28th of October, at half past nine in the morning, that -we left Gondar, and passed the river Kahha at the foot of the town; -our route was W. S. W. the road a little rugged upon the side of a -hill, but the day was fair, with sunshine; and a small breeze from -the north had risen with the sun, and made the temperature of the air -perfectly agreeable. We left the church of Ledeta about a mile on the -right, and passed by several poor villages called Abba Samuel; thence -we came to the small river Shimfa, then to the Dumaza, something -larger. Upon the banks of this river, very pleasantly situated, is -Azazo, a country-house built by the late king Yasous, who often retired -here to relax himself with his friends. It is surrounded, I may say -covered, with orange-trees, so as to be scarcely seen; the trees are -grown very large and high; they are planted without order, the only -benefit expected from them being the shade. At some small distance is -the village Azazo, originally built for the accommodation of the king’s -servants while he resided there, but now chiefly occupied by monks -belonging to the large church of Tecla Haimanout, which is on a little -hill adjoining. Azazo, though little, is one of the most chearful -and pleasant villages in the neighbourhood of Gondar. The lemon-tree -seems to thrive better and grow higher than the orange; but the house -itself is going fast to ruin, as the kings of this country have a fixed -aversion to houses built by their predecessors. - -The Dumaza is a very clear and pleasant stream, running briskly over a -small bed of pebbles: both this river and the Shimfa come from Woggora -on the N. W. they pass the hill of Koscam, called Debra Tzai, join -below Azazo, and, traversing the flat country of Dembea, they meet the -Angrab, which passes by Gondar, and with it fall into the Tacazzè, or -Atbara. - -At noon we passed a small rivulet called Azzargiha, and, soon after, -the Chergué, where there began a most violent storm of rain, which -forced us, much against our will, into the village, one of the most -miserable I ever entered; it consisted of small hovels built with -branches of trees, and covered with thatch of straw. These rains that -fall in the latter season are what the natives very much depend upon, -and without which they could not sow the latter crops; for, though it -rains violently every day from May to the beginning of September, by -the end of October the ground is so burnt that the country would be -unfit for culture. - -Our quarters here were so bad that we were impatient to depart, -but came to a water just below Chergué, which quickly made us wish -ourselves back in the village; this is a torrent that has no springs in -the hills, but only great basons, or reservoirs, of stone; and, though -it is dry all the year else, yet, upon a sudden, violent shower, as -this was, it swells in an instant, so that it is impassable for man or -horse by any device whatever. This violence is of short duration; we -waited above half an hour, and then the peasants shewed us a place, -some hundred yards above, where it was shallower; but even here we -passed with the utmost difficulty, from the impetuosity of the stream, -after getting all possible assistance from four people of the village; -but we stood very much in need of some check to our impatience, so -eager were we to get forward and finish our journey before some -revolution happened. - -We had not many minutes been delivered from this torrent, before -we passed two other rivers, the one larger, the other smaller. All -these rivers come from the north-west, and have their sources in the -mountains a few miles above, towards Woggora, from which, after a short -course on the side of the hills, they enter the low, flat country of -Dembea, and are swallowed up in the Tzana. - -We continued along the side of the hill in a country very thinly -inhabited; for, it being directly in the march of the army, the -peasants naturally avoided it, or were driven from it. Our road was -constantly intersected by rivers, which abound, in the same space, -more than in any other country in the world. We then came to the river -Derma, the largest and most rapid we had yet met with, and soon after -a smaller, called Ghelghel Derma. In the afternoon, at a quarter past -three, we passed another river, called Gavi-Corra; these, like the -others, all point as radii to the center of the lake, in which they -empty themselves. A little before four o’clock we encamped on the -side of the river Kemona. Upon the hill, on the other side of the -river, stands the village of that name; it was full of cattle, very -few of which we had seen during the fore-part of the journey; we had -all that day travelled six hours and a quarter, which we computed not -to exceed 14 miles: the reason of this slowness was the weight of my -quadrant, which, though divided into two, required four men to carry -it, tied upon bamboo, as upon two chair-poles. The time-keeper and two -telescopes employed two men more. We pitched our tent on the side of -the river, opposite to the village, and there passed the night. - -On the 29th of October, at seven in the morning, we left our station, -the river Kemona; our direction was W. S. W. after, about an hour, we -came to a church called Abba Abraham, and a village that goes by the -same name; it is immediately upon the road on the left hand. At the -distance of about a mile are ten or twelve villages, all belonging to -the Abuna, and called Ghendi, where many of his predecessors have been -buried. The low, hot, unwholesome, woody part of the Abyssinian Kolla, -and the feverish, barren province of Walkayt, lay at the distance of -about fourteen or sixteen miles on our right. We had been hitherto -ascending a gentle rising-ground in a very indifferent country, the -sides of the hill being skirted with little rugged wood, and full of -springs, which join as they run down to the low country of Walkayt. We -saw before us a small hill called Guarré, which is to the south-west. -At half past ten we rested under the before-mentioned hill; it stands -alone in the plain, in shape like a sugar-loaf, and seems almost as -regular as if it had been a work of art. At a quarter past eleven we -resumed our journey, our course always nearly west south-west; we -passed the small village of Bowiha, at the distance of about a mile; -and, on the left, about six miles, is Gorgora, a peninsula that runs -into the lake Tzana for several miles. - -There was one of the first and most magnificent churches and -monasteries of the Portuguese Jesuits, in the time of their mission to -convert this country: Socinios, then king, gave them the grounds, with -money for the expence; they built it with their own hands, and lined -it elegantly with cedar. The king, who was a zealous Roman Catholic, -chose afterwards a country-house for himself there, and encouraged them -much by his presents and by his charity; it is one of the pleasantest -situations in the world; the vast expanse of the lake is before you; -Dembea, Gojam, and Maitsha, flat and rich countries all round, are in -view; and the tops of the high hills of Begemder and Woggora close the -prospect. - -The lake here, I am told, has plenty of fish, which is more than can -be said for many of the other parts of it; the fish are of two kinds, -both of them seemingly a species of what the English call _bream_. I -never could make them to agree with me, which I attribute to the drug -with which they are taken; it is of the nature of _nux vomica_, pounded -in a morter, and thrown into streams, where they run into the lake; -the fish, feeding there, are thus intoxicated and taken; however, it -would admit of a doubt of this being the reason, because the queen -and all the great people in Gondar eat them in Lent without any bad -consequences. - -The great elevation of the peninsula of Gorgora makes it one of the -healthiest, as well as beautiful parts of the country; for, out of this -neck of land, at several different seasons of the year, the inhabitants -of the flat country suffer from malignant fevers. From Gondar hither we -had always been edging down to the lake. - -At a quarter before noon we halted to rest upon the banks of a small -river called Baha; the country was rich, and cultivated; great part -of it, too, was laid out in pasture, and flocked with an immense -quantity of cattle. At one o’clock we resumed our journey, going west -south-west as before; we were apparently turning the north end of the -lake as short as possible, to set our face due south to the country of -the Agows. At a quarter before three we pitched our tents at Bab Baha, -after having travelled five hours and three quarters, which we computed -to be equal to twelve miles. The first part of our journey this day was -not like that of the day before; the road was, indeed, rough, burled -through very agreeable valleys and gentle-rising hills; it appeared, -on the whole, however, that we had ascended considerably since we left -Gondar. - -The country about Bab Baha is the richest in Abyssinia; this on the -south, and Woggora on the north, are the two granaries that supply -the rest of the kingdom. Bab Baha is a parcel of small villages, more -considerable in number and strength than those at Kemona, and is near -the lake Tzana. The queen and many of her relations have here their -houses and possessions, and these, therefore, being respected by -Michael, had not been involved in the devastation of the late war. -The villages are all surrounded with Kol-quall trees, as large at the -trunk as those we met on the side of the mountain of Taranta, when we -ascended it on our journey from Masuah to enter into the province of -Tigré; but the tree wants much of the beauty of those of Tigré; the -branches are fewer in number, less thorny, and less indented, which -seems to prove that this is not the climate for them. - -The 30th of October, at six in the morning, we continued our journey -from Bab Baha still rounding the lake at W. S. W. and on the very brink -of it: the country here is all laid out in large meadows of a deep, -black, rich soil, bearing very high grass, through the midst of which -runs the river Sar-Ohha, which, in English, is the Grassy River; it is -about forty yards broad and not two feet deep, has a soft clay bottom, -and runs from north to south into the lake Tzana. - -We turned out of the road to the left at Bab Baha, and were obliged -to go up the hill; in a quarter of an hour we reached the high road -to Mescala Christos. At seven o’clock we began to turn more to the -southward, our course being S. W.; three miles and a half on our right -remained the village of Tenkel; and four miles and a half that of -Tshemmera to the N. N. W.; we were now close to the border of the -lake, whose bottom here is a fine sand. Neither the fear of crocodiles, -nor other monsters in this large lake, could hinder me from swimming -in it for a few minutes. Though the sun was very warm, the water was -intensely cold, owing to the many fresh streams that pour themselves -continually into the lake Tzana from the mountains. The country here is -sown with dora, which is maize, or millet; and another plant, not to -be distinguished from our marigold either in size, shape, or foliage; -it is called Nook[118], and furnishes all Abyssinia with oil for the -kitchen, and other uses. - -At a quarter past nine we rested a little at Delghi Mariam; the village -called simply Delghi, adjoining to it, is but small, and on the S. W. -is the hill of Goy Mariam, where the queen-mother has a house. All the -habitations in this country were burnt by Ras Michael in his return -to Gondar after the battle of Fagitta. The mountain Debra Tzai above -Koscam, was seen this day at N. E. and by E. from us. - -At a quarter past ten we again set out, our route being S. W. at eleven -we left the small village Arrico, about two miles on our right. At a -quarter past eleven we halted to rest our men; we passed the church of -St Michael on our right, and at a quarter past one we passed two small -islands in the lake, called Kedami Aret; and, half an hour after, we -passed a small river, and came to Mescala Christos, a large village -upon a high mountain, the summit of which it occupies entirely; it -is surrounded on both sides by a river, and the descent is steep and -dangerous. We thought to have staid here all night; but, after mounting -the hill with great fatigue and trouble, we found the whole village -abandoned, on intelligence that Waragna Fasil was on his march to -Gondar, and not far distant. - -This intelligence, which came all at once upon us, made us lay aside -the thoughts of sleeping that night; we descended the hill of Mescala -Christos in great haste, and with much difficulty, and came to the -river Kemon below it, clear and limpid, but having little water, -running over a bed of very large stones. This river, too, comes from -the north-west, and falls into the lake a little below; we rested on -its banks half an hour, the weather being very sultry; from this place -we had a distinct view of the Nile, where, after crossing the lake, it -issues out near Dara, the scene of our former misfortunes; we set it -carefully by the compass, and it bore nearly S. W. - -We began our journey again at three quarters after two, and at half -after three we passed a river, very clear, with little water, the name -of which I have forgot; by the largeness of its bed it seemed to be -a very considerable stream in winter; at present it had very little -water, but a fine gravelly bottom; here we met multitudes of peasants -flying before the army of Fasil, many of whom, seeing us, turned out -of the way; one of these was a servant of Guebra Ehud, brother to Ayto -Aylo, my most intimate friend: he told us it was very possible that -Fasil would pass us that night, advised us not to linger in the front -of such an army, but fall in as soon as possible with his Fit-Auraris, -rather than any other of his advanced posts; he was carrying a message -to his master’s brother at Gondar. I told him I had rather linger in -the front of such an army than in the rear of it, and should be very -sorry to be detained long, even in the middle of it; that I only wished -to salute Fasil, and procure a pass and recommendations from him to -Agow Midre. - -Ayto Aylo’s servant, who was with me, presently made acquaintance -with this man, and I trusted him to learn from him as much as he knew -about Fasil; the result was, that Fasil pretended to be in a violent -hurry, from what motive was not known; but that he, at the same time, -marched very slowly, contrary to his usual custom; that his speech and -behaviour promised peace, and that he had hurt nobody on the way, but -proclaimed constantly, that all people should keep their houses without -fear; that Ayto Woldo of Maitsha, a great robber, was his Fit-Auraris, -and never distant from him more than three miles; that the troops of -Agow, Maitsha, and Damot, were with him, and with some Galla of Gojam -and Metchakel composed the van and center of his army, whilst his rear -consisted of wild lawless Galla, whom he had brought from the other -side of the Nile from Bizamo, his own country, and were commanded by -Ayto Welleta Yasous, his great confident; that these Galla were half a -day generally behind him, and there was some talk that, the same day, -or the next, he was to send these invaders home; that he marched as if -he was in fear; always took strong posts, but had received every body -that came to him, either from the country or Gondar, affably and kindly -enough, but no one knew any thing of his intentions. - -About half past four o’clock we fell in with Woldo, his Fit-Auraris, -whom I did not know. Ayto Aylo’s servant, however, was acquainted with -him; we asked him some questions about his master, which he answered -very candidly and discreetly; on his part he made no inquiry, and -seemed to have little curiosity about us; he had taken his post, and -was advancing no farther that night. I made him a little present at -taking my leave, which he seemed surprised at; and, very much contrary -to my expectations, had some difficulty about receiving, saying, he -was ashamed that he had not any return for us; that he was a soldier, -and had nothing but the lance in his hand and the goat’s skin on his -shoulders, neither of which he could be sure to possess for twenty-four -hours; he then told us that Fasil had, by that time, pitched his tent -at Bamba, within a mile of us, and was to dispatch the wild Galla from -thence to their own country: he gave us a man who, he said, would take -care of us, and desired us not to dismiss him till we had seen Fasil, -and not to pitch our tent, but rather to go into one of the empty -houses of Bamba, as all the people had fled. We now parted equally -contented with each other; at the same time I saw he sent off another -man, who went swiftly on, probably to carry advice of us to Fasil: we -had staid with him something less than half an hour. - - - - -CHAP. IX. - -_Interview with Fasil--Transactions in the Camp._ - - -We found Bamba a collection of villages, in a valley now filled with -soldiers. We went to the left with our guide, and got a tolerable -house, but the door had been carried away. Fasil’s tent was pitched -a little below us, larger than the others, but without further -distinction: it was easily known, however, by the lights about it, -and by the nagareet, which still continued beating: he was then just -alighting from his horse. I immediately sent Ayto Aylo’s servant, whom -I had with me, to present my compliments, and acquaint him of my being -on the road to visit him. I thought now all my difficulties were over: -for I knew it was in his power to forward us to our journey’s end; and -his servants, whom I saw at the palace near the king, when Fasil was -invested with his command, had assured me, not only of an effectual -protection, but also of a magnificent reception if I chanced to find -him in Maitsha. - -It was now, however, near eight at night of the 30th before I received -a message to attend him. I repaired immediately to his tent. After -announcing myself, I waited about a quarter of an hour before I was -admitted; he was sitting upon a cushion with a lion’s skin upon it, -and another stretched like a carpet before his feet, and had a cotton -cloth, something like a dirty towel, wrapped about his head; his -upper cloak, or garment, was drawn tight about him over his neck and -shoulders, so as to cover his hands; I bowed, and went forward to kiss -one of them, but it was so entangled in the cloth that I was obliged -to kiss the cloth instead of the hand. This was done either as not -expecting I should pay him that compliment, (as I certainly should not -have done, being one of the king’s servants, if the king had been at -Gondar) or else it was intended for a mark of disrespect, which was -very much of a-piece with the rest of his behaviour afterwards. - -There was no carpet or cushions in the tent, and only a little straw, -as if accidentally, thrown thinly about it. I sat down upon the ground, -thinking him sick not knowing what all this meant; he looked stedfastly -at me, saying, half under his breath, Endett nawi? bogo nawi? which, in -Amharic, is, How do you do? Are you very well? I made the usual answer, -Well, thank God. He again stopt, as for me to speak; there was only one -old man present, who was sitting on the floor mending a mule’s bridle. -I took him at first for an attendant, but observing that a servant -uncovered held a candle to him, I thought he was one of his Galla, but -then I saw a blue silk thread, which he had about his neck, which is a -badge of Christianity all over Abyssinia, and which a Galla would not -wear. What he was I could not make out; he seemed, however, to be a -very bad cobler, and took no notice of us. - -Ayto Aylo’s servant, who stood behind me, pushed me with his knee, as -a sign that I should speak, which I accordingly began to do with some -difficulty. “I am come, said I, by your invitation, and the king’s -leave, to pay my respects to you in your own government, begging that -you would favour my curiosity so far as to suffer me to see the country -of the Agows, and the source of the Abay, or Nile, part of which I have -seen in Egypt.” “The source of the Abay! exclaimed he, with a pretended -surprise, do you know what you are saying? Why, it is, God knows where, -in the country of the Galla, wild, terrible people. The source of the -Abay! Are you raving! repeats he again: Are you to get there, do you -think, in a twelvemonth, or more, or when?” “Sir, said I, the king -told me it was near Sacala, and still nearer Geesh; both villages of -the Agows, and both in your government.” “And so you know Sacala and -Geesh? says he, whistling and half angry[119].” “I can repeat the names -that I hear, said I; all Abyssinia knows the head of the Nile.”--“Aye, -says he, imitating my voice and manner, but all Abyssinia won’t carry -you there, that I promise you.” “If you are resolved to the contrary, -said I, they will not; I wish you had told the king so in time, then -I should not have attempted it; it was relying upon you alone I came -so far, confident, if all the rest of Abyssinia could not protect me -there, that your word singly could do it.” - -He now put on a look of more complacency. “Look you, Yagoube, says he, -it is true I can do it; and, for the king’s sake who recommended it to -me, I would do it; but the Acab Saat, Abba Salama, has sent to me, to -desire me not to let you pass further; he says it is against the law of -the land to permit Franks like you to go about the country, and that he -has dreamed something ill will befal me if you go into Maitsha.” I was -as much irritated as I thought it possible for me to be. “So so, said -I, the time of priests, prophets, and dreamers is coming on again.” “I -understand you, says he laughing for the first time; I care as little -for priests as Michael does, and for prophets too, but I would have you -consider the men of this country are not like yours; a boy of these -Galla would think nothing of killing a man of your country. You white -people are all effeminate; you are like so many women; you are not -fit for going into a province where all is war, and inhabited by men, -warriors from their cradle.” - -I saw he intended to provoke me; and he had succeeded so effectually -that I should have died, I believe, imprudent as it was, if I had not -told him my mind in reply. “Sir, said I, I have passed through many of -the most barbarous nations in the world; all of them, excepting this -clan of yours, have some great men among them above using a defenceless -stranger ill. But the worst and lowest individual among the most -uncivilized people never treated me as you have done to-day under your -own roof, where I have come so far for protection.” He asked, “How?” -“You have, in the first place, said I, publicly called me Frank, the -most odious name in this country, and sufficient to occasion me to be -stoned to death without further ceremony, by any set of men wherever -I may present myself. By Frank you mean one of the Romish religion, -to which my nation is as adverse as yours; and again, without having -ever seen any of my countrymen but myself, you have discovered, from -that specimen, that we are all cowards and effeminate people, like, -or inferior to, your boys or women. Look you, Sir, you never heard -that I gave myself out as more than an ordinary man in my own country, -far less to be a pattern of what is excellent in it. I am no soldier, -though I know enough of war to see yours are poor proficients in that -trade. But there are soldiers, friends and countrymen of mine, (one -presents himself to my mind at this instant[120],) who would not -think it an action in his life to vaunt of, that with 500 men he had -trampled all yon naked savages into dust. On this Fasil made a feigned -laugh, and seemed rather to take my freedom amiss. It was, doubtless, -a passionate and rash speech. As to myself, continued I, unskilled in -war as I am, could it be now without further consequence, let me but -be armed in my own country-fashion on horseback, as I was yesterday, -I should, without thinking myself overmatched, fight the two best -horsemen you shall choose from this your army of famous men, who are -warriors from their cradle; and if, when the king arrives, you are not -returned to your duty, and we meet again, as we did at Limjour, I will -pledge myself, with his permission, to put you in mind of this promise. -This did not make things better.” - -He repeated the word _duty_ after me, and would have replied, but my -nose burst out in a stream of blood; and, that instant, Aylo’s servant -took hold of me by the shoulder to hurry me out of the tent. Fasil -seemed to be a good deal concerned, for the blood streamed out upon -my clothes. The old man likewise assisted me when out of the tent; I -found he was Guebra Ehud, Ayto Aylo’s brother, whose servant we had -met on the road. I returned then to my tent, and the blood was soon -staunched by washing my face with cold water. I sat down to recollect -myself, and the more I calmed, the more I was dissatisfied at being put -off my guard; but it is impossible to conceive the provocation without -having proved it. I have felt but too often how much the love of our -native soil increases by our absence from it; and how jealous we are -of comparisons made to the disadvantage of our countrymen by people -who, all proper allowances being made, are generally not their equals, -when they would boast themselves their superiors. I will confess -further, in gratification to my critics, that I was, from my infancy, -of a sanguine, passionate disposition; very sensible of injuries -that I had neither provoked nor deserved; but much reflection, from -very early life, continual habits of suffering in long and dangerous -travels, where nothing but patience would do, had, I flattered myself, -abundantly subdued my natural proneness to feel offences, which, common -sense might teach me, I could only revenge upon myself. - -However, upon further consulting my own breast I found there was -another cause had co-operated strongly with the former in making me -lose my temper at this time, which, upon much greater provocation, I -had never done before. I found now, as I thought, that it was decreed -decisively my hopes of arriving at the source of the Nile were for -ever ended; all my trouble, all my expences, all my time, and all my -sufferings for so many years were thrown away, from no greater obstacle -than the whimsies of one barbarian, whose good inclinations, I thought, -I had long before sufficiently secured; and, what was worse, I was -now got within less than forty miles of the place I so much wished to -see; and my hopes were shipwrecked upon the last, as well as the most -unexpected, difficulty I had to encounter. - -I was just going to bed when Ayto Welleta Michael, Ras Michael’s -nephew, taken at Limjour, and a prisoner with Fasil, though now at -large, came into the tent. I need not repeat the discourse that passed -between us, it was all condolence upon the ill-usage I had met with. He -cursed Fasil, called him a thousand opprobrious names, and said, Ras -Michael one day would shew me his head upon a pole: he hinted, that he -thought Fasil expected a present, and imagined that I intended to pass -the king’s recommendation on him in the place of it. I have a present, -said I, and a very handsome one, but I never thought that, while his -nagareet was still beating, and when he had scarcely pitched his tent -when he was tired, and I no less so, that it was then a time to open -baggage for this purpose; if he had waited till to-morrow, he should -have had a gratification which would have contented him. - -Well, well, said Welleta Michael, as for your journey I shall undertake -for that, for I heard him giving orders about it when I came away, even -though he expects no present; what does the gratifying your curiosity -cost him? he would be ashamed to refuse you permission; his own vanity -would hinder him. This assurance, more than all the quieting draughts -in the world, composed my mind, and brought me to myself. I went to -bed, and falling into a sound sleep, was waked near mid-night by two -of Fasil’s servants, who brought each of them a lean live sheep; they -said they had brought the sheep, and were come to ask how I was, and to -stay all night to watch the house for fear of the thieves in the army; -they likewise brought their master’s order for me to come early in the -morning to him, as he wanted to dispatch me on my journey before he -gave the Galla liberty to return. This dispelled every doubt, but it -raised my spirits so much, that, out of impatience for morning, I slept -very little more that night. - -It was a time of year when it is not broad day till after six o’clock; -I went to the camp and saw Guebra Ehud, who confirmed what Welleta -Michael had said, and that Fasil had given orders for bringing several -of his own horses for me, to choose which he was to present me with; -in effect there were about twelve horses all saddled and bridled, -which were led by a master-groom. I was very indifferent about these -horses, having a good one of my own, and there was none of these that -would in this country have brought 7l. at a market; the servant, who -seemed very officious, pitched upon a bright-bay poney, the fattest of -the whole, but not strong enough in appearance to carry me; he assured -me, however, the horse had excellent paces, was a great favourite of -Fasil’s, but too _dull_ and _quiet_ for him, and desired me to mount -him, though he had no other furniture but the wooden part of a saddle -covered with thin, brown leather, and, instead of stirrups, iron rings. -All the Abyssinians, indeed, ride bare-footed and legged, and put only -their great toe into the iron ring, holding it betwixt their great and -second toe, as they are afraid of being entangled by the stirrup if -their horse falls, should they put their foot into it. - -I consented to try him very willingly. A long experience with the -Moors in Barbary put me above fear of any horse, however vicious, -which I had no reason to think this was; besides, I rode always with a -Barbary bridle, broad stirrups, and short stirrup-leathers, after their -fashion; the bridle is known to every scholar in horsemanship, and -should be used by every light-horseman or dragoon, for the most vicious -horse cannot advance a yard against this bridle, when in a strong hand. -I ordered the seis, or groom, to change the saddle and bridle for mine, -and I had on a pair of spurs with very long and sharp rowels. I saw -presently the horse did not like the bit, but that I did not wonder at; -my saddle was what is called a war saddle, high behind and before, so, -unless the horse fell, it was impossible to throw the rider. I had also -a thick, knotty stick, or truncheon, of about three feet long, instead -of a whip, and well was it for me I was so prepared for him. - -For the first two minutes after I mounted I do not know whether I was -most on the earth or in the air; he kicked behind, reared before, -leaped like a deer, all four off the ground, and it was some time -before I recollected myself; he then attempted to gallop, taking the -bridle in his teeth, but got a check which staggered him; he, however, -continued to gallop; and, finding I slacked the bridle on his neck, -and that he was at ease, he set off and ran away as hard as he could, -flinging out behind every ten yards; the ground was very favourable, -smooth, soft, and up-hill. We passed the post of the Fit-Auraris like -lightning, leaving him exceedingly surprised at seeing me make off -with his master’s horse. He was then going to the head-quarters, but -said nothing at passing; we went down one hill aukwardly enough; and, -when we got to a small plain and a brook below, the horse would have -gone easily enough either a trot or walk up the other, but I had only -to shake my stirrups to make him set off again at a violent gallop, -and when he stopt he trembled all over. I was now resolved to gain a -victory, and hung my upper cloak upon a tree, the attempting which -occasioned a new battle; but he was obliged to submit. I then between -the two hills, half up the one and half up the other, wrought him so -that he had no longer either breath or strength, and I began to think -he would scarce carry me to the camp. - -I now found that he would walk very quietly; that a gentle touch of the -spur would quicken him, but that he had not strength or inclination to -gallop; and there was no more rearing or kicking up behind. I put my -cloak, therefore, about me in the best manner possible, just as if it -had never been ruffled or discomposed by motion, and in this manner -repassing the Fit-Auraris’ quarters, came in sight of the camp, where a -large field sown with teff, and much watered, was in front. I went out -of the road into this field, which I knew was very soft and deep, and -therefore favourable for me. Coming near Fasil’s tent, the horse stopt -upon gently straitening the bridle, as a horse properly broke would -have done, on which my servant took the saddle and bridle, and returned -the groom his own. - -The poor beast made a sad figure, cut in the sides to pieces, and -bleeding at the jaws; and the seis, the rascal that put me upon him, -being there when I dismounted, he held up his hands upon seeing the -horse so mangled, and began to testify great surprise upon the supposed -harm I had done. I took no notice of this, only said, Carry that horse -to your master; he may venture to ride him now, which is more than -either he or you dared to have done in the morning. - -As my own horse was bridled and saddled, and I found myself violently -irritated, I resolved to ride to compose myself a little before another -interview, for I thought this last piece of treachery, that might -have cost me my legs and arms, was worse than what passed in the tent -the night before; it seemed to be aimed at my life, and to put a very -effectual stop to the continuing my journey. My servant had in his -hand a short double-barrelled gun loaded with shot for killing any -uncommon bird we might see by the way. I took the gun and my horse, -and went up the side of the green hill about half way, in fair view -of the camp, and considerably above it, I galloped, trotted, and made -my horse perform every thing he was capable of. He was excellent in -his movements, and very sufficiently trained; this the Galla beheld at -once with astonishment and pleasure; they are naturally fond of horses, -sufficiently perfect in the useful part of horsemanship, to be sensible -of the beauty of the ornamental. - -There was then, as there always is, a vast number of kites following -the camp, which are quite familiar and live upon the carrion; -choosing two gliding near me, I shot first one on the right, then -one on the left; they both fell dead on the ground; a great shout -immediately followed from the spectators below, to which I seemingly -paid no attention, pretending absolute indifference, as if nothing -extraordinary had been done. I then dismounted from my horse, giving -him and my gun to my servant, and, sitting down on a large stone, I -began to apply some white paper to staunch a small scratch the first -horse had given me on the leg, by rubbing it against a thorn tree: -as my trowsers, indeed, were all stained with the blood of the first -horse, much cut by the spur, it was generally thought I was wounded. - -Fasil on this sent for me to come immediately to him, having just got -up from a sleep after a whole night’s debauch. He was at the door -of the tent when I began riding my own horse, and, having seen the -shots, ordered the kites immediately to be brought him: his servants -had laboured in vain to find the hole where the ball, with which I -had killed the birds, had entered; for none of them had ever seen -small-shot, and I did not undeceive them. I had no sooner entered his -tent than he asked me, with great earnestness, to shew him where the -ball had gone through. I gave him no explanation; but, if you have -really an inclination to kill me, said I, you had better do it here, -where I have servants that will bury me, and tell the King and the -Iteghé the kind reception you have given strangers whom they have -recommended. He asked what I meant? What was the matter now? and I was -going to answer, when Welleta Michael told him the whole story, greatly -in my favour, indeed, but truly and plainly as to the trick about the -horse. The Fit-Auraris Woldo said something to him in Galla, which -plainly made the matter worse. Fasil now seemed in a terrible fury, -and said three words to the Fit-Auraris in Galla, who immediately went -out; and, as my servants told me afterwards, after sending for the -seis, or groom, who had brought me the horse, the first salutation that -he gave him was a blow over the head with a bludgeon, which felled him -to the ground, then a dozen more strokes, and ordered him to be put in -irons, after which he returned into the tent. - -Fasil, who heard I was hurt, and saw the quantity of blood upon my -trowsers, held up his hands with a shew of horror and concern, which -plainly was not counterfeited: he protested, by every oath he could -devise, that he knew nothing about the matter, and was asleep at the -time; that he had no horses with him worth my acceptance, except the -one that he rode, but that any horse known to be his, driven before me, -would be a passport, and procure me respect among all the wild people -whom I might meet, and for that reason only he had thought of giving -me a horse. He repeated his protestations that he was innocent, and -heartily sorry for the accident, which, indeed, he appeared to be: he -told me the groom was in irons, and that, before many hours passed, he -would put him to death. I was perfectly satisfied with his sincerity. -I wished to put an end to this disagreeable conversation: “Sir, said -I, as this man has attempted my life, according to the laws of the -country, it is I that should name the punishment.” “It is very true, -replied Fasil, take him, Yagoube, and cut him in a thousand pieces, if -you please, and give his body to the kites.” “Are you really sincere -in what you say, said I, and will you have no after excuses.” He swore -solemnly he would not. “Then, said I, I am a Christian: the way my -religion teaches me to punish my enemies is by doing good for evil; -and therefore I keep you to the oath you have sworn, and desire my -friend the Fit-Auraris to set the man at liberty, and put him in the -place he held before, for he has not been undutiful to you.” - -I need not say what were the sentiments of the company upon the -occasion; they seemed to be most favourable to me; old Guebra Ehud -could not contain himself, but got out of the dark corner, and squeezed -both of my hands in his; and turning to Fasil, said, “Did not I tell -you what my brother Aylo thought about this man?” Welleta Michael -said, “He was just the same all through Tigrè.” Fasil, in a low voice, -replied, “A man that behaves as he does may go thro’ any country.” -They then all begged that I would take care of my wound, looking at -the blood upon my trowsers. I told them it was already staunched; and -turning to Fasil, said, “We white people, you see, are not so terrified -at seeing our own blood as you supposed we were.” He then desired that -the tent might be cleared for a short time, and we all went out. - -About ten minutes after, I was called in to partake of a great -breakfast; honey and butter, and raw beef in abundance, as also some -stewed dishes that were very good. I was very hungry, having tasted -nothing since dinner the day before; and I had had much exercise of -body as well as of mind. We were all very chearful, every one saying -something about the Agows, or of the Nile; and Fasil declaring, if it -was peace, he would carry me to his country across the Nile as far -as the kingdom of Narea. I thanked him. “You are at peace, said I, -with the King and the Ras, and going to meet them at Gondar.”--“At -Gondar, says he, no; I hope not this time; the Ras has work enough on -his hands for the rest of his life.” “What work? said I.” “Why, the -mountain,” replies he. “The mountain Aromata!” “The same, says he; you -never saw such a place; Lamalmon, and all the mountains of Abyssinia, -are nothing to it: he was, when at the prime of life, fifteen years -in taking it from this Netcho’s father.” “But he has been luckier -this time, replied I, by fourteen years.” “How!” says he, with some -amasement. “Pardon me, said I, if I have unawares told you unwelcome -news; but the mountain is taken, the garrison put to the sword, and -Za Menfus, after surrendering, slain, in cold blood by Guebra Mascal, -in revenge for the death of his father.” Fasil had in his hand a blue -cut-glass goblet, gilt round the edges with gold. I had bought it at -Cairo, with several other articles of the same kind, from a merchant -who procured them from Trieste. I had given it to the king, who drank -out of it himself, and had sent it as an honourable token to Fasil from -Dingleber, the day when they made peace, after the battle of Limjour. -Upon hearing what I said, he threw it violently upon the ground, and -broke it into a thousand pieces. “Take care what you say, Yagoube, says -he, take care this be not a lie; tell it me again.” I told him the -whole circumstances from beginning to end; how the news had come to the -Iteghé--who had brought the intelligence--how it had come from the Ras -to Ozoro Esther--and how Kefla Yasous had surprised the mountain by -treachery, having first lulled the besieged asleep by a negociation, -and a proposed mediation of the priests and hermits. On this Fasil -observed, it was the very way Michael took it last time; and, putting -his forefinger in his mouth, bit it very hard, crying, Fool, fool, was -he not warned? We all were again dismissed from the tent, and staid -out about a quarter of an hour, when we were again called in. - -I cannot say but I enjoyed heartily the fright I had visibly given him; -it seemed to me that Aylo’s brother, Guebra Ehud, was the only person -whom he consulted, for it was he alone that remained with him in his -tent when we entered; he had changed his dress; a man was combing his -hair, and perfuming it; and he had a new, white, fine cotton cloth -thrown about his middle loosely, which covered his legs and feet, his -breasts, neck, and shoulders, being quite naked; he rose half up from -his seat when I came in, made me sit down on a cushion beside him, and -was going to speak, when I resolved to have the first word, for fear -he should engage me in more discussions. “Your continual hurry, said -I, all the times I have seen you, has put it out of my power till now -to make you the acknowledgment it is ordinary for strangers to present -when they visit great men in their own country, and ask favours of -them.” I then took a napkin, and opened it before him; he seemed to -have forgot the present altogether, but from that moment I saw his -countenance changed, he was like another man. “O Yagoube, says he, a -present to me! you should be sensible that is perfectly needless; you -were recommended to me by the King and the Ras; you know, says he, we -are friends, and I would do twenty times as much for yourself, without -recommendation from either; besides, I have not behaved to you like a -great man.” - -It was not a very hard thing to conquer these scruples; he took the -several pieces of the present one by one in his hands, and examined -them; there was a crimson silk sash, made at Tunis, about five yards -long, with a silk fringe of the same colour; it was as beautiful a -web of silk as ever I saw; it had a small waved pattern wrought in -it; the next was a yellow, with a red narrow border, or stripe, and a -silver-wrought fringe, but neither so long nor so thick as the other; -the next were two Cyprus manufactured sashes, silk and cotton, with -a sattin stripe, the one broader than the other, but five yards long -each; the next was a Persian pipe, with a long pliable tube, or worm, -covered with Turkey leather, with an amber mouth-piece, and a chrystal -vase for smoking tobacco through water, a great luxury in the eastern -countries; the next were two blue bowls, as fine as the one he had just -then broken, and of the same sort. He shoved them from him, laughing, -and said, “I will not take them from you, Yagoube; this is downright -robbery; I have done nothing for this, which is a present for a -king.”--“It is a present to a friend, said I, often of more consequence -to a stranger than a king; I always except your king, who is the -stranger’s best friend.”--“Though he was not easily disconcerted, he -seemed, at this time, to be very nearly so.”--“If you will not receive -them, continued I, such as they are offered, it is the greatest affront -ever was put upon me; I can never, you know, receive them again.” - -By this he was convinced. More feeble arguments would indeed have -satisfied him, and he folded up the napkin with all the articles, -and gave them to an officer; after which the tent was again cleared -for consultation; and, during this time, he had called his man of -confidence, whom he was to send with us, and instructed him properly. -I saw plainly that I had gained the ascendant; and, in the expectation -of Ras Michael’s speedily coming to Gondar, he was as willing to be on -his journey the one way, as I was the other. I had ordered my servants -and baggage to set out on the road to Dingleber before me, sending Ayto -Aylo’s servant along with them, leaving me only my horse and a common -Abyssinian servant to follow them: all had been ready since early in -the morning, and they had set out accordingly with very great alacrity. - -It was about one o’clock, or after it, when I was admitted to Fasil: -he received me with great complacency, and would have had me sit down -on the same cushion with himself, which I declined. “Friend Yagoube, -says he, I am heartily sorry that you did not meet me at Buré before -I set out; there I could have received you as I ought, but I have -been tormented with a multitude of barbarous people, who have turned -my head, and whom I am now about to dismiss. I go to Gondar in peace, -and to keep peace there, for the king on this side the Tacazzé has no -other friend than me; Powussen and Gusho are both traitors, and so Ras -Michael knows them to be. I have nothing to return you for the present -you have given me, for I did not expect to meet a man like you here in -the fields; but you will quickly be back; we shall meet on better terms -at Gondar; the head of the Nile is near at hand; a horseman, express, -will arrive there in a day. I have given you a good man, well known in -this country to be my servant; he will go to Geesh with you, and return -you to a friend of Ayto Aylo’s and mine, Shalaka Welled Amlac; he has -the dangerous part of the country wholly in his hands, and will carry -you safe to Gondar; my wife is at present in his house: fear nothing, I -shall answer for your safety: When will you set out? to-morrow?” - -I replied, with many thanks for his kindness, that I wished to proceed -immediately, and that my servants were already far off, on the way. You -are going to dismiss those wild people, I would wish to be as clear of -them as possible; I intend to travel long journies, till we part (as I -understand we shall do) from the rout that they are taking. - -You are very much in the right, says Fasil, it was only in the idea -that you was hurt with that accursed horse that I would have wished you -to stay till to-morrow; but throw off these bloody clothes, they are -not decent, I must give you new ones, you are my vassal. I bowed. The -king has granted you Geesh, where you are going, and I must invest you. -A number of his servants hurried me out; Guebra Ehud, Welleta Michael, -and the Fit-Auraris, attended me. I presently threw off my trowsers, -and my two upper garments, and remained in my waistcoat; these were -presently replaced by new ones, and I was brought back in a minute to -Fasil’s tent, with only a fine loose muslin under garment or cloth -round me, which reached to my feet. Upon my coming back to the tent, -Fasil took off the one that he had put on himself new in the morning, -and put it about my shoulders with his own hand, his servants throwing -another immediately over him, saying at the same time to the people, -“Bear witness, I give to you, Yagoube, the Agow Geesh, as fully and -freely as the king has given it me.” I bowed and kissed his hand, as is -customary for feudatories, and he then pointed to me to sit down. - -“Hear what I say to you, continued Fasil; I think it right for you -to make the best of your way now, for you will be the sooner back at -Gondar. You need not be alarmed at the wild people you speak of, who -are going after you, tho’ it is better to meet them coming this way, -than when they are going to their homes; they are commanded by Welleta -Yasous, who is your friend, and is very grateful for the medicines -you sent him at Gondar: he has not been able to see you, being so -much busied with those wild people; but he loves you, and will take -care of you, and you must give me more of that physic when we met at -Gondar.” I again bowed, and he continued,--“Hear me what I say; you -see those seven people (I never saw more thief-like fellows in my -life),--these are all leaders and chiefs of the Galla--savages, if you -please; they are all your brethren.” I bowed. “You may go through their -country as if it were your own, without a man hurting you: you will be -soon related to them all; for it is their custom that a stranger of -distinction, like you, when he is their guest, sleeps with the sister, -daughter, or near relation of the principal men among them. I dare say, -says he archly, you will not think the customs of the Galla contain -greater hardships than those of Amhara.” I bowed, but thought to myself -I shall not put them to the trial. He then jabbered something to them -in Galla which I did not understand. They all answered by the wildest -howl I ever heard, and struck themselves upon the breast, apparently -assenting. - -“When Ras Michael, continued he, came from the battle of Fagitta, the -eyes of forty-four, brethren and relations of these people present, -were pulled out at Gondar, the day after he arrived, and they were -exposed upon the banks of the river Angrab to starve, where most, I -believe, were devoured by the hyæna; you took three of them up to your -house; nourished, cloathed, protected, and kindly treated them.” “They -are now in good health, said I, and want nothing: the Iteghé will -deliver them to you. The only other thing I have done to them was, I -got them baptised: I do not know if that will displease them; I did it -as an additional protection to them, and to give them a title to the -charity of the people of Gondar.” “As for that, says he, they don’t -care the least about baptism; it will neither do them good nor harm; -they don’t trouble themselves about these matters; give them meat and -drink, and you will be very welcome to baptise them all from morning -to night; after such good care these Galla are all your brethren, they -will die for you before they see you hurt.” He then said something to -them in Galla again, and they all gave another assent, and made a shew -of kissing my hand. - -They sat down; and, I must own, if they entertained any good-will -to me, it was not discernible in their countenances. “Besides this, -continued Fasil, you was very kind and courteous to my servants while -at Gondar, and said many favourable things of me before the king; you -sent me a present also, and above all, when Joas my master’s body was -dug up from the church-yard of St Raphael, and all Gondar were afraid -to shew it the least respect, dreading the vengeance of Ras Michael, -you, a stranger, who had never seen him, nor received benefit from -him, at your own expence paid that attention to his remains which -would have better become many at Gondar, and me in particular, had -I been within reach, or had intelligence of the matter: now, before -all these men, ask me any thing you have at heart, and, be it what it -may, they know I cannot deny it you.” He delivered this in a tone and -gracefulness of manner, superior, I think, to any thing I had ever -before seen, although the Abyssinians are all orators, as, indeed, -are most barbarians. “Why then, said I, by all those obligations you -are pleased to mention, of which you have made a recital so truly -honourable to me, I ask you the greatest favour that man can bestow -upon me--send me, as conveniently as possible, to the head of the Nile, -and return me and my attendants in safety, after having dispatched -me quickly, and put me under no constraint that may prevent me from -satisfying my curiosity in my own way.” “This, says he, is no request, -I have granted it already; besides, I owe it to the commands of the -king, whose servant I am. Since, however, it is so much at your heart, -go in peace, I will provide you with all necessaries. If I am alive, -and governor of Damot, as you are, we all know, a prudent and sensible -man, unsettled as the state of the country is, nothing disagreeable can -befal you.” - -He then turned again to his seven chiefs, who all got up, himself and -I, Guebra Ehud, Welleta Michael, and the Fit-Auraris; we all stood -round in a circle, and raised the palm of our hands, while he and -his Galla together repeated a prayer about a minute long; the Galla -seemingly with great devotion. Now, says Fasil, go in peace, you are -a Galla; this is a curse upon them, and their children, their corn, -grass, and cattle, if ever they lift their hand against you or yours, -or do not defend you to the utmost, if attacked by others, or endeavour -to defeat any design they may hear is intended against you. Upon this I -offered to kiss his hand before I took my leave, and we all went to the -door of the tent, where there was a very handsome grey horse bridled -and saddled. “Take this horse, says Fasil, as a present from me; it is -not so good as your own, but, depend upon it, it is not of the kind -that rascal gave you in the morning; it is the horse which I rode upon -yesterday, when I came here to encamp; but do not mount it yourself, -drive it before you saddled and bridled as it is; no man of Maitsha -will touch you when he sees that horse; it is the people of Maitsha -whose houses Michael has burnt that you have to fear, and not your -friends the Galla.” - -I then took the most humble and respectful leave of him possible, -and also of my new-acquired brethren the Galla, praying inwardly -I might never see them again. I recommended myself familiarly and -affectionately to the remembrance of Welleta Michael, the Ras’s nephew, -as well as Guebra Ehud; and turning to Fasil, according to the custom -of the country to superiors, asked him leave to mount on horseback -before him, and was speedily out of sight. Shalaka Woldo (the name of -my guide) did not set out with me, being employed about some affairs of -his own, but he presently after followed, driving Fasil’s horse before -him. - - - - -CHAP. X. - -_Leave Bamba, and continue our Journey southward--Fall in with Fasil’s -Pagan Galla--Encamp on the Kelti._ - - -At Bamba begins a valley full of small hills and trees, all brush-wood, -none of them high enough for timber. On the right hand of the valley -the hills slope gently up, the ground is firm, and grass short like -sheep pasture; the hills on the left are steeper and more craggy, -the lower part of the valley had been cleared of wood, and sown with -different sorts of grain, by the industry of the inhabitants of the -village of that name--industry that had served them to very little -purpose, as the encampment of this wild army destroyed in one night -every vestige of culture they had bestowed upon it. - -Shalaka Woldo was not, to all appearance, a man to protect a stranger -in the middle of a retreating army, disbanded as this was, and -returning to very distant countries, perhaps never to be assembled -again; yet this man was chosen by one that perfectly knew he was above -all others capable of the trust he had reposed in him; he was about 55 -years of age, was by birth an Agow, and had served Fasil’s father from -his infancy, when Kasmati Eshté succeeded to the government of Damot, -upon old Fasil’s death[121]; he had been his servant likewise, as had -young Fasil, so they were both at one time fellow-domestics of Kasmati -Eshté. - -When Fasil had slain this nobleman, and succeeded to his father’s -government of Damot, Shalaka Woldo was taken into his service as an -old servant of his father; it seemed his merit had not entitled him -to further advancement; he had no covering on his head, except long, -bushy, black hair, which just began to be mingled with grey, but no -beard, the defect of all his countrymen. He had a cotton cloth thrown -about his shoulders in many different forms, occasionally as his fancy -suggested to him; but, unless at night, laid it generally upon one -of the mules, and walked himself, his body naked, his shoulders only -covered with a goat’s skin in form of what the women call a tippet; he -had also a pair of coarse cotton trowsers that reached to the middle -of his thigh, and these were fastened at the waistband by a coarse -cotton sash, or girdle, which went six or seven times about his waist, -and in which he stuck a crooked knife, the blade about ten inches -long, and three inches where broadest, which was the only weapon he -wore, and served him to cut his meat, rather than for any weapon -of offence or defence; for a man of consequence, as he was, could -not suppose a possibility of danger while he was in the territory of -his master. Sometimes he had a long pipe in his hand, being a great -smoker; at other times, a stick of about three feet long, something -thicker than one’s thumb, with which he dealt about him very liberally, -either to man, woman, or beast, upon the slightest provocation; he -was bare-legged and footed, and without any mule, but kept up with -us easily at whatever pace we went. With all this he was exceedingly -sagacious and cunning, and seemed to penetrate the meaning of our -discourse, though spoke in a language of which he did not understand a -syllable. - -As for Shalaka Welled Amlac, he was a man whom I shall hereafter -mention as having been recommended to me by Ayto Aylo soon after my -coming to Gondar. I did not, however, choose to let Fasil know of this -connection, for fear he might lead him to some gainful imposition for -his own account in the course of my journey through Maitsha. - -At a quarter past two o’clock of the 31st of October we halted for a -little on the banks of the river Chergué, a small and not very rapid -stream, which coming from the south-west, runs N. E. and loses itself -in the lake Tzana. At three o’clock in the afternoon we passed the -small river of Dingleber, and in a quarter of an hour after came to -a village of that name situated upon the top of a rock, which we -ascended; here the road comes close to the end of the lake, and between -it and the rock is a very narrow pass through which all provisions -from the Agows and Maitsha must go; when, therefore, there is any -disturbance in the south part of the kingdom, this pass is always -occupied to reduce Gondar to famine. - -The village itself belongs to the office of Betwudet, and, since that -office has been discontinued, it makes part of the revenue of the Ras; -the language here is Falasha, though only used now by the Jews who go -by that name: it was anciently the language of all the province of -Dembea, which has here its southern boundary. The air of Dingleber is -excellent, and the prospect one of the most beautiful in Abyssinia; on -the one side you have a distinct view of the lake Tzana and all its -islands; on the north, the peninsula of Gorgora, the former residence -of the Jesuits, where too are the ruins of the king’s palace. On the -north of the lake you have a distant prospect of Dara, and of the Nile -crossing that lake, preserving distinctly the tract of its stream -unmixed with the rest of the water, and issuing out to form what is -called the second cataract at Alata, all places fixed in our mind by -the memory of former distresses. On the south-east, we have a distant -view of the flat country of Maitsha, for the most part covered with -thick trees, and black like a forest; farther on the territory of -Sacala, one of the districts of the Agows, near which are the fountains -of the Nile, the object of all my wishes; and close behind this, the -high mountains of Amid Amid, which surrounded them in two semicircles -like a new moon, or amphitheatre, and seem by their shape to deserve -the name of mountains of the moon, such as was given by antiquity to -mountains, in the neighbourhood of which the Nile was supposed to rise. - -At Dingleber I overtook my servants, who were disposed to stop there -for that night. They had been very much oppressed by troops of wild -Galla, who never having seen white men, could not refrain indulging -a troublesome curiosity, without indeed doing any harm, or shewing -any signs of insolence; this, however, did not hinder my servants -from being terrified, as neither I nor any protector was near them. I -resolved to avoid the like inconvenience, by proceeding further, as -I knew the next day the main body of these savages would be up with -us at Dingleber; and I rather wished to be at the point where our two -roads separated, than pass a whole day in such company. It is true, -I was under no sort of apprehension, for I perceived Fasil’s horse -driven before us commanded all necessary respect, and Zor Woldo had no -occasion to exert himself at all. - -At four o’clock in the afternoon we left Dingleber, and at seven passed -a great river; at eight in the evening we crossed two inconsiderable -streams, and came to a collection of small villages, called Degwassa: -here we entered into some narrow defiles between mountains, covered to -the very top with herbage, and brushwood; it was a delightful night, -and we were resolved to make the most of it. On every side of us we -heard Guinea fowls, of which the woods here are full. At half past nine -we halted a little, just leaving the narrow passes, and entering upon -the plain. The district is called Sankraber. I found myself exceedingly -fatigued, and slept a good half hour upon the ground. - -At half past ten we began our journey anew, passing immediately the -small village of Wainadega, famous for the decisive battle fought -between king Claudius and the Moor Gragnè, where the latter was slain, -and an end, for a time, put to the most disastrous war that ever -Abyssinia was engaged in. At half after eleven we passed Guanguera on -our left hand; it is a collection of many villages, at about ten miles -distance; and at mid-night we had Degwassa on our right, and Guanguera -on our left. At half past twelve we again rested at the side of a small -river, of which I know not the name: we were now in the flat country -of Maitsha, descending very gently southward. At three quarters past -one in the morning of the first of November I alighted at two small -villages, whose huts were but just finished, about 500 yards from the -two trees that were in the front of our army, when, after passing the -Nile at that dangerous ford near the Jemma, we offered Fasil battle at -Limjour, which was the place we were now again come to, but in better -health and spirits than before. - -Shalaka Woldo, upon my observing to him that I was happy to see the -people again raising their houses which Michael had destroyed, said, -with a barbarous kind of smile, “Aye, and so am I too; for if those two -villages had not been built, we should have had no fire-wood at Kelti -to-night;” by which he meant, that the Galla, who were behind him, and -whose next station was the banks of the river Kelti, would pull down -all the new-built houses, in order to carry fire-wood along with them; -and indeed we saw traces of some houses which had been newly built, -and still as newly destroyed, the wood of which, partly kindled, and -partly lying on the ground, served us for our fire that night at Kelti. -I found myself exceedingly indisposed, and could scarcely force on a -couple of hours further, when we came to the banks of the river Kelti, -at a quarter after six in the morning. - -The Kelti here is a large river; at the ford it was four feet deep, -though now the dry season: it is here called the Kelti Branti, because -some miles higher up it is joined by a considerable river called the -Branti, which rises to the westward in the high lands of the Agow’s -Quaquera, and both these streams, when united, fall into the Nile -a little below. The banks of this river are exceedingly steep and -dangerous, the earth loose, falling in great lumps down into the -stream; it is a red bole of a soapy quality; the bottom, too, and -the ascent on the other side are soft; the water, though troubled -and muddy, is sweet and well-tasted. We saw lights and fires on the -opposite bank, and had begun to unloose the tent, when we received a -message by two Galla on foot, armed with lances and shields, that we -should not encamp there, as our horses and mules would probably be -stolen, but desiring us to pass the river forth-with, and pitch our -tent among them. - -I asked Shalaka Woldo who these were? He said, they were an advanced -post of Welleta Yasous, who had taken up that ground for the -head-quarters to-morrow; that they were all Galla, under a famous -partisan, a robber, called the _Jumper_; and, by the bye, he added, -speaking softly in my ear, that there was not a greater thief or -murderer in all the country of the Galla. I paid him my compliments -upon the judicious choice he had made of a companion and a protector -for us: to which he answered, laughing, The better, the better; you -shall see how it is the better. As it was necessary to load the mules -again, the tent and baggage having been taken off before we could pass -the river, we all set to work with very ill will, being excessively -fatigued with a long journey and want of sleep. No sooner had Shalaka -Woldo perceived this, than by two whistles upon his fingers, and a -yell, he brought above fifty people to our assistance; the baggage was -passed in one moment, and in another my two tents were pitched; which -is a work these people are very dexterous at, and well acquainted with. - -As soon as we had encamped, we found that the reason we were not left -alone on the other side of the river was, that those of the Galla who -returned pulled down all the villages for fire-wood, and plundered the -houses, though they were Galla like themselves, and of Fasil’s party; -and these again, driven from their houses, robbed of all they had -except their lance and shield, followed the stragglers, and wreaked -their vengeance upon those whom they could surprise, or were not too -numerous for them. - -I was scarcely laid down to sleep, when a servant, and with him Zor -Woldo, were sent to me from the Jumper: they brought us a bull of an -enormous size, but not very fat; though we were all pretty keen in -point of appetite, the stock of provision sent us seemed to defy our -utmost endeavours, but we were sure of assistants enough; so the bull -was immediately killed and skinned. In the mean time, I took a short, -but very refreshing sleep, being resolved to resume my journey with the -same diligence till we had got to the point where we might separate -from the army, which is at a place called Roo, where a large market is -kept by the Agows, in whose country it is, and resorted to by all the -neighbouring inhabitants. - -About ten o’clock I waited upon our commander in chief the Jumper; he -seemed very much embarrassed at the visit, was quite naked, having only -a towel about his loins, and had been washing himself in the Kelti, to -very little purpose as I thought, for he was then rubbing his arms and -body over with melted tallow; his hair had been abundantly anointed -before, and a man was then finishing his head-dress by plaiting it with -some of the long and small guts of an ox, which I did not perceive had -ever been cleaned; and he had already put about his neck two rounds -of the same, in the manner of a necklace, or rather a solitaire, one -end of them hanging down to the pit of his stomach, Our conversation -was neither long nor interesting; I was overcome with the disagreeable -smell of blood and carrion: he did not understand one word of Amharic, -Geez, or any other language but Galla; he asked no questions, and -shewed no sort of curiosity. Woldo, on the other hand, informed himself -from him of every thing he wanted to know. - -This Jumper was tall and lean, very sharp faced, with a long nose, -small eyes and prodigious large ears; he never looked you in the face, -but was rolling his eyes constantly round and round, and never fixing -them upon any thing: he resembled very much a lean keen greyhound; -there was no sternness nor command in his countenance, but a certain -look that seemed to express a vacancy of mind, like that of an idiot. -With this he was allowed on all hands to be the most cruel, merciless -murderer and spoiler of all the Galla. He was very active on horseback, -and very indifferent about food or sleep. I made him a small present, -which he took with great indifference; only told Woldo, that if I meant -it to pay for the bull he had sent me, it was needless, for it was -given me by Fasil’s order, and cost him nothing. - -There we learned, that on our way we should meet a party of about 200 -men, who had been sent by Fasil to take possession of a post before -we came to Roo, left, having intelligence of us, some of the Maitsha -people, whose houses had been destroyed, might follow us when we were -parted from the army. The jumper told us that his brother had the -command of that party, that they were all Galla of Fasil’s own nation, -under his brother, who was called the Lamb, and who was just such a -murderer and robber as himself. I was just rising to go out of his tent -when Zor Woldo, who was sitting behind me, informed me, there were news -from Gondar. I asked him how he knew that? He said, he heard the people -say so from without. A sudden trepidation now seized me, as I was -afraid of some new trick, or obstacle, which might impede the journey, -the accomplishment of which I so much longed for. - -Upon going towards my tent I was met by Strates, and another Greek, -with a servant of Ozoro Esther, with whom I was well acquainted: they -had left Fasil at Bamba, whose wild Galla were not yet all dismissed, -and he himself seemed not determined whether he should go to Gondar -or not. They told me that all was in confusion at Gondar; that Gusho -of Amhara, and Powussen of Begemder, had been there, and brought some -trifle of money, for a mere pretence, to that wretch Socinios, whom -the Iteghé unadvisedly had consented to make king; having called -Fasil, Gusho, and Powussen together to reconcile them, that, united, -they might attack Michael. The queen herself had been reconciled to -Socinios, who led the life of a drunkard, a ruffian, and a profligate, -but her chief fears were that Michael should return, the probability of -which increased daily. - -As for Fasil, he had hitherto answered the queen’s invitation to Gondar -evasively, sometimes by complaining that Gusho and Powussen had come to -Gondar before him, and that Gusho was made Ras; at other times sending -peremptorily to them to leave Gondar, and return to their provinces, or -he would burn the town about their ears: and the last message, the day -before they left the capital was, that he was then on his march towards -Gondar, and consented to Gusho and Powussen’s staying; but as these -two chiefs had great reason to suspect that he was in correspondence -with the king and Ras Michael in Tigré, as it was known to them that he -had fomented disturbances both in Begemder and Amhara, they had gone -with Socinios to Koscam, without drums beating, or any sort of parade -whatever, and, after taking leave, had the next day set out to their -respective provinces. Upon another message from Fasil, they had agreed -to return to Gondar, and leave their army at Emfras; but their troops, -finding themselves so near, had disbanded, and returned to their homes, -leaving Gusho and Powussen attended only by their household servants, -who, finding themselves in danger, and that Fasil was actually -advancing secretly, left Gondar and separated. - -Ozoro Esther’s servant (Guebra Mariam) likewise told me, that Michael, -as he believed, waited for nothing but some arrangement with Fasil, -for that he had no enemy remaining on the east of the Tacazzé; that -his intention was to return by the way of Lasta, not willing to risk -the many difficult passages in Woggora, a country full of hardy -troops, inveterate enemies to the Ras, and where Ayto Tesfos of Samen -had occupied all the defiles, and was resolved to dispute every post -with him; it was well known, however, that the passes through the -mountain of Lasta, were more dangerous and difficult than those of -Woggora and Lamalmon; in a word, Guigarr, chief of the clan of Lasta -(called Waag) possessed a strong-hold in those mountains, where many an -Abyssinian army had perished, and where it was absolutely impossible -to proceed but with the consent and connivance of that clan, or tribe; -and tho’ this Guigarr had been Michael’s enemy ever since the war of -Mariam Barea, peace was now concluded between them, the Ras having set -Guigarr’s brother at liberty, who had been some time a prisoner, and -was taken in an incursion which the people of Waag had made into Tigré: -excepting this pass in the mountains of Lasta, all the ground was even -from thence to Tigré; the territory of Gouliou, indeed, through which -the army was to march for four days, was very ill-provided with water; -it was inhabited by Galla, whom Michael had suffered to settle there, -to be as a barrier between Tigré, Lasta, and Begemder; but this clan -was perfectly at his command, so all was easy and secure if Guigarr -only remained faithful. - -After giving time to Guebra Mariam to refresh himself, I took him alone -into the tent to hear Ozoro Esther’s message: she had been ailing after -my leaving Gondar, had had a slow fever, which very much affected her -nerves, and was now alarmed at a symptom which was but the effect of -weakness, startling, or involuntary contraction of her legs and arms, -or a kind of convulsion, which frequently awakened her out of her -sleep. This she thought was a sure forerunner of death; and adjured -me, by every claim of friendship that she had upon me, to return ere -it would be too late, She, moreover, pledged herself that her nephew, -Aylo of Gojam, should immediately carry me to the head of the Nile -the moment she was recovered. Upon closer interrogation, I found -that, being abandoned as it were entirely to Fasil’s discretion, by -the retreat of Gusho and Powussen her friends, and the absence of her -husband Ras Michael, she dreaded falling into the hands of Fasil, who, -she well knew, was acquainted how active she had been in instigating -Michael to avenge the blood of her late husband Mariam Barea, by the -effusion of that of every Galla unfortunate enough to fall into his -hands. Besides, the part her mother the Iteghé had acted in settling -that wretch Socinios upon the throne, gave her the very best-founded -apprehensions that Michael’s resentment would have no bounds; and he -had declared so by frequent messages, (the last a very brutal one) -that he would hang Socinios, and her mother the Iteghé, with their -heads downmost, upon the same tree, before the king’s house, the very -day that he entered Gondar. It was well known, besides, to his wife -Ozoro Esther, and to the whole kingdom, that his performance upon these -occasions never fell short of his threatenings. From all this, and a -great sensibility of mind, Ozoro Esther, worn out by her late sickness, -and by want of sleep, exercise, and nourishment, had fallen into a very -dangerous situation, and of a very difficult cure, even though the -cause was perfectly known. - -I shall not trouble the reader with what passed in my mind at this -juncture. I do believe the pursuit I was then engaged in was the only -one which I would not have instantly abandoned upon such a summons. -Besides the sincere attachment I had myself to her, as one of the most -lovely and amiable women in the world; she was the mother of my most -intimate friend Ayto Confu, and the wife of Ras Michael, over whom -she had every day more and more influence, and I had long suspected -that the young king, my constant benefactor, had contracted a decided -tenderness for her. To have returned, would have been nothing had the -danger or trouble been much greater; but it was obviously impossible -another opportunity should offer: the country was now on the point -of being plunged into a degree of disorder greater than that which -had occasioned the retreat of the king to Tigré. I therefore resolved -to run the risk of continuing for a time under the imputation of the -foulest and basest of all sins, that of ingratitude to my benefactors; -and I am confident, had it been the will of heaven that I had died in -that journey, the consideration of my lying with apparent reason under -that imputation would have been one of the most bitter reflections of -my last moments. Having, therefore, taken my resolution, I acquainted -Guebra Mariam that an immediate return was absolutely impossible; but -that I should endeavour, with the utmost of my power, to make a speedy -one; in the mean time, I sent word to the Greek priest (who was a sort -of physician) how he was to proceed in the interim during my absence. - -We had now left Maitsha by crossing the river Kelti. I shall only add, -to what I have already said, that it is a very fruitful country, but -so flat that the water with difficulty runs off after the tropical -rains, and this occasions its being for several months unhealthy. -Several tribes of Galla, from the south of the Nile, were settled -here by Yasous the Great, and his son David, as a defence for the -rich countries of the Agows, Damot, Gojam, and Dembea, against the -desolations and inroads of the wild Galla their countrymen, from whom -they had revolted; they consist of ninety-nine families; and it is a -common saying among them, that the devil holds the hundreth part for -his own family, as there is nowhere else to be found a family of men -equal to any of the ninety-nine. It has been sometimes connected with -Gojam, oftener with Damot and the Agows, who were at this time under -the government of Fasil. - -The houses in Maitsha are of a very singular construction: the first -proprietor has a field, which he divides into three or four, as he -pleases, (suppose four) by two hedges made of the thorny branches of -the acacia-tree. In the corner, or intersection of the two hedges, he -begins his low hut, and occupies as much of the angle as he pleases. -Three other brothers, perhaps, occupy each of the three other angles; -behind these their children place their house, and inclose the end of -their father’s by another, which they make generally shorter than the -first, because broader. After they have raised as many houses as they -please, they surround the whole with a thick and almost impenetrable -abbatis, or thorny hedge, and all the family are under one roof, ready -to assist each other on the first alarm; for they have nothing to do -but every man to look out at his own door, and they are close in a body -together, facing every point that danger can possibly come from. They -are, however, speedily destroyed by a stronger enemy, as we easily -found, for we had only to set the dry hedge, and the canes that grew -round it, on fire, which communicated at once to the houses, chiefly -consisting of dry straw. Such is their terror of the small-pox, which -comes here seldom more frequently than once in fifteen or twenty years; -that when one of these houses is tainted with the disease, their -neighbours, who know it will infect the whole colony, surround it in -the night, and set fire to it, which is consumed in a minute, whilst -the unfortunate people belonging to it (who would endeavour to escape) -are unmercifully thrust back with lances and forks into the flames by -the hands of their own neighbours and relations, without an instance of -one ever being suffered to survive. This to us will appear a barbarity -scarcely credible: it would be quite otherwise if we saw the situation -of the country under that dreadful visitation of the small-pox; the -plague has nothing in it so terrible. - -The river Kelti has excellent fish, though the Abyssinians care not for -food of this kind; the better people eat some species in the time of -Lent, but the generality of the common sort are deterred by passages -of scripture, and distinctions in the Mosaic law, concerning such -animals as are clean and unclean, ill understood; they are, besides, -exceedingly lazy, and know nothing of nets; neither have they the -ingenuity we see in other savages of making hooks or lines: in all -the time I staid, I never saw one Abyssinian fisher engaged in the -employment in any river or lake. - -At Kelti begins the territory of Aroossi: it is in fact the southmost -division of Maitsha, on the west-side of the Nile: it is not inhabited, -however, by Galla, but by Abyssinians, a kindred of the Agow. When -therefore we passed the river Kelti, we entered into the territory of -Aroossi, bounded on the north by that river, as it is on the south by -the Assar, the Aroossi running through the midst of that district. - -My anxiety to lose no time in this journey had determined me to set -out this afternoon. I had for this purpose dispatched Ozoro Esther’s -servant, but when we began to strike our tents, we were told neither -beast nor man was capable of going farther that day; in a word, the -forced march that we had made of 29 miles without rest, and with but -little food, had quite jaded our mules; our men, too, who carried the -quadrant, declared, that, without a night’s rest, they could proceed -no farther; we were then obliged to make a virtue of necessity, and -to confess, that, since we could go no farther, we were in the most -convenient halting place possible, having plenty of both food and -water, and as to protection, we had every reason to be satisfied that -we were masters of the country in which we were encamped. It was -generally agreed therefore to relax that day. I set aside an hour to -put these memoirs in order, and then joined our servants, who, on such -occasions, are always our companions, and who had provided a small horn -full of spirits, and a jar full of beer, or bouza, by offering some -trifling present to our commandant _the Jumper_, who was much more -tenacious of his drink than his meat: we swam and dabbled with great -delight in the Kelti, where are neither crocodiles nor gomari; slept a -little afterwards, and retired into the tent to a supper, which would -have been a chearful one could I have forgot that Ozoro Esther was -suffering. - -We now began to discuss the motive that had induced our friend Strates -again to tempt the danger of the ways. This singular fellow, as we -learned from Guebra Mariam, as well as from his own confession, -repented of his resolution as soon as we were gone, and had determined -on foot to follow us, when he heard of this opportunity of Ozoro -Esther’s servant being sent on a message, and that princess was so well -pleased with his anxiety that she gave him a mule that he might not -retard her servant. - -This Greek had known Fasil intimately, both when he was a private -man in Kasmati Eshté’s time, and afterwards, when he was governor of -Damot, for he was a servant in the palace when Joas was king, as all -the Greeks were; had a company of fusileers, and one or two other small -appointments, all of which were taken from him, and from most of the -other Greeks, upon the death of the dwarf, who, I before mentioned, -was shot on the side of Ras Michael by an unknown hand upon his first -arrival at Gondar. He now lived upon the charity of the queen-mother, -and what he picked up by his buffoonery among the great men at court. -We found that in Shalaka Woldo we had got a man of more understanding -than our friend Strates, but much about his equal in mimicry and -buffoonery. - - - - -CHAP. XI. - -_Continue our Journey_--_Fall in with a Party of Galla_--_Prove our -Friends_--_Pass the Nile_--_Arrive at Goutto, and visit the first -Cataract_. - - -On the second of November, at seven in the morning we pursued our -journey in a direction southward, and passed the church of Boskon Abbo; -ever memorable to us as being the station of Fasil in May, when he -intended to cut us off after our passage of the Nile. This brought on a -conversation with our guide Woldo, who had been present with Fasil at -his camp behind this church, and afterwards when Michael offered him -battle at Limjour, he was there attending his master. He said, that -the army of Welleta Yasous was above 12,000 strong; that they were -intending to attack the king at the ford, and had no doubt of doing it -successfully, as they imagined the King and Ras Michael, with part of -both horse and foot, would pass early, but the rest with difficulty and -danger; it was at that instant Welleta Yasous was to fall upon those -that remained with Kefla Yasous, on the other side of the Nile, in that -confusion in which they necessarily must be. Fasil then, with above -3000 horse, and a large body of foot, was ready to inclose both Ras -Michael and the King, and to have taken them prisoners; nothing could -fall out more exactly, as it was planned, than this did; the king’s -black horse, and the other horse of his household, had taken possession -of the ford, till the King, the Ras, and the greatest part of the Tigré -musqueteers, under Guebra Mascal, had passed. - -On the other hand, Kefla Yasous, who had the charge of the rear, and -the passing the mules, tents, and baggage, finding so many stragglers -constantly coming in, had determined to wait on that side till -day-light: this was the moment that would have decided the fate of -our army; all was fatigue and despondency; but Welleta Yasous having -lingered with the army of execution, and in the mean time the priests -having been examined, and the spies detected, the moment Kefla Yasous -began his march to Delakus, the favourable instant was lost to Fasil, -and all that followed was extremely dangerous to him; for, before -Welleta Yasous arrived, Kefla Yasous had passed the Nile, and was -strongly posted with his musquetry, so that Welleta Yasous durst not -approach him, and this gave Kefla Yasous an opportunity of detaching -the best or freshest of his troops to reinforce Michael, whom Fasil -found already an overmatch for him at Limjour, when he was forced to -retreat before the king, who very willingly offered him battle: add to -this, that Welleta Yasous was not acquainted how near this junction -of Kefla Yasous with Ras Michael might be, nor where Fasil was, or -whether or not he had been beaten. Woldo pretended to know nothing of -the spy whom we had left hanging on the tree at the ford when Kefla -Yasous marched; but he laid all the blame upon the priests, of whose -information he was perfectly instructed. - -At three quarters after ten in the morning we passed the small river -Aroossi, which either gives its name to, or receives it from the -district through which it passes: it falls into the Nile about four -miles below; is a clear, small, brisk stream; its banks covered with -verdure not to be described. At half an hour before noon we came to -Roo; it is a level space, shaded round with trees in a small plain, -where the neighbouring people of Goutto, Agow, and Maitsha hold a -market for hides, honey, butter, and all kinds of cattle. Gold too is -brought by the Agows from the neighbouring Shangalla; all the markets -in Abyssinia are held in such places as this in the open fields, and -under the shade of trees: every body, while he is there, is safe under -the protection of the government where that market is kept, and no -feuds or private animosities must be resented there; but they that have -enemies must take care of themselves in coming and going, for then they -are at their own risk. - -In the dry bed of a river, at the foot of a small wood before you -ascend the market-place at Roo, we found the _Lamb_, our friend the -_Jumper’s_ brother, concealed very much like a thief in a hole, where -we might easily have passed him unnoticed; we gave him some tobacco, of -which he was very fond, and a few trifles. We asked him what questions -we pleased about the roads, which he answered plainly, shortly, and -discreetly; he assured us no Maitsha people had passed, not even to the -market, and this we found afterwards was strictly true; for such as had -intelligence that he and his party were on that road, did not venture -from home with their goods, so that the day before, which had been that -of the market, no one chose to run the risk of attending it. - -Woldo was very eloquent in praise of this officer the _Lamb_; he said -he had a great deal more humanity than his brother, and when he made -an inroad into Gojam, or any part of Abyssinia, he never murdered any -women, not even those that were with child; a contrary custom it seems -prevailing among all the Galla. I congratulated him upon this great -instance of his humanity, which he took very gravely, as if really -intended; he told me that it was he that attacked Michael’s horse at -Limjour; and added, that, had it been any other, Ayto Welleta Michael’s -life would not have been spared when he was taken prisoner. That want -of curiosity, inattention, and absolute indifference for new objects, -which was remarkable in the Jumper, was very plainly discernible in -this chieftain likewise, and seems to be a characteristic of the nation. - -I asked Woldo what became of those 44 Galla who had their eyes pulled -out, after the battle of Fagitta, by Michael, on his return to Gondar. -Not one of them, said he, ever came into his own country. It was -reported the hyæna ate them upon the Angrab, where they were turned -out to starve. I saved three of them, said I. Yes, answered he, and -others might have been saved too: and then added, in a low voice, the -hyænas eating them at the Angrab was a story contrived for the Galla; -but we that are Fasil’s servants know they were made away with by -his order in Maitsha and the Agow country, that none of them might -be seen in their own provinces to terrify the rest of their clans -by the mangled appearance they then bore; for this was Ras Michael’s -intention in disfiguring them, and yet leaving them alive; to prevent -therefore the success of this scheme, Fasil put them to death in their -way before they reached their own country. I confess I was struck at -the finesse which completed Waragna Fasil’s character in my mind. -What, said I, kill his own people taken prisoners whilst fighting for -him, merely because their enemies had cruelly deprived them of their -sight! indeed, Woldo, that is not credible. O ho, says he, but it is -true; your Galla are not like other men, they do not talk about what is -cruel and what is not; they do just what is for their own good, what -is reasonable, and think no more of the matter. Ras Michael, says he, -would make an excellent Galla; and do not you believe that he would do -any cruel action which my master Fasil would not perpetrate on the same -provocation, and to answer the same purpose? - -It now occurred to me why the three Galla, whom I had maintained at -Gondar, had constantly refused to return into their own country with -the many safe opportunities which at times had presented to them, -especially since the king’s retreat to Tigré; neither had I observed -any desire in Fasil’s servants, who occasionally came to Gondar, of -helping to restore these unfortunate men to their country, because they -knew the fate that awaited them. - -Although the _Lamb_, and the other Galla his soldiers, paid very little -attention, as I have said, to us, it was remarkable to see the respect -they shewed Fasil’s horse; the greatest part of them, one by one, gave -him handfuls of barley, and the _Lamb_ himself had a long and serious -conversation with him; Woldo told me it was all spent in regretting -the horse’s ill-fortune, and Fasil’s cruelty, in having bestowed him -upon a white man, who would not feed him, or ever let him return to -Bizamo. Bizamo is a country of Galla south of the Nile, after it makes -its southmost turn, and has surrounded the kingdom of Gojam. I was -better pleased with this genuine mark of kindness to the horse, than -all the proofs of humanity Woldo had attributed to his chieftain for -not frequently putting to death pregnant women. When I remarked this, -Bad men! bad men! all of them, says Woldo; but your Ras Michael will be -among them one of these days, and pull all their eyes out again; and so -much the better. - -At Roo we left the direct road which leads to Buré, the residence of -the governor of Damot, towards which place the route of the army was -directed; so I took leave, as I hoped, for ever of my brethren the -Galla, but still continued to drive the horse before me. We turned -our face now directly upon the fountains of the Nile, which lay S. E. -by S. according to the compass. At a quarter before noon we saw the -high sharp-pointed mountain of Temhua, standing single in the form of -a cone, at about 18 miles distance, and behind this the mountain of -Banja, the place where Fasil almost exterminated the Agows in a battle -soon after his return to Buré, and to revenge which the king’s last -fatal campaign was undertaken in Maitsha, terminated by his retreat to -Tigrè. - -Here Strates, whilst amusing himself in the wood in search of new -birds and beasts for our collection of natural history, fired his gun -at one of the former, distinguished by the beauty and variety of its -plumage. I stopt to make a rough sketch of it, which might be finished -at more leisure: this was scarcely done, and we again moving forwards -on our journey, when we heard a confusion of shrill, barbarous cries, -and presently saw a number of horsemen pouring down upon us, with -their lances lifted up in a posture ready to attack us immediately. -The ground was woody and uneven, so they could not make the speed -they seemed to desire, and we had just time to put ourselves upon our -defence with our firelocks, musquets, and blunderbusses in our hands, -behind our baggage. Woldo ran several paces towards them, knowing them -by the cry to be friends, even before he had seen them, which was, -Fasil ali, Fasil ali--_there is none but Fasil that commands here_. -Upon seeing us without any marks of discomposure, they all stopt with -Woldo, and by him we learned that this was the party we had passed -commanded by the _Lamb_, who, after we had left him, had heard that -five Agow horsemen had passed between the army and his party, and from -the shot he had feared they might have attempted something against us, -and he had thereupon come to our assistance with all the speed possible. - -Thus did we see that this man, who, according to our ideas, seemed -in understanding inferior to most of the brute creation, had yet, in -executing his orders, a discernment, punctuality, activity, and sense -of duty, equal to any Christian officer who should have had a like -commission; he now appeared to us in a quite different light than when -we first had met him; and his inattention, when we were with him, -was the more agreeable, as it left us at our entire liberty, without -teazing or molesting us, when he could be of no real service, as every -Amharic soldier would have done. On the other hand, his alacrity and -resolution, in the moment he thought us in danger, exhibited him to -our view as having on both occasions just the qualities we could have -desired. We now, therefore, shewed him the utmost civility, spread a -table-cloth on the ground by the brook, mixed our honey and liquid -butter together in a plate, and laid plenty of teff bread beside it. -We invited the Lamb to sit down and breakfast with us, which he did, -each of us dipping our hand with pieces of bread alternately into the -dish which contained the honey; but Strates, whose heart was open, for -he felt very gratefully the Lamb’s attention to save him from being -murdered by the Agows, pulled out a large piece of raw beef, part of -the bullock we killed at Kelti, which he had perfectly cleared from all -incumbrance of bones, this he gave to the Lamb, desiring him to divide -it among his men, which he did, keeping a very small proportion to -himself, and which he ate before us. Drink we had none, but the water -of the brook that ran by, for my people had finished all our other -liquors at Kelti after I was in bed, when they were taking their leave -of Guebra Mariam, Ozoro Esther’s servant. - -It was now time to pursue our journey; and, to shew our gratitude -for the real service this Lamb intended to have rendered us, I gave -him four times the quantity of tobacco he had got before, and so in -proportion of every other trifle; all these he took with absolute -indifference as formerly, much as if it had been all his own; he -expressed no sort of thanks either in his words or in his countenance; -only while at breakfast said, that he was very much grieved that it -had been but a false alarm, for he heartily desired that some robbers -really had attacked us, that he might have shewn us how quickly and -dexterously he would have cut them to pieces though there had been a -hundred of them. I mentioned to Woldo my obligations to the Lamb for -his good wishes, but that things were quite as well as they were; -that I had no sort of curiosity for such exhibitions, which I did not -however doubt he would have performed most dexterously. - -We were now taking leave to proceed on our journey, and my servant -folding up the table-cloth, when the Lamb desired to speak to Woldo, -and for the first time ventured to make a request, which was a very -extraordinary one; he begged that I would give him the table-cloth -to cover his head, and keep his face from the sun. I could not help -laughing within myself at the idea of preserving that beautiful -complexion from sun-burning; but I gave him the cloth very readily, -which he accordingly spread upon his head, till it covered half his -face; he then got upon his horse and rode quietly away. Before he went, -he detached fifteen men, Woldo said he did not know where, but by -what he had gathered, and the route they had taken, he was sure that -detachment was meant for our service, and to protect us on the right -of our route, not having yet sufficiently quieted his own mind about -the five Agows that passed between the army and his post the night we -were at Kelti; these, however, being poorly mounted and armed, would -not have found their account in meddling with us, though we had no -wishes to shew our dexterity in destroying them, as our friend the Lamb -was so desirous of doing, and we after discovered they were not quite -so despicable as they were represented, nor were they Agows. All this -passed in much less time than it is told. We were on horseback again in -little more than half an hour; our friends were, like us, willing to -meet and willing to part, only I ordered Strates to suspend his firing -for that day, lest it should procure us another interview, which we by -no means courted. - -We had halted by the side of a small river which falls into the Assar; -and a little before one o’clock we came to the Assar itself. The Assar, -as I have already said, is the southern boundary of Aroossi, as Kelti -is the northern; and as Aroossi is the southern district of Maitsha on -the west side of the Nile, it follows that the Assar is the southern -boundary of Maitsha. - -On the other side of this river begins the province of Goutto, which, -according to the ancient rules of government before Ras Michael -destroyed all distinctions, depended on the province of Damot; -whereas Maitsha belonged to the office of Betwudet since Fasil had -appropriated both to himself by force, as well as the whole country -of the Agows, which he had possessed by the same title ever since the -battle of Banja: the inhabitants of Goutto are the ancient natives of -that country; they are not Galla as those of Maitsha, but much more -civilized and better governed. The language of the Agow and the Amharic -are the two chiefly spoken in Goutto, though there are distant places -towards the Jemma on the side of the Nile, where they speak that of the -Falasha likewise. The people in Goutto are richer and better lodged -than those of the neighbouring Maitsha; their whole country is full -of cattle of the largest size, exceedingly beautiful, and of all the -different colours; there are some places likewise where their honey is -excellent, equal to any in the country of the Agows, but the greatest -quantity of it is of low price and of little esteem, owing to the -lupine flowers on which the bees feed, and of which a great quantity -covers the whole face of the country; this gives a bitterness to the -greatest part of the honey, and occasions, as they believe, vertigo’s, -or dizzinesses, to those that eat it: the same would happen with the -Agows, did they not take care to eradicate the lupines throughout their -whole country. - -All this little territory of Aroossi is by much the most pleasant that -we had seen in Abyssinia, perhaps it is equal to any thing the east -can produce; the whole is finely shaded with acacia-trees, I mean the -acacia vera, or the Egyptian thorn, the tree which, in the sultry -parts of Africa, produces the gum-arabic. These trees grow seldom -above fifteen or sixteen feet high, then flatten and spread wide at -the top, and touch each other, while the trunks are far asunder, and -under a vertical sun, leave you, many miles together, a free space to -walk in a cool, delicious shade. There is scarce any tree but this in -Maitsha; all Guanguera and Wainadega are full of them; but in these -last-mentioned places, near the capital, where the country grows -narrower, being confined between the lake and the mountains, these -trees are more in the way of the march of armies, and are thinner, as -being constantly cut down for fuel, and never replanted, or suffered to -replace themselves, which they otherwise would do, and cover the whole -face of the country, as once apparently they did. The ground below -those trees, all throughout Aroossi, is thick covered with lupines, -almost to the exclusion of every other flower; wild oats also grow up -here spontaneously to a prodigious height and size, capable often of -concealing both the horse and his rider, and some of the stalks being -little less than an inch in circumference. They have, when ripe, the -appearance of small canes. The inhabitants make no sort of use of this -grain in any period of its growth: the uppermost thin hulk of it is -beautifully variegated with a changeable purple colour; the taste is -perfectly good. I often made the meal into cakes in remembrance of -Scotland. - -The Abyssinians never could relish these cakes, which they said were -bitter, and burnt their stomachs, as also made them thirsty. I do, -however, believe this is the oat in its original state, and that it -is degenerated everywhere with us. The soil of this country is a fine -black mould, in appearance like to that which composes our gardens. -The oat seems to delight in a moist, watery soil; and, as no underwood -grows under the shadow of the trees, the plough passes without -interruption. As there is likewise no iron in their plough, (for is it -all composed of wood) the furrow is a very slight one, nor does the -plough reach deep enough to be entangled with the roots of trees; but -it is the north part of Maitsha, however, that is chiefly in culture; -south of the Kelti all is pasture; a large number of horses is bred -here yearly, for it is the custom among the Galla to be all horsemen or -graziers. - -All Aroossi is finely watered with small streams, though the Assar is -the largest river we had seen except the Nile; it was about 170 yards -broad and two feet deep, running over a bed of large stones; though -generally through a flat and level country, it is very rapid, and after -much rain scarcely passable, owing to the height of its source in the -mountains of the Agows; its course, where we forded it, is from south -to north, but it soon turns to the north-east, and, after flowing five -or six miles, joins the Nile and loses itself in that river. - -Immediately below this ford of the Assar is a magnificent cascade, or -cataract. I computed the perpendicular height of the fall to be above -20 feet, and the breadth of the stream to be something more than 80; -but it is so closely covered with trees or bushes, and the ground so -uneven, that it needs great perseverance and attention to approach it -nearly with safety; the stream covers the rock without leaving any part -of it visible, and the whole river falls uninterrupted down with an -incredible violence and noise, without being anyway broken or divided; -below this cataract it becomes considerably narrower, and, as we have -said, in this state runs on to join the Nile. - -The strength of vegetation which the moisture of this river produces, -supported by the action of a very warm sun, is such as one might -naturally expect from theory, though we cannot help being surprised at -the effects when we see them before us, trees and shrubs covered with -flowers of every colour, all new and extraordinary in their shapes, -crowded with birds of many uncouth forms, all of them richly adorned -with variety of plumage, and seeming to fix their residence upon the -banks of this river, without a desire of wandering to any distance -in the neighbouring fields: But as there is nothing, though ever so -beautiful, that has not some defect or imperfection, among all these -feathered beauties there is not one songster; and, unless of the rose, -or jessamin kind, none of their flowers have any smell; we hear indeed -many squalling noisy birds of the jay kind, and we find two varieties -of wild roses, white and yellow, to which I may add jessamin (called -Leham) which becomes a large tree; but all the rest of the birds or -flowers may be considered as liable to the general observation, that -the flowers are destitute of odour, and the birds of song. - -After passing the Assar, and several villages belonging to Goutto, our -course being S. E. we had, for the first time, a distinct view of the -high mountain of Geesh, the long-wished-for end of our dangerous and -troublesome journey. Under this mountain are the fountains of the Nile; -it bore from us S. E. by S. about thirty miles, as near as we could -conjecture, in a straight line, without counting the deviations or -crookedness of the road. - -Ever since we had passed the Assar we had been descending gently -through very uneven ground, covered thick with trees, and torn up by -the gullies and courses of torrents. At two o’clock in the afternoon of -the second of November we came to the banks of the Nile; the passage -is very difficult and dangerous, the bottom being full of holes made -by considerable springs, light sinking sand, and, at every little -distance, large rocky stones; the eastern side was muddy and full of -pits, the ground of clay: the Nile here is about 260 feet broad, and -very rapid; its depth about four feet in the middle of the river, and -the sides not above two. Its banks are of a very gentle, easy descent; -the western side is chiefly ornamented with high trees of the salix, or -willow tribe, growing straight, without joints or knots, and bearing -long pointed pods full of a kind of cotton. This tree is called, in -their language, Ha; the use they have for it is to make charcoal for -the composition of gunpowder; but on the eastern side, the banks, to a -considerable distance from the river, are covered with black, dark, -and thick groves, with craggy-pointed rocks, and overshaded with some -old, tall, timber trees going to decay with age; a very rude and awful -face of nature, a cover from which our fancy suggested a lion should -issue, or some animal or monster yet more savage and ferocious. - -The veneration still paid in this country for the Nile, such as -obtained in antiquity, extends to the territory of Goutto, and I -believe very little farther; the reason is, I apprehend, that to this, -and no lower, the country has remained under its ancient inhabitants. -Below, we know Maitsha has been occupied within these few ages by Pagan -Galla, transplanted here for political purposes; at Goutto, however, -and in the provinces of the Agows, the genuine indigenæ have not -emigrated, and with these the old superstition is more firmly rooted -in their hearts than is the more recent doctrine of Christianity; they -crowded to us at the ford, and they were, after some struggle, of great -use in passing us, but they protested immediately with great vehemence -against any man’s riding across the stream, mounted either upon horse -or mule: they, without any sort of ceremony, unloaded our mules, and -laid our baggage upon the grass, insisting that we should take off our -shoes, and making an appearance of stoning those who attempted to wash -the dirt off their cloaks and trowsers in the stream. My servants were -by this provoked to return rudeness for rudeness, and Woldo gave them -two or three significant threats, while I sat by exceedingly happy -at having so unexpectedly found the remnants of veneration for that -ancient deity still subsisting in such full vigour. They after this -allowed us, as well as our horses and mules, to drink, and conducted me -across the river, holding me on each side very attentively for fear -of the holes; but the want of shoes was very inconvenient, the pointed -rocks and stones at the bottom giving me several deep cuts on the soles -of my feet; after this the beasts were led all to the same side with -myself, also one servant was passed with the greatest care by these -poor people. Woldo had tipt me the wink to cross as they desired me: -except my single gun, all the fire-arms and servants remained with the -baggage and Woldo; and now we soon saw what was his intention, and how -well he understood that the country he was in belonged to Fasil his -master. - -There were between twenty and thirty of the Agows, old and young, some -of them armed with lances and shields, and all of them with knives. -Woldo took his small stick in one hand, sat down upon a green hillock -by the ford with his lighted pipe in the other; he ranged my people -behind him, leaving the baggage by itself, and began gravely to exhort -the Agows to lose no time in carrying over our baggage upon their -shoulders. This proposal was treated with a kind of ridicule by the -foremost of the Agows, and they began plainly to insinuate that he -should first settle with them a price for their trouble. He continued, -however, smoaking his pipe in seeming leisure, and much at his ease, -and, putting on an air of great wisdom, in a tone of moderation he -appealed to them whether they had not of their own accord insisted on -our crossing the river on foot, had unloaded our baggage, and sent the -mules to the other side without our consent. The poor people candidly -declared that they had done so, because none are permitted in any -other manner to cross the Nile, but that they would likewise carry our -baggage safely and willingly over for pay; this word was no sooner -uttered, when, apparently in a most violent passion, he leapt up, laid -by his pipe, took his stick, and ran into the midst of them, crying -out with violent execrations, And who am I? and who am I then? a girl, -a woman, or a Pagan dog like yourselves? and who is Waragna Fasil; -are you not his slaves? or to whom else do you belong, that you are -to make me pay for the consequences of your devilish idolatries and -superstitions? but you want payment, do ye? here is your payment: he -then tuckt his clothes tight about his girdle, began leaping two or -three feet high, and laying about him with his stick over their heads -and faces, or wherever he could strike them. - -After this Woldo wrested a lance from a long, aukward fellow that was -next him, standing amazed, and levelled the point at him in a manner -that I thought to see the poor peasant fall dead in an instant: the -fellow fled in a trice, so did they all to a man; and no wonder, for in -my life I never saw any one play the furious devil so naturally. Upon -the man’s running off, he cried out to my people to give him a gun, -which made these poor wretches run faster and hide themselves among the -bushes: lucky, indeed, was it for Woldo that my servants did not put -him to the trial, by giving him the gun as he demanded, for he would -not have ventured to fire it, perhaps to have touched it, if it had -been to have made him master of the province. - -I, who sat a spectator on the other side, thought we were now in a -fine scrape, the evening coming on at a time of the year when it is -not light at six, my baggage and servants on one side of the river, -myself and beasts on the other, crippled absolutely in the feet by -the stones, and the river so full of pits and holes, that, had they -been all laden on the other side and ready, no one could have been bold -enough to lead a beast through without a guide: the difficulty was -not imaginary, I had myself an instant before made proof of it, and -all difficulties are relative, greater or less, as you have means in -your hands to overcome them. I was clearly satisfied that Woldo knew -the country, and was provided with a remedy for all this; I conceived -that this pacific behaviour, while they were unloading the mules, and -driving them across the river, as well as his fury afterwards, was part -of some scheme, with which I was resolved in no shape to interfere; -and nothing convinced me more of this than his resolute demand of a -gun, when no persuasion could make him stay within ten yards of one -if it was discharged, even though the muzzle was pointed a contrary -direction. I sat still, therefore, to see the end, and it was with some -surprise that I observed him to take his pipe, stick, and my servants -along with him, and cross the river to me as if nothing had happened, -leaving the baggage on the other side, without any guard whatsoever; -he then desired us all to get on horseback, and drive the mules before -us, which we did accordingly; and I suppose we had not advanced about -a hundred yards before we saw a greater number of people than formerly -run down to where our baggage was lying, and, while one crossed the -river to desire us to stay where we were, the rest brought the whole -over in an instant. - -This, however, did not satisfy our guide; he put on a sulky air, as if -he had been grievously injured; he kept the mules where they were, and -would not send one back to be loaded at the river-side, alledging it -was unlucky to turn back upon a journey; he made them again take the -baggage on their shoulders, and carry it to the very place where our -mules had halted, and there lay it down. On this they all flocked about -him, begging that he would not report them to his master, as fearing -some fine, or heavy chastisement, would fall upon their villages. The -guide looked very sulky, said but very little, and that all in praise -of himself, of his known mildness and moderation; as an instance of -which he appealed (impudently enough) to his late behaviour towards -them. If such a one, says he, naming a man that they knew, had been in -my place, what a fine reckoning he would have made with you; why, your -punishment would not have ended in seven years. They all acknowledged -the truth of his observation, as well as his moderation, gave him great -commendations, and, I believe, some promises when he passed there on -his return. - -Here I thought our affair happily ended to the satisfaction of all -parties. I mounted my horse, and Woldo went to a large silk bag, or -purse, which I had given him full of tobacco, and he had his match and -pipe in his hand, just as if he was going to fill it before he set -out; he then unloosed the bag, felt it on the outside, putting first -his three fingers, then his whole hand, pinching and squeezing it both -withinside and without; at last he broke out in a violent transport of -rage, crying that _his gold_ was gone, and that they had robbed him of -it. I had not till this spoke one word: I asked him what he meant by -his gold. He said he had two ounces (value about 5l.) in his tobacco -purse, and that some person had laid hold of them when the baggage -lay on the other side of the water; that the Agows had done it, and -that they must pay him for it. The despair and anguish that he had -counterfeited quickly appeared in true and genuine colours in the faces -of all the poor Agows; for his part, he disdained to speak but in -monosyllables--So, so, and very well, and no matter, you shall see--and -shook his head. We now proceeded on our journey; but two of the eldest -among the Agows followed him to our quarters at night, where they made -their peace with Woldo, who, I doubt not, dealt with them according to -his usual mildness, justice, and moderation; a specimen of which we -have already seen. - -I confess this complicated piece of roguery, so suddenly invented, and -so successfully carried into execution, gave me, for the first time, -serious reflections upon my own situation, as we were in fact entirely -in this man’s hand. Ayto Aylo’s servant, indeed, continued with me, but -he was now out of his knowledge and influence, and, from many hints he -had given, very desirous of returning home: he seemed to have no great -opinion of Woldo, and, indeed, had been in low spirits, and disgusted -with our journey, since he had seen the reception I first met with from -Fasil at Bamba; but I had use for him till we should arrive at the -house of Shalaka Welled Amlac, which was in the middle of Maitsha, and -in the way by which we were to return. I had therefore been very kind -to him, allowing him to ride upon one of my mules all the way. I had -given him some presents likewise, and promised him more, so that he -continued with me, though not very willingly, observing every thing, -but saying little; however, to me it was plain that Woldo stood in awe -of him, for fear probably of his master Fasil, for Aylo had over him -a most absolute influence, and Guebra Ehud (Aylo’s brother) had been -present, when Aylo’s servant set out with us from Bamba under charge of -this Woldo. - -To Woldo, too, I had been very attentive: I had anticipated what I saw -were his wishes, by small presents and more considerable promises. I -had told him plainly at Bamba, in presence of Fasil’s Fit-Auraris and -Ayto Welleta Michael, (Ras Michael’s nephew) that I would reward him -in their sight according to his behaviour; that I scarcely thanked him -for his being barely faithful, for so he was accountable to his master, -whose honour was pledged for my safety; but that I expected he would -not attempt to impose upon me, nor suffer others to do so, nor terrify -me unnecessarily upon the road, nor obstruct me in my pursuits, be -sulky, or refuse to answer the inquires that I made about the countries -through which we were to pass. All this was promised, repromised, and -repeatedly sworn to, and the Fit-Auraris had assured me that he knew -certainly this man would please me, and that Fasil was upon honour -when he had chosen him to attend me, although he had then use for him -in other business; and it is not less true, that, during the whole of -our journey hitherto, he had behaved perfectly to the letter of his -promise, and I had omitted no opportunity to gratify him by several -anticipations of mine. - -I had upon me a large beautiful red-silk sash, which went six or seven -times round, in which I carried my crooked knife and two pistols; -he had often admired the beauty of it, inquired where it was made, -and what it might have cost. I had answered often negligently and at -random, and I had thought no more of it, as his inquiries had gone no -further. The time which he had fixed upon was not yet come, and we -shall presently see how very dexterously he prolonged it. - -We arrived, with these delays, pretty late at Goutto, (the village so -called) and took up our lodgings in the house of a considerable person, -who had abandoned it upon our approach, thinking us part of Fasil’s -army. Though this habitation was of use in protecting us from the poor, -yet it hurt us by alarming, and so depriving us of the assistance of -the opulent, such as the present owner, who, if he had known we were -strangers from Gondar, would have willingly staid and entertained us, -being a relation and friend of Shalaka Welled Amlac. - -As we heard distinctly the noise of the cataract, and had still a full -hour and a half of light, while they were in search of a cow to kill, -(the cattle having been all driven away or concealed) I determined -to visit the water-fall, lest I should be thereby detained the next -morning. As Fasil’s horse was fresh, by not being rode, I mounted -him instead of driving him before me, and took a servant of my own, -and a man of the village whom Woldo procured for us, as I would not -allow him to go himself. Being well armed, I thus set out, with the -peasant on foot, for the cataract; and, after riding through a plain, -hard country, in some parts very stony, and thick-covered with trees, -in something more than half an hour’s easy galloping all the way, my -servant and I came straight to the cataract, conducted there by the -noise of the fall, while our guide remained at a considerable distance -behind, not being able to overtake us. - -This, known by the name of the First Cataract of the Nile, did not by -its appearance come up to the idea we had formed of it, being scarce -sixteen feet in height, and about sixty yards over; but in many places -the sheet of water is interrupted, and leaves dry intervals of rock. -The sides are neither so woody nor verdant as those of the cataract -of the Assar; and it is in every shape less magnificent, or deserving -to be seen, than is the noble cataract at Alata before described, -erroneously called the Second Cataract; for below this there is a -water-fall, nearly west of the church of Boskon Abbo, not much above -the place where we swam our horses over in May, and less than this -first cataract of which I am speaking, and nearer the source; there is -another still smaller before the Nile joins the river Gumetti, after -falling from the plains of Sacala; and there are several still smaller -between the fountains and the junction of the Nile with the river -Davola; these last mentioned, however, are very insignificant, and -appear only when the Nile is low: in the rainy season, when the river -is full, they scarcely are distinguished by ruffling the water as it -passes. - -Having satisfied my curiosity at this cataract, I galloped back the -same road that I had come, without having seen a single person since I -left Goutto. Fasil’s horse went very pleasantly, he did not like the -spur, indeed, but he did not need it. On our arrival we found a cow -upon the point of being killed; there was no appearance of any such -to be found when I set out for the cataract, but the diligence and -sagacity of Woldo had overcome that difficulty. By a particular manner -of crying through his hands applied to his mouth, he had contrived to -make some beasts answer him, who were hid in an unsuspected bye-place, -one of which being detected was killed without mercy. - -It was now, I thought, the proper time to give Woldo a lesson as to -the manner in which I was resolved to behave among the Agows, who I -knew had been reduced to absolute poverty by Fasil after the battle of -Banja. I told him, that since the king had given me the small territory -of Geesh, I was resolved to take up my abode there for some time; -and also, to make my coming more agreeable, it was my intention for -that year to discharge them of any taxes which they paid the king, or -their superior Fasil, in whose places I then stood. “Stay, says Woldo, -don’t be in such a hurry, see first how they behave.”--“No, said I, I -will begin by teaching them how to behave; I will not wait till their -present misery prompts them to receive ill (as they very naturally will -do) a man who comes, as they may think, wantonly for curiosity only, -to take from them and their starved families the little Fasil has left -them; the question I ask you then is briefly this, Do you conceive -yourself obliged to obey me, as to what I shall judge necessary to -direct you to do, during my journey to Geesh and back again?” He -answered, By all means, or he could never else return to his master -Fasil. “This, then, said I, is the line of conduct I mean to pursue -while I am among the Agows; you shall have money to buy every thing; -you shall have money, or presents, or both, to pay those that serve -us, or that shew us any kindness, and when we shall join your master -Fasil (as I hope we shall do together) you shall tell him that I have -received his majesty’s rent of the Agows of Geesh, and I will enter -a receipt for it in the king’s deftar, or revenue-book at Gondar, if -we see him there, as I expect we shall, upon my return. I, moreover, -undertake, that we shall gain more by this than by any other method -we could have pursued.” “There is one thing, however, says Woldo, you -would not surely have me free them the dues paid by every village where -a king’s servant is employed to conduct strangers, as I am you.” “No, -no, I do not go so near as that; we shall only buy what you would have -otherwise taken by force for my use.” - -“Some years ago, says Woldo, when I was a young man, in king Yasous’s -time, a white man, called Negadé Ras Georgis, had both Geesh and Sacala -given him by the king; he went there twice a-year, and staid a month -or more at a time; he was a great hunter and drinker, and a devil for -the women; he not only spent what he got from the village, but all the -money he brought from Gondar into the bargain; it was a jovial time, -as I have heard; all was merriment: The first day he came there, some -of the men of Sacala, out of sport, disputing with three of the Agows -of Zeegam, fell to it with their knives and lances, and four men were -killed in an instant upon the spot; fine stout fellows, every one like -a lion; good men all of them; there are no such days seen now, unless -they come about when you are there, and then I shall have my share of -every thing”. “Woldo, said I, with all my heart; I shall be otherwise -employed; but you shall be at perfect liberty to partake of every -sport, always excepting the diversion of killing four men.” But I had -observed this day, with some surprise, that he doubted several times -whether we were on the way to the fountains of the Nile or not; and I -did not think this prospect of entertainment which I held out to him -was received with such joy as I expected, or as if he meant to partake -of it. - -Strates had refused to go to the first cataract, having so violent an -appetite that he could not abandon the cow; and, after my arrival, it -was his turn to watch that night. When I was lain down to rest in a -little hovel like a hog’s sty, near where they were sitting, I heard a -warm dispute among the servants, and, upon inquiry, found Strates was -preparing steaks on a gridiron to make an entertainment for himself -while the rest were sleeping; these, on the other hand, were resolved -to play him a trick to punish his gluttony. When the steaks were spread -upon the gridiron, Woldo had undertaken to pour some fine dust, or -sand, through the hole in the roof, which served as a chimney; and this -he had done with success as often as Strates went to any distance from -the fire. Not content, however, with the position in which he then -was, but desirous to do it more effectually, he attempted to change -his place upon the roof where he stood, thinking it all equally strong -to bear him; but in this he was mistaken; the part he was removing to -suddenly gave way, and down he came upon the floor, bringing half the -roof and part of the wall, together with a prodigious dust, into the -fire. - -The surprise and sight of his own danger made Woldo repeat some -ejaculation to himself in Galla. My servants, who were waiting the -success of the scheme, cried, The Galla! the Galla! and Strates, who -thought the whole army of wild Galla had surrounded the house, fell -upon his face, calling Maruni! Maruni!--Spare me! spare me!--I was in -a profound sleep when roused by the noise of the roof, the falling of -the man, and the cry of Galla! Galla! I started up, and laid hold of -a musket loaded with slugs, a bayonet at the end of it, and ran to -the door, when the first thing I saw was Woldo examining his hurts, -or burns, but without any arms. A laugh from without made me directly -suppose what it was, and I was presently fully satisfied by the figure -Strates and Woldo made, covered with dirt and dust from the roof; but, -while they were entertaining themselves with this foolish trick, the -thatch that had fallen upon the fire began to flame, and it was with -the utmost difficulty we extinguished it, otherwise the whole village -might have been burnt down.--I heard distinctly the noise of the -cataract all this night. - - - - -CHAP. XII. - -_Leave Goutto--Mountains of the Moon--Roguery of Woldo our -Guide--Arrive at the Source of the Nile._ - - -It was the 3d of November, at eight o’clock in the morning, that we -left the village of Goutto, and continued, for the first part of the -day, through a plain country full of acacia-trees, and a few of other -sorts; but they were all pollards, that is, stunted, by having their -tops cut off when young, so that they bore now nothing but small twigs, -or branches; these, too, seemed to have been lopped yearly. As there -appeared no doubt that this had been done purposely, and for use, I -asked, and was informed, that we were now in the honey country, and -that these twigs were for making large baskets, which they hung upon -trees at the sides of their houses, like bird-cages, for the bees to -make their honey in them during the dry months; all the houses we -passed afterwards, and the trees near them, were furnished with these -baskets, having numerous hives of bees at work in them; the people -themselves seemed not to heed them, but they were an excessive plague -to us by their stings during the day, so that it was only when we were -out in the fields, or at night in the house, that we were free from -this inconvenience. - -The high mountain of Berfa now bore south from us about ten miles -distant; it resembles, in shape, a gunner’s wedge, and towers up to the -very clouds amidst the lesser mountains of the Agow. Sacala is south -south-east. The country of the Agows extends from Berfa on the south -to the point of due west, in form of an amphitheatre, formed all round -by mountains, of which that of Banja lies south south-west about nine -miles off. The country of the Shangalla, beyond the Agows, lies west -north-west. From this point all the territory of Goutto is full of -villages, in which the fathers, sons, and grandsons live together; each -degree, indeed, in a separate house, but near or touching each other, -as in Maitsha, so that every village consists of one family. - -At three quarters past eight we crossed a small, but clear river, -called Dee-ohha, or the River Dee. It is singular to observe the -agreement of names of rivers in different parts of the world, that have -never had communication together. The Dee is a river in the north of -Scotland. The Dee runs through Cheshire likewise in England; and Dee is -a river here in Abyssinia. Kelti is the name of a river in Monteith; -Kelti, too, we found in Maitsha. Arno is a well-known river in Tuscany; -and we found another Arno, below Emfras, falling into the lake Tzana. -Not one of these rivers, as far as I could observe, resemble each other -in any one circumstance, nor have they a meaning or signification in -any one language I know. - -The church of Abbo is a quarter of a mile to our right, and the church -of Eion Mariam bears east by south half a mile. We resumed our journey -at half past nine, and, after advancing a few minutes, we came in -light of the ever-memorable field of Fagitta. At a quarter past ten -we were pointing to the south-east, the two great clans of the Agow, -Zeegam and Dengui, being to the south-west; the remarkable mountain -Davenanza is about eight miles off, bearing south-east by south, and -the course of the Nile is east and west. Eastward still from this is -the high mountain of Adama, one of the ridges of Amid Amid, which form -the entrance of a narrow valley on the east side, as the mountains of -Litchambara do on the west. In this valley runs the large river Jemma, -rising in the mountains, which, after passing thro’ part of Maitsha, -falls below into the Nile. The mountains from this begin to rise high, -whereas at Samseen they are very low and inconsiderable. Adama is about -ten miles from our present situation, which is also famous for a battle -fought by Fasil’s father, while governor of Damot, against the people -of Maitsha, in which they were totally defeated. - -We now descended into a large plain full of marshes, bounded on the -west by the Nile, and at ten and three quarters we crossed the small -river Diwa, which comes from the east and runs to the westward: though -not very broad, it was by much the deepest river we had passed; the -banks of earth being perpendicular and infirm, and the bottom foul and -clayey, we were obliged to dismount ourselves, unload the mules, and -carry our baggage over. This was a troublesome operation, though we -succeeded at last. I often regretted to Woldo, that he could not here -find some of the good people like the Agows at the ford of the Nile; -but he shook his head, saying, These are another sort of stuff; we may -be very thankful if they let us pass ourselves: in the flat country I -do not wish to meet one man on this side the mountain Aformasha. - -In this plain, the Nile winds more in the space of four miles than, -I believe, any river in the world; it makes above a hundred turns in -that distance, one of which advances so abruptly into the plain that -we concluded we must pass it, and were preparing accordingly, when we -saw it make as sharp a turn to the right, and run far on in a contrary -direction, as if we were never to have met it again: the Nile is not -here above 20 feet broad, and is nowhere above a foot deep. The church -of Yasous was above three quarters of a mile to the west. - -At one o’clock we ascended a ridge of low hills which terminates this -plain to the south. The mountains behind them are called Attata; they -are covered thick with brushwood, and are cut through with gullies and -beds of torrents. At half past one we were continuing S. E.; in a few -minutes after we passed a clear but small stream, called Minch, which -signifies the Fountain. At two o’clock we arrived at the top of the -mountain of Attata, and from this discovered the river Abola coming -from the S. S. E. and in a few minutes passed another small river -called Giddili, which loses itself immediately in a turn, or elbow, -which the river Abola makes here below. At half past two we descended -the mountain of Attata, and immediately at the foot of it crossed a -small river of the same name, which terminates the territory of Attata; -here, to the south, it is indeed narrow, but very difficult to pass -by reason of its muddy bottom. The sun all along the plain of Goutto -had been very hot till now, and here so excessively, that it quite -overcame us: what was worse, Woldo declared himself so ill, that he -doubted if he could go any farther, but believed he should die at the -next village. Though I knew too much of the matter to think him in any -danger from real disease, I saw easily that he was infected with a -counterfeit one, which I did not doubt was to give me as much trouble -as a real one would have done. - -At three o’clock, however, we pushed on towards the S. E. and began to -enter into the plain of Abola, one of the divisions of the Agow. The -plain, or rather valley, of Abola, is about half a mile broad for the -most part, and nowhere exceeds a mile. The mountains that form it on -the east and west side are at first of no considerable height, and are -covered with herbage and acacia-trees to the very top; but as they run -south, they increase in height, and become more rugged and woody. On -the top of these are most delightful plains, full of excellent pasture; -the mountains to the west are part of, or at least join the mountain of -Aformasha, where, from a direction nearly S. E. they turn south, and -inclose the villages and territory of Sacala, which lie at the foot of -them, and still lower, that is more to the westward, the small village -of Geesh, where are the long-expected fountains of the Nile. - -These mountains are here in the form of a crescent; the river runs -in the plain along the foot of this ridge, and along the side of it -Kasmati Fasil passed after his defeat at Fagitta. The mountains which -form the east side of this plain run parallel to the former in their -whole course, and are part of, or at least join the mountains of -Litchambara, and these two, when behind Aformasha, turn to the south, -and then to the S. W. taking the same form as they do, only making a -greater curve, and inclosing them likewise in the form of a crescent, -the extremity of which terminates immediately above the small lake -Gooderoo, in the plain of Assoa, below Geesh, and directly at the -fountains of the Nile. - -The river Abola comes out of the valley between these two ridges of -mountains of Litchambara and Aformasha, but does not rise there; it -has two branches, one of which hath its source in the western side of -Litchambara, near the center of the curve where the mountains turn -south; the other branch rises on the mountain of Aformasha, and the -east side of our road as we ascended to the church of Mariam. Still -behind these are the mountains of Amid Amid, another ridge which begin -behind Samseen, in the S. W. part of the province of Maitsha, though -they become high only from the mountain of Adama, but they are in shape -exactly like the former ridges, embracing them in a large curve in the -shape of a crescent. - -Between Amid Amid and the ridge of Litchambara is the deep valley now -known by the name of St George; what was its ancient, or Pagan name, -I could not learn. Through the middle of this valley runs the Jemma, -a river equal to the Nile, if not larger, but infinitely more rapid: -after leaving the valley, it crosses that part of Maitsha on the east -of the Nile, and loses itself in that river below Samseen, near the -ford where our army passed in the unfortunate retreat of the month of -May: its sources or fountains are three; they rise in the mountains of -Amid Amid, and keep on close to the east side of them, till the river -issues out of the valley into Maitsha. - -This triple ridge of mountains disposed one range behind the other, -nearly in form of three concentric circles, seem to suggest an idea -that they are the Mountains of the Moon, or the _Montes Lunæ_ of -antiquity, at the foot of which the Nile was said to rise; in fact, -there are no others. Amid Amid may perhaps exceed half a mile in -height, they certainly do not arrive at three quarters, and are greatly -short of that fabulous height given them by Kircher. These mountains -are all of them excellent soil, and everywhere covered with fine -pasture; but as this unfortunate country had been for ages the theatre -of war, the inhabitants have only ploughed and sown the top of them -out of the reach of enemies or marching armies. On the middle of the -mountain are villages built of a white sort of grass, which makes them -conspicuous at a great distance; the bottom is all grass, where their -cattle feed continually under their eye; these, upon any alarm, they -drive up to the top of the mountains out of danger. The hail lies often -upon the top of Amid Amid for hours, but snow was never seen in this -country, nor have they a word[122] in their language for it. It is also -remarkable, though we had often violent hail at Gondar, and even when -the sun was vertical, it never came but with the wind blowing directly -from Amid Amid. - -At ten minutes past three o’clock we crossed the small river Iworra, -in the valley of Abola; it comes from the east, and runs westward -into that river. At a quarter after four we halted at a house in -the middle of the plain, or valley. This valley is not above a mile -broad, the river being distant about a quarter, and runs at the foot -of the mountains. This village, as indeed were all the others we -had seen since our crossing the Nile at Goutto, was surrounded by -large, thick plantations, of that singular plant the Ensete, one of -the most beautiful productions of nature, as well as most agreeable -and wholesome food of man. It is said to have been brought by the -Galla from Narea, first to Maitsha, then to Goutto, the Agows, and -Damot, which last is a province on the south side of the mountains of -Amid Amid. This plant, and the root, called Denitch, (the same which -is known in Europe by the name of the Jerusalem artichoke, a root -deserving more attention than is paid to it in our country,) supply all -these provinces with food. - -We were but seldom lucky enough to get the people of the villages -to wait our arrival; the fears of the march of the Galla, and the -uncertainty of their destination, made them believe always we were -detachments of that army, to which the presence of Fasil’s horse driven -constantly before us very much contributed: we found the village where -we alighted totally abandoned, and in it only an earthen pot, with a -large slice of the Ensete plant boiling in it; it was about a foot in -length, and ten inches broad, and was almost ready for eating: we had -fortunately meat with us, and only wanting vegetables to complete our -dinner. We appropriated to ourselves, without scruple, this ensete; -and, by way of reparation, I insisted upon leaving, at parting, a -brick, or wedge of salt, which is used as small money in Gondar, and -all over Abyssinia; it might be in value about a shilling. - -On the 4th of November, at eight o’clock we left our small village -on the plain of Abola, without having seen any of the inhabitants; -however, we were sure there were among them some who were curious -enough to wish to look at us, for, in walking late at night, I heard -several voices speaking low among the ensete-trees and canes. It was -not possible to collect what they said in the low tone in which they -spoke; and I should not probably have been much wiser, had they spoken -louder, as their language was that of their country, the Agow, of which -I did not understand one word; however, I thought I could distinguish -they were women, the men apprehending we were enemies having probably -taken refuge in the mountains above. I did every thing possible to -surround or surprise one or two of these people, that, by good-usage -and presents, we might reconcile them to us, and get the better of -their fear; but it was all to no purpose; they fled much quicker than -we could pursue them, as they knew the country, and it was not safe to -follow them far into the wilderness, lest we might stumble upon people -who might misinterpret our intentions. - -I was determined to try whether, by taking away that scare-crow, -Fasil’s horse, from before us, and riding him myself, things would -change for the better: this I distinctly saw, that Woldo would have -wished the horse to have gone rather without a rider, and this I had -observed the night I went to the cataract from Goutto. Sitting on the -king’s saddle, or in his seat at Gondar, is high-treason; and Woldo -thought, at all times, but now especially, that his master was inferior -to no king upon earth. I even attributed to that last expedition at -Goutto his silence and apparent sickness ever since; but in this last -circumstance I found afterwards that I was mistaken: be that as it -would, my plan was very different from Woldo’s as to the horse, he was -become a favourite, and I was resolved, in the course of my journey, to -improve his talents so, that he should make a better appearance on his -return to Gondar, than he did when I received him from Fasil at Bamba. -I compounded, as I conceived, with Woldo’s scruples, by laying aside -Fasil’s saddle, which was a very uneasy one, besides, that it had iron -rings instead of stirrups; in short, as this horse was very beautiful, -(as many of the Galla horses are) and all of one colour, which was of -lead, without any spot of white, I hoped to make him an acceptable -present to the king, who was passionately fond of horses. Here it -may not be improper to observe, that all very great men in Abyssinia -choose to ride horses of one colour only, which have no distinguishing -mark whereby they may be traced in retreats, flights, or such unlucky -expeditions: It is the king alone in battle who rides upon a horse -distinguished by his marks, and that on purpose that he may be known. - -There were many villages in this valley which seemed to have escaped -the havock of war, nor had they that air of poverty and misery so -apparent in all the other habitations we had seen. We were pointing -nearly east south-east, when we passed the small river Googueri, -which, like all the others on this side of the mountain, falls into -the Abola. We then left the valley of Abola on our right, and began -to travel along the sides of the mountains on the west. At three -quarters after eight we passed a violent torrent called Karnachiuli, -which falls from north-east into the Abola. At nine we again descended -into the valley, and, a few minutes after, came to the banks of the -Caccino, which flows from the north just above, and joins the Abola. -Here we halted for a little to rest our men, and to adjust thoroughly -the minutes of our journey, that the whole might appear in a distinct -manner in the map that I intended to make on my return to Gondar. - -At half past nine we again set out, and, a few minutes after, passed -the river Abola, which gives its name to the valley into which we had -descended, and receives many lesser streams, and is of considerable -breadth. I could discover no traces of fish either in it or in any -river since we left the Assar, from which circumstance I apprehend, -that, in these torrents from the mountains, almost dry in summer, and -which run with vast rapidity in winter, the spawn and fish are both -destroyed in different seasons by different causes. - -After coasting some little time along the side of the valley, we -began to ascend a mountain on the right, from which falls almost -perpendicularly a small, but very violent stream, one of the principal -branches of the Abola, which empties itself into the Nile, together -with the other branch, a still more considerable stream, coming from -east south-east along the valley between Litchambara and Aformasha. -At eleven o’clock our course was south by east, and we passed near -a church, dedicated to the Virgin, on our left. The climate seemed -here most agreeably mild, the country covered with the most lively -verdure, the mountains with beautiful trees and shrubs, loaded with -extraordinary fruits and flowers. I found my spirits very much raised -with these pleasing scenes, as were those of all my servants, who were, -by our conversation, made geographers enough to know we were near -approaching to the end of our journey. Both Strates and I, out of the -_Lamb’s_ hearing, had shot a variety of curious birds and beasts. All -but Woldo seemed to have acquired new strength and vigour. He continued -in his air of despondency, and seemed every day to grow more and more -weak. At a quarter past eleven we arrived at the top of the mountain, -where we, for the first time, came in sight of Sacala, which extends in -the plain below from west to the point of south, and there joins with -the village of Geesh. - -Sacala, full of small low villages, which, however, had escaped the -ravages of the late war, is the eastermost branch of the Agows, and -famous for the best honey. The small river Kebezza, running from the -east, serves as a boundary between Sacala and Aformasha; after joining -two other rivers, the Gometti and the Googueri, which we presently came -to, after a short course nearly from S. E. to N. W. it falls into the -Nile a little above its junction with the Abola. - -At three-quarters past eleven we crossed the river Kebezza, and -descended into the plain of Sacala; in a few minutes we also passed the -Googueri, a more considerable stream than the former; it is about sixty -feet broad, and perhaps eighteen inches deep, very clear and rapid, -running over a rugged, uneven bottom of black rock. At a quarter -past twelve we halted on a small eminence, where the market of Sacala -is held every Saturday. Horned cattle, many of the greatest beauty -possible, with which all this country abounds; large asses, the most -useful of all beasts for riding or carriage; honey, butter, ensete -for food, and a manufacture of the leaf of that plant, painted with -different colours like Mosaic work, are here exposed to sale in great -plenty; the butter and honey, indeed, are chiefly carried to Gondar, -or to Buré; but Damot, Maitsha, and Gojam likewise take a considerable -quantity of all these commodities. - -At a quarter after one o’clock we passed the river Gumetti, the -boundary of the plain: we were now ascending a very steep and rugged -mountain, the worst pass we had met on our whole journey. We had no -other path but a road made by the sheep or the goats, which did not -seem to have been frequented by men, for it was broken, full of holes, -and in other places obstructed with large stones that seemed to have -been there from the creation. It must be added to this, that the whole -was covered with thick wood, which often occupied the very edge of -the precipices on which we stood, and we were everywhere stopt and -entangled by that execrable thorn the kantussa, and several other -thorns and brambles nearly as inconvenient. We ascended, however, with -great alacrity, as we conceived we were surmounting the last difficulty -after the many thousands we had already overcome. Just above this -almost impenetrable wood, in a very romantic situation, stands St -Michael, in a hollow space like a nitch between two hills of the same -height, and from which it is equally distant. This church has been -unfrequented for many years; the excuse they make is, that they cannot -procure frankincense, without which, it seems, their mass or service -cannot be celebrated; but the truth is, they are still Pagans; and the -church, having been built in memory of a victory over them above a -hundred years ago, is not a favourite object before their eyes, but a -memorial of their inferiority and misfortune. This church is called St -Michael Sacala, to distinguish it from another more to the southward, -called St Michael Geesh. - -At three quarters after one we arrived at the top of the mountain, -whence we had a distinct view of all the remaining territory of Sacala, -the mountain Geesh, and church of St Michael Geesh, about a mile and -a half distant from St Michael Sacala, where we then were. We saw, -immediately below us, the Nile itself, strangely diminished in size, -and now only a brook that had scarcely water to turn a mill. I could -not satiate myself with the sight, revolving in my mind all those -classical prophecies that had given the Nile up to perpetual obscurity -and concealment. The lines of the poet came immediately into my mind, -and I enjoyed here, for the first time, the triumph which already, by -the protection of Providence, and my own intrepidity, I had gained over -all that were powerful, and all that were learned, since the remotest -antiquity:-- - - _Arcanum natura caput non prodidit ulli, - Nec licuit populis parvum te, Nile, videre; - Amovitque sinus, et gentes maluit ortus - Mirari, quam nôsse tuos._---- - LUCAN. - -I was awakened out of this delightful reverie by an alarm that we -had lost Woldo our guide. Though I long had expected something from -his behaviour, I did not think, for his own sake, it could be his -intention to leave us. The servants could not agree when they last -saw him: Strates and Aylo’s servant were in the wood shooting, and we -found by the gun that they were not far from us; I was therefore in -hopes that Woldo, though not at all fond of fire-arms, might be in -their company; but it was with great dissatisfaction I saw them appear -without him. They said, that, about an hour before, they had seen -some extraordinary large, rough apes, or monkeys, several of which -were walking upright, and all without tails; that they had gone after -them thro’ the wood till they could scarce get out again; but they -did not remember to have seen Woldo at parting. Various conjectures -immediately followed; some thought he had resolved to betray and rob -us; some conceived it was an instruction of Fasil’s to him, in order -to our being treacherously murdered; some again supposed he was slain -by the wild beasts, especially those apes or baboons, whose voracity, -size, and fierce appearance were exceedingly magnified, especially by -Strates, who had not the least doubt, if Woldo had met them, but that -he would be so entirely devoured, that we might seek in vain without -discovering even a fragment of him. For my part, I began to think that -he had been really ill when he first complained, and that the sickness -might have overcome him upon the road; and this, too, was the opinion -of Ayto Aylo’s servant, who said, however, with a significant look, -that he could not be far off; we therefore sent him, and one of the men -that drove the mules, back to seek after him; and they had not gone -but a few hundred yards when they found him coming, but so decrepid, -and so very ill, that he said he could go no farther than the church, -where he was positively resolved to take up his abode that night. I -felt his pulse, examined every part about him, and saw, I thought -evidently, that nothing ailed him. Without losing my temper, however, -I told him firmly, That I perceived he was an impostor; that he should -consider that I was a physician, as he knew I cured his master’s first -friend, Welleta Yasous: that the feeling of his hand told me as plain -as his tongue could have done, that nothing ailed him; that it told -me likewise he had in his heart some prank to play, which would turn -out very much to his disadvantage. He seemed dismayed after this, said -little, and only desired us to halt for a few minutes, and he should be -better; for, says he, it requires strength in us all to pass another -great hill before we arrive at Geesh. - -“Look you, said I, lying is to no purpose; I know where Geesh is as -well as you do, and that we have no more mountains or bad places to -pass through; therefore, if you choose to stay behind, you may; but -to-morrow I shall inform Welleta Yasous at Buré of your behaviour.” -I said this with the most determined air possible, and left them, -walking as hard as I could down to the ford of the Nile. Woldo remained -above with the servants, who were loading their mules; he seemed to be -perfectly cured of his lameness, and was in close conversation with -Ayto Aylo’s servant for about ten minutes, which I did not choose to -interrupt, as I saw that man was already in possession of part of -Woldo’s secret. This being over, they all came down to me, as I was -sketching a branch of a yellow rose-tree, a number of which hang over -the ford. - -The whole company passed without disturbing me; and Woldo, seeming to -walk as well as ever, ascended a gentle-rising hill, near the top of -which is St Michael Geesh. The Nile here is not four yards over, and -not above four inches deep where we crossed; it was indeed become a -very trifling brook, but ran swiftly over a bottom of small stones, -with hard, black rock appearing amidst them: it is at this place -very easy to pass, and very limpid, but, a little lower, full of -inconsiderable falls; the ground rises gently from the river to the -southward, full of small hills and eminences, which you ascend and -descend almost imperceptibly. The whole company had halted on the north -side of St Michael’s church, and there I reached them without affecting -any hurry. - -It was about four o’clock in the afternoon, but the day had been very -hot for some hours, and they were sitting in the shade of a grove of -magnificent cedars, intermixed with some very large and beautiful -cusso-trees, all in the flower; the men were lying on the grass, and -the beasts fed, with the burdens on their backs, in most luxuriant -herbage. I called for my herbary[123], to lay the rose-branch I had in -my hand smoothly, that it might dry without spoiling the shape; having -only drawn its general form, the pistil and stamina, the finer parts of -which (though very necessary in classing the plant) crumble and fall -off, or take different forms in drying, and therefore should always be -secured by drawing while green. I just said indifferently to Woldo in -passing, that I was glad to see him recovered; that he would presently -be well, and should fear nothing. He then got up, and desired to -speak with me alone, taking Aylo’s servant along with him. “Now, said -I, very calmly, I know by your face you are going to tell me a lie. I -do swear to you solemnly, you never, by that means, will obtain any -thing from me, no not so much as a good word; truth and good behaviour -will get you every thing; what appears a great matter in your sight is -not perhaps of such value in mine; but nothing except truth and good -behaviour will answer to you; now I know for a certainty you are no -more sick than I am.”--“Sir, said he, with a very confident look, you -are right; I did counterfeit; I neither have been, nor am I at present -any way out of order; but I thought it best to tell you so, not to be -obliged to discover another reason that has much more weight with me -why I cannot go to Geesh, and much less shew myself at the sources of -the Nile, which I confess are not much beyond it, though I declare to -you there is still a _hill_ between you and those sources.”--“And pray, -said I calmly, what is this mighty reason? have you had a dream, or a -vision in that trance you fell into when you lagged behind below the -church of St Michael Sacala?” “No, says he, it is neither trance, nor -dream, nor devil either; I wish it was no worse; but you know as well -as I, that my master Fasil defeated the Agows at the battle of Banja. -I was there with my master, and killed several men, among whom some -were of the Agows of this village Geesh, and you know the usage of this -country, when a man, in these circumstances, falls into their hands, -his blood must pay for their blood.” - -I burst out into a violent fit of laughter which very much disconcerted -him. “There, said I, did not I say to you it was a lie that you was -going to tell me? do not think I disbelieve or dispute with you the -vanity of having killed men; many men were slain at that battle; -somebody must, and you may have been the person who slew them; but do -you think that I can believe that Fasil, so deep in that account of -blood, could rule the Agows in the manner he does, if he could not put -a servant of his in safety among them 20 miles from his residence; -do you think I can believe this?” “Come, come, said Aylo’s servant -to Woldo, did you not hear that truth and good behaviour will get -you every thing you ask? Sir, continues he, I see this affair vexes -you, and what this foolish man wants will neither make you richer nor -poorer; he has taken a great desire for that crimson silk-sash which -you wear about your middle. I told him to stay till you went back to -Gondar; but he says he is to go no farther than to the house of Shalaka -Welled Amlac in Maitsha, and does not return to Gondar; I told him to -stay till you had put your mind at ease, by seeing the fountains of the -Nile, which you are so anxious about. He said, after that had happened, -he was sure you would not give it him, for you seemed to think little -of the cataract at Goutto, and of all the fine rivers and churches -which he had shewn you; except the head of the Nile shall be finer than -all these, when, in reality, it will be just like another river, you -will then be dissatisfied, and not give him the sash.” - -I thought there was something very natural in these suspicions of -Woldo; besides, he said he was certain that, if ever the sash came into -the sight of Welled Amlac, by some means or other he would get it into -his hands. This rational discourse had pacified me a little; the sash -was a handsome one; but it must have been fine indeed to have stood -for a minute between me and the accomplishment of my wishes. I laid -my hand then upon the pistols that stuck in my girdle, and drew them -out to give them to one of my suite, when Woldo, who apprehended it was -for another purpose, ran some paces back, and hid himself behind Aylo’s -servant. We were all diverted at this fright, but none so much as -Strates, who thought himself revenged for the alarm he had given him by -falling through the roof of the house at Goutto. After having taken off -my sash, “Here is your sash, Woldo, said I; but mark what I have said, -and now most seriously repeat to you, Truth and good behaviour will get -any thing from me; but if, in the course of this journey, you play one -trick more, though ever so trifling, I will bring such a vengeance upon -your head that you shall not be able to find a place to hide it in, -when not the sash only will be taken from you, but your skin also will -follow it: remember what happened to the seis at Bamba.” - -He took the sash, but seemed terrified at the threat, and began to -make apologies. “Come, come, said I, we understand each other; no more -words; it is now late, lose no more time, but carry me to Geesh, and -the head of the Nile directly, without preamble, and shew me the hill -that separates me from it. He then carried me round to the south side -of the church, out of the grove of trees that surrounded it, “This is -the hill, says he, looking archly, that, when you was on the other -side of it, was between you and the fountains of the Nile; there is no -other; look at that hillock of green sod in the middle of that watery -spot, it is in that the two fountains of the Nile are to be found: -Geesh is on the face of the rock where yon green trees are: if you go -the length of the fountains pull off your shoes as you did the other -day, for these people are all Pagans, worse than those that were at -the ford, and they believe in nothing that you believe, but only in -this river, to which they pray every day as if it were God; but this -perhaps you may do likewise.” Half undressed as I was by loss of my -sash, and throwing my shoes off, I ran down the hill towards the little -island of green sods, which was about two hundred yards distant; the -whole side of the hill was thick grown over with flowers, the large -bulbous roots of which appearing above the surface of the ground, and -their skins coming off on treading upon them, occasioned two very -severe falls before I reached the brink of the marsh; I after this came -to the island of green turf, which was in form of an altar, apparently -the work of art, and I stood in rapture over the principal fountain -which rises in the middle of it.” - -It is easier to guess than to describe the situation of my mind at that -moment--standing in that spot which had baffled the genius, industry, -and inquiry of both ancients and moderns, for the course of near three -thousand years. Kings had attempted this discovery at the head of -armies, and each expedition was distinguished from the last, only by -the difference of the numbers which had perished, and agreed alone in -the disappointment which had uniformly, and without exception, followed -them all. Fame, riches, and honour, had been held out for a series of -ages to every individual of those myriads these princes commanded, -without having produced one man capable of gratifying the curiosity -of his sovereign, or wiping off this stain upon the enterprise and -abilities of mankind, or adding this desideratum for the encouragement -of geography. Though a mere private Briton, I triumphed here, in my own -mind, over kings and their armies; and every comparison was leading -nearer and nearer to presumption, when the place itself where I stood, -the object of my vain-glory, suggested what depressed my short-lived -triumphs. I was but a few minutes arrived at the sources of the Nile, -through numberless dangers and sufferings, the least of which would -have overwhelmed me but for the continual goodness and protection of -Providence; I was, however, but then half through my journey, and -all those dangers which I had already passed, awaited me again on my -return. I found a despondency gaining ground fast upon me, and blasting -the crown of laurels I had too rashly woven for myself. I resolved -therefore to divert, till I could on more solid reflection overcome its -progress. - -I saw Strates expecting me on the side of the hill. “Strates, said I, -faithful squire, come and triumph with your Don Quixote at that island -of Barataria where we have wisely and fortunately brought ourselves; -come and triumph with me over all the kings of the earth, all their -armies, all their philosophers, and all their heroes.”--“Sir, says -Strates, I do not understand a word of what you say, and as little what -you mean: you very well know I am no scholar; but you had much better -leave that bog, come into the house, and look after Woldo; I fear he -has something further to seek than your sash, for he has been talking -with the old devil-worshipper ever since we arrived.”--“Did they speak -secretly together, said I?”--“Yes, Sir, they did, I assure you.”--“And -in whispers, Strates!”--“As for that, replied he, they need not have -been at the pains; they understand one another, I suppose, and the -devil their master understands them both; but as for me I comprehend -their discourse no more than if it was Greek, _as they say_. Greek! -says he, I am an ass; I should know well enough what they said if they -spoke Greek.”--“Come, said I, take a draught of this excellent water, -and drink with me a health to his majesty king George III. and a long -line of princes.” I had in my hand a large cup made of a cocoa-nut -shell, which I procured in Arabia, and which was brim-full. He drank -to the king speedily and chearfully, with the addition of, “Confusion -to his enemies,” and tossed up his cap with a loud huzza. “Now friend, -said I, here is to a more humble, but still a sacred name, here is -to--Maria!” He asked if that was the Virgin Mary? I answered, “In -faith, I believe so, Strates.” He did not speak, but only gave a humph -of disapprobation. - -The day had been very hot, and the altercation I had with Woldo had -occasioned me to speak so much that my thirst, without any help from -curiosity, led me to these frequent libations at this long sought-for -spring, the most ancient of all altars. “Strates, said I, here is to -our happy return. Come, friend, you are yet two toasts behind me; can -you ever be satiated with this excellent water?”--“Look you, Sir, -says he very gravely, as for king George I. drank to him with all my -heart, to his wife, to his children, to his brothers and sisters, God -bless them all! Amen;--but as for the Virgin Mary, as I am no Papist, -I beg to be excused from drinking healths which _my church_ does not -drink. As for our happy return, God knows, there is no one wishes it -more sincerely than I do, for I have been long weary of this beggarly -country. But you must forgive me if I refuse to drink any more water. -They say these savages pray over that hole every morning to the devil, -and I am afraid I feel his horns in my belly already, from the great -draught of that hellish water I drank first.”--It was, indeed, as -cold water as ever I tasted. “Come, come, said I, don’t be peevish, I -have but one toast more to drink.”--“Peevish, or not peevish, replied -Strates, a drop of it never again shall cross my throat: there is no -humour in this; no joke; shew us something pleasant as you used to do; -but there is no jest in meddling with devil-worshippers, witchcraft, -and inchantments, to bring some disease upon one’s self here, so far -from home in the fields. No, no, as many toasts in wine as you please, -or better in brandy, but no more water for Strates. I am sure I have -done myself harm already with these follies--God forgive me!”--“Then, -said I, I will drink it alone, and you are henceforward unworthy of the -name of Greek; you do not even deserve that of a Christian.” Holding -the full cup then to my head, “Here is to Catharine, empress of all the -Russias, and success to her heroes at Paros; and hear my prediction -from this altar to-day, Ages shall not pass, before this ground, -whereon I now stand, will become a flourishing part of her dominions.” - -He leaped on this a yard from the ground. “If the old gentleman has -whispered you this, says he, out of the well, he has not kept you long -time waiting; tell truth and shame the devil, is indeed the proverb, -but truth is truth, wherever it comes from; give me the cup, I will -drink that health though I should die.” He then held out both his -hands. “Strates, said I, be in no such haste; remember the water is -inchanted by devil-worshippers; there is no jesting with these, and -you are far from home, and in the fields, you may catch some disease, -especially if you drink the Virgin Mary; God forgive you. Remember the -horns the first draught produced; they may with this come entirely -through and through.”--“The cup, the cup, says he, and--fill it full; -I defy the devil, and trust in St George and the dragon.--Here is to -Catharine, empress of all the Russias, confusion to her enemies, and -damnation to all at Paros.”--“Well, friend, said I, you was long in -resolving, but you have done it at last to some purpose; I am sure -I did not drink damnation to all at Paros.”--“Ah, says he, but _I -did_, and will do it again--Damnation to all at Paros, and Cyprus, -and Rhodes, Crete, and Mytilene into the bargain: Here it goes, with -all my heart. Amen, so be it.”--“And who do you think, said I, are at -Paros?”--“Pray, who should be there, says he, but Turks and devils, the -worst race of monsters and oppressors in the Levant; I have been at -Paros myself; was you ever there?”--“Whether I was ever there or not -is no matter, said I; the empress’s fleet, and an army of Russians, -are now possibly there; and here you, without provocation, have drank -damnation to the Russian fleet and army who have come so far from home, -and are at this moment sword in hand to restore you to your liberty, -and the free exercise of your religion; did not I tell you, you was no -Greek, and scarcely deserved the name of Christian?”--“No, no, Sir, -cries Strates, for God’s sake do not say so, I would rather die. I -did not understand you about Paros; there was no malice in my heart -against the Russians. God will bless them, and my folly can do them no -harm--Huzza, Catharine, and victory!” whilst he tossed his cap into the -air. - -A number of the Agows had appeared upon the hill, just before the -valley, in silent wonder what Strates and I were doing at the altar. -Two or three only had come down to the edge of the swamp, had seen the -grimaces and action of Strates, and heard him huzza; on which they -had asked Woldo, as he entered into the village, what was the meaning -of all this? Woldo told them, that the man was out of his senses, and -had been bit by a mad dog; which reconciled them immediately to us. -They, moreover, said, he would be infallibly cured by the Nile; but the -custom, after meeting with such a misfortune, was to drink the water in -the morning fasting. I was very well pleased both with this turn Woldo -gave the action, and the remedy we stumbled upon by mere accident, -which discovered a connection, believed to subsist at this day, between -this river and its ancient governor the dog-star. - - - - -CHAP. XIII. - -_Attempts of the Ancients to discover the Source of the Nile--No -Discovery made in latter Times--No Evidence of the Jesuits having -arrived there--Kircher’s Account fabulous--Discovery completely made by -the Author._ - - -Far in antiquity as history or tradition can lead us, farther still -beyond the reach of either, (if we believe it was the first subject of -hieroglyphics) begins the inquiry into the origin, cause of increase, -and course, of this famous river. It is one of the few phænomena -in natural history that ancient philosophers employed themselves -in investigating, and people of all ranks seemed to have joined in -the research with a degree of perseverance very uncommon; but still -this discovery, though often attempted under the most favourable -circumstances, has as constantly miscarried; it has baffled the -endeavours of all ages, and at last come down, as great a secret as -ever, to these latter times of bold and impartial inquiry. - -Though Egypt was not created by the Nile, it was the first part that -received benefit from it; it was there, in the time of its overflowing, -that it appeared in all its beauty, and Egypt measured its prosperity -or desolation by the abundance or scantiness of this stream. It was -not, however, in Egypt the inquiries into the time and cause of its -inundation began; all these were settled and reduced to rule before a -city was built within the reach of the inundation. - -Man, that knew not the cause, was also ignorant of the limits of that -inundation, having only in his mind a tradition of deluges that had -destroyed the earth, traces of which appeared on every hill. He was -with reason astonished to see, that, wild and wide as the torrent -appeared, it was subject to the controul of some power that prohibited -it from irregularity in the time of its coming, and forbade it to -destroy the land it was destined to enrich; they saw it subside within -its banks, and overflow no more after it had afforded to husbandry the -utmost advantage it could receive. But what the controuling power was -they knew not, consequently could never divine whether this regularity -was transitory or perpetual; whether it was not liable, at some time, -to break its bonds, and sweep both man and his labours together into -the ocean. - -Whether the Nile was constant to its time of rising, whether it did -not revolve in some cycle or period, or whether, arrived at a certain -number of inundations, it was not to stop and overflow no more, was -what could only be determined by the investigation of the cause, and -the observations of a series of years. Before this was thoroughly -settled and known, the farmer might perhaps cultivate the plain of -Egypt, but would not build there; he would fix his dwelling on the -mountain in defiance of the flood; and that this was so, is evident -from what we saw at Thebes, which the Aborigines did not build, as we -see thousands of caves dug out of solid rock that were the dwellings of -the first inhabitants, the Troglodytes, beyond Meroë. - -The philosophers of _Meroë_ seem therefore to have been the first that -undertook the compiling a series of observations, which should teach -their posterity the proper times in which they could settle in, and -cultivate Egypt, without fear of danger from the Nile. That island, -full of flocks and shepherds, under a sky perpetually cloudless, -having a twilight of short duration, was placed between the Nile and -Astaboras, where the two rivers collect the waters that fall in the -east and the west of Ethiopia, and mix together in a latitude where -the tropical rains cease; this land was too high to be overflowed by -the Nile, but near enough to behold every alteration in that river’s -increase from the instant it happened. - -Sirius, the brightest star in the Heavens, probably the largest, -perhaps the nearest to us, in either case the most obvious and useful -for the present purpose, was immediately vertical to Meroë; and it -did not long escape observation, that the heliacal rising of the -dog-star was found to be the instant when all Egypt was to prepare -for the reception of a stranger-flood, without which the husbandman’s -labour and expectation of harvest were in vain. The fields were dusty -and desert, the farms without tenants, the tenants without feed, the -houses perhaps situated in the middle of the inundation, when, at a -stated time, this most brilliant sign shone forth to warn the master to -procure a peasant for his field, the peasant to procure feed for his -tenement, and the stranger to remove his habitation from a situation -soon destined to be laid wholly under water. - -Nothing could be more natural than the inquiries how the encrease of -the flood was thus connected with the rising of the dog-star; many -useful discoveries were therefore probably made in search after this, -but the cause of the inundation remained still undiscovered; at last -the effects being found regular, and the efficient cause inscrutable, -no wonder if gratitude transferred to the star a portion of respect -for the benefits they were persuaded they received from its influence. -Though these observations were such as concerned Egypt and Nubia alone, -yet from Egypt they passed as objects proper for inquiry, as problems -of the greatest consequence to philosophers, and as phænomena worthy -the attention of all that studied nature. - -A great step towards the accounting for these phænomena was believed -to be the discovery of the Nile’s source, and this, as it was attended -with very considerable difficulties, was thought therefore to be a -proper object of investigation, even by kings, who discovered nations -by conquering them, and by their power, revenue, and armies, removed -most of those obstacles which, succeeding each others in detail, weary -the diligence, overcome the courage, and baffle the endeavours of the -most intrepid and persevering travellers. - -Sesostris, one of the earliest and greatest conquerors of antiquity, -is mentioned, amidst all his victories, earnestly to have desired to -penetrate to the head of the Nile, as a glory he preferred to almost -universal monarchy:-- - - _Venit ad occasum, mundique extrema Sesostris, - Et Pharios currus regum cervicibus egit: - Antè tamen vestros amnes Rhodanúmque, Padúmque, - Quàm Nilum de fonte bibit._---- - LUCAN. - -Cambyses’ attempt to penetrate into Ethiopia, and the defeat of his -schemes, I have already narrated at sufficient length[124]. - - ----_Vesanus in ortus - Cambyses longi populos pervenit ad œvi, - Defectusque epulis, & pastus cœde suorum - Ignoto te, Nile, redit._---- - LUCAN. - -The attention paid by Alexander, the next prince who attempted an -expedition towards these unknown fountains, merits a little more of -our consideration. After he had conquered Egypt, and was arrived at -the temple of Jupiter Ammon, (the celebrated and ancient deity of -the shepherds) in the Theban desert, the first question he asked was -concerning the spot where the Nile rose. Having received from the -priests sufficient directions for attempting the discovery, he is said, -as the next very sensible step, to have chosen natives of Ethiopia as -the likeliest people to succeed in the search he had commanded them to -make:-- - - _Summus Alexander regum, quem Memphis ador at, - Invidit Nilo, misitque per ultima terræ - Æthiopum lectos: illos rubicunda perusti - Zona poli tenuit, Nilum videre calentem._ - LUCAN. - -These Ethiopians, parting from their temple in the desert of Elvah, or -Oasis, or, which will come to the same thing, from the banks of the -Nile, or Thebes, would hold nearly the same course as Poncet had done, -till they fell in with the Nile about Moscho in the kingdom of Dongola; -they would continue the same route till they came to Halfaia, where -the Bahar el Abiad (or white river) joins the Nile at Hojila, five -miles above that town; and, to avoid the mountains of Kuara, they would -continue on the west side of the Nile, between it and the Bahar el -Abiad; and, keeping the Nile close on their left, they would follow its -direction south to the mountains of Fazuclo, through countries where -its course must necessarily be known. After having passed the great -chain of mountains, called Dyre and Tegla, between lat. 11° and 12° N. -where are the great cataracts, they again came into the flat country of -the Gongas, as far as Bizamo, nearly in 9° N. there the river, leaving -its hitherto constant direction, N. and S. turns due E. and surrounds -Gojam. - -It is probable the discoverers, always looking for it to the south, -took this unusual sudden turn east to be only a winding of the river, -which would soon be compensated by an equal return to the west where -they would meet it again; they therefore continued their journey south, -till near the line, and never saw it more, as they could have no -possible notion it had turned back behind them, and that they had left -it as far north as lat. 11° They reported then to Alexander what was -truth, that they had ascended the Nile as far south as lat. 9°, where -it unexpectedly took its course to the east, and was seen no more. The -river, moreover, was not known, nor to be heard of near the Line, or -farther southward, nor was it diminished in size, nor had it given any -symptom they were near its source; they had found the Nile _calentem_, -(warm) while they expected its rise among melting snows. - -This discovery (for so far it was one) of the course of the river to -the east, seems to have made a strong impression on Alexander’s mind, -so that when he arrived at near the head of the Indus, then swelled -with the thawing snows of mount Caucasus, and overflowing in summer, -he thought he was arrived at the source of this famous river the Nile -which he had before seen in the west, and rejoiced at it exceedingly, -as the noblest of his atchievements[125]; he immediately wrote to -acquaint his mother of it; but being soon convinced of his error, and -being far above propagating a falsehood, even for his own glory, he -instantly erased what he had wrote upon that subject. This however -did not entirely dissatisfy Alexander, for he proposed an expedition -in person towards these fountains, if he had returned from India in -safety. - - ----_Non illi flamma, nec undæ, - Nec sterilis Libye, nec Syrticus obstitit Ammon. - Isset in occasus, mundi devexa secutus: - Ambissetque polos, Nilumque a fonte bibisset: - Occurrit suprema dies, naturaque solum - Hunc potuit finem vesano ponere regi._ - LUCAN. - -It must no doubt seem preposterous to those that are not very -conversant with the classics, that a prince so well instructed as -Alexander himself was, who had with him in his army many philosophers, -geographers, and astronomers, and was in constant correspondence with -Aristotle, a man of almost universal knowledge, that, after having -seen the Nile in Egypt coming from the south, he should think he was -arrived at the head of it while on the banks of the Indus, so far to -the N. E. of its Ethiopian course. This difficulty, however, has a -very easy solution in the prejudices of those times. The ancients were -incorrigible as to their error in opinion concerning two seas. - -The Caspian Sea they had sailed through in several directions, and had -almost marched round it; and whilst they conquered kingdoms between -it and the sea, its water was sweet, it neither ebbed nor flowed, and -yet they most ridiculously would have it to be part of the ocean. On -the other hand, they obstinately persisted in believing that, from the -east coast of Africa, about latitude 15° south, a neck of land ran -east and north-east, and joined the peninsula of India, and by that -means made this part of the ocean a lake. In vain ships of different -nations sailed for ages to Sofala, and saw no such land; this only -made them remove the neck of land further to the south; and though -Eudoxus had sailed from the Red Sea around the Cape of Good Hope, which -must have totally destroyed the possibility of the existence of that -land supposed to join the two continents, rather than allow this, they -neglected the information of this navigator, and treated it as a fable. - -It was the constant opinion of the Greeks, that no river could rise -in the torrid zone, as also, that the melting of snow was the cause -of the overflowing of all rivers in the heat of summer, and so of -the Nile among the rest; when, therefore, Alexander heard from his -discoverers, that the Nile, about latitude 9°, ran straight to the -east, and returned no more, he imagined the river’s course was eastward -through the imaginary neck of land inclosing the imaginary lake, and -joining the peninsula of India, and that the river, after it had -crossed, continued north till it came within reach of the thawing of -the snows of Mount Caucasus; and this was also the opinion of Ptolemy -the geographer. - -Ptolemy Philadelphus, the second of those princes who had succeeded -to the throne of Alexander in Egypt, was the next who marched into -Ethiopia with an army against the Shangalla. His object was not only to -discover the source of the Nile, but also to procure a perpetual supply -of elephants to enable him to cope with the kings of Syria. The success -of this expedition we have related in the first volume, book ii. chap. -v. - -Ptolemy Evergetes, his successor, in the 27th year of his reign, being -in peace with all his neighbours, undertook an expedition to Ethiopia. -His design was certainly to discover the fountains of the Nile, in -which he had probably succeeded had he not mistaken the river itself. -He supposed the Siris, now the Tacazzé, was the Nile, and, ascending -in the direction of its stream, he came to Axum, the capital of the -province of Siré and of Ethiopia. But the story he tells about the snow -which he found knee-deep on the mountains of Samen, makes me question -whether he ever crossed the Siris, or was himself an ocular witness of -what he says he observed there. - -Cæsar, between the acquisition of a rich and powerful kingdom, and the -enjoyment of the finest woman in the world, the queen of it, is said -to have employed so interesting an interval in a calm inquiry after -the source of this river, and, in so doing at such a time, surely has -paid it a greater compliment than it ever yet received from any that -attempted the discovery. On that night, which completed the destruction -of the Egyptian monarchy, it is said this was the topic upon which he -entertained the learned of Alexandria at supper; addressing himself to -Achoreus, high priest of the Nile, he says, - - ----_Nihil est, quod noscere malim, - Quam fluvii causas, per secula tanta latentis, - Ignotumque caput: spes sit mihi certa videndi - Niliacos fontes, bellum civile relinquam._ - LUCAN. - -The poet here pays Cæsar a compliment upon his curiosity, or desire of -knowledge, very much at the expence of his patriotism; for he makes -him declare, in so many words, that he considered making war with his -country as the greatest pleasure of his life, never to be abandoned, -but for that superior gratification--the discovery of the fountains of -the Nile. - -Achoreus, proud of being referred to on such a subject by such a -person, enters into a detail of information. - - _Quæ tibi noscendi Nilum, Romane, cupido est, - Hæc Phariis, Persisque fuit, Macedumque tyrannis: - Nullaque non ætas voluit conferre futuris - Notitiam: sed vincit adhuc natura latendi._ - LUCAN. - -Nero, as we are told, sent two centurions in search of this river, and -on their return they made their report in presence of Seneca, who does -not seem to have greatly distinguished himself by his inquiries. They -reported, that after having gone a very long way, they came to a king -of Ethiopia, who furnished them with necessaries and assistance, and -with his recommendations they arrived at some other kingdoms next to -these, and then came to immense lakes, the end of which was unknown to -the natives, nor did any one ever hope to find it: this was all the -satisfaction Nero procured, and it is probable these centurions went -not far, but were discouraged, and turned back with a trumped-up story -invented to cover their want of spirit, for we know now that there are -no such lakes between Egypt and the source of the Nile, but the lake -Tzana, or Dembea, and while on the banks of this, they might have seen -the country beyond, and on every side of it[126]; but I rather think no -such attempt was made, unless they endeavoured to pass the country of -the Shangalla about the end of June or July, when that province, as I -have already said, is absolutely impassible, by the rapid vegetation of -the trees, and the ground being all laid under water, which they might -have mistaken for a series of lakes. - -After all these great efforts, the learned of antiquity began to -look upon the discovery as desperate, and not to be attained, for -which reason both poets and historians speak of it in a strain of -despondency:-- - - _Secreto de fonte cadens; qui semper inani - Quaerendus ratione latet, nec contigit ulli, - Hoc vidisse caput, fertur sine teste creatus._ - CLAUDIAN. - -And Pliny, as late as the time of Trajan, says, that these fountains -were in his time utterly unknown--_Nilus incertis ortus fontibus, -it per deserta et ardentia, et immenso longitudinis spatio -ambulans_[127],--nor was there any other attempt made later by the -ancients. - -From this it is obvious, that none of the ancients ever made this -discovery of the source of the Nile. They gave it up entirely, and -_caput Nili quaerere_ became a proverb, marking the difficulty, or -rather the impossibility, of any undertaking. Let us now examine the -pretensions of the moderns. - -The first in latter days who visited Abyssinia was a monk, and at -the same time a merchant; he was sent by Nonnosus, ambassador of the -emperor Justin, in the fifth year of the reign of that prince, that is -A. D. 522. He is called Cosmas the hermit, as also Indoplaustes. Many -have thought that this name was given him from his having travelled -much in India, properly so called; but we have no evidence that Cosmas -was ever in the Asiatic India, and I rather imagine he obtained his -name from his travels in Abyssinia, called by the ancients India; he -went as far as Axum, and seems to have paid proper attention to the -difference of climates, names, and situations of places, but he arrived -not at the Nile, nor did he attempt it. The province of the Agows was -probably at that time inaccessible, as the court was then in Tigré -at Axum, a considerable distance beyond the Tacazzé, and is to the -eastward of it. - -None of the Portuguese who first arrived in Abyssinia, neither -Covillan, Roderigo de Lima, Christopher de Gama, nor the patriarch -Alphonso Mendes, ever saw, or indeed pretended to have seen, the source -of the Nile. At last, in the reign of Za Denghel, came Peter Paez, who -laid claim to this honour; how far his pretensions are just I am now -going to consider.--Paez has left a history of the mission, and some -remarkable occurrences that happened in that country, in two thick -volumes octavo, closely written in a plain stile; copies of this work -were circulated through every college and seminary of Jesuits that -existed in his time, and which have been everywhere found in their -libraries since the disgrace of that learned body. - -Athanasius Kircher, a Jesuit, well known for his extensive learning -and voluminous writings, and still more for the rashness with which he -advances the most improbable facts in natural history, is the man that -first published an account of the fountains of the Nile, and, as he -says, from this journal left by Peter Paez. - -I must, however, here observe, that no relation of this kind was to be -found in three copies of Peter Paez’s history, to which I had access -when in Italy, on my return home. One of these copies I saw at Milan, -and, by the interest of friends, had an opportunity of perusing it at -my leisure. The other two were at Bologna and Rome. I ran through them -rapidly, attending only to the place where the description ought to -have been, and where I did not find it; but having copied the first and -last page of the Milan manuscript, and comparing them with these two -last mentioned, I found that all the three were, word for word, the -same, and none of them contained one syllable of the discovery of the -source. - -However this be, I do not think it is right for me to pronounce thus -much, unless I bring collateral proofs to strengthen my opinion, and -to shew that no such excursion was ever pretended to have been made by -that missionary, in any of his works, unless that which passed through -the hand of Kircher. - -Alphonso Mendes came into Abyssinia about a year after Paez’s death. -New and desireable as that discovery must have been to himself, to the -pope, king of Spain, and all his great patrons in Portugal and Italy, -though he wrote the history of the country, and of the particulars -concerning the mission in great detail, and with good judgment, yet he -never mentions this journey of Peter Paez, though it probably must have -been conveyed to Rome and Portugal, after his inspection, and under his -authority. - -Balthazar Tellez, a learned Jesuit, has wrote two volumes in folio -with great candour and impartiality, considering the spirit of those -times; and he declares his work to be compiled from this history of -Alphonso Mendes the patriarch, from the two volumes of Peter Paez, as -well as from the regular reports made by the individuals of the company -in some places, and by the provincial letters in others; to all which -he had compleat access, as also to the annual reports of Peter Paez -among the rest, from 1598 to 1622; yet Tellez makes no mention of such -a discovery, though he is very particular as to the merit of each -missionary during the long reign of Sultan Segued, or Socinios, which -occupies more than half of the two volumes. - -After these strong presumptions, that Peter Paez neither made such a -journey nor ever pretended it, I shall submit the account that Paez -himself, or Kircher for him, has given of the expedition and consequent -discovery; and if any of my readers can persuade themselves that a -man of genius, such as was Peter Paez, transported by accident to -these fountains, and exulting as he does upon the discovery, the value -of which he seems to have known well, could yet have given such a -description as he does, I am then contented with being only the partner -of Peter Paez. - -Before I state the account of his observations in his own, or in -Kircher’s words, I have one observation to make regarding the dates and -time of the journey. That memorable day which has been fixed upon for -the discovery, is the 21st of April 1618. The rains are then begun, -and on that account the season being very unwholesome, armies, without -extreme necessity, are rarely in the field; between September and -February at farthest is the time the Abyssinian army is abroad from the -capital, and in action. - -There are two nations of Agows in Abyssinia, the one near the fountains -of the Nile, called the Agows of Damot; the other near the head of the -Tacazzé, in the province of Lasta, called the Tcheratz Agows. Now, we -see from the annals of Socinios’s reign, that he had several campaigns -against the Agows. The first was in the fourth year of his reign, in -the year 1608; his annals say it was against the Tcheratz Agow. His -second campaign was in the seventh year of his reign, or 1611; that, -too, was against the Agows of Lasta; so that if Peter Paez was with -the emperor in either of these campaigns, he could not have seen the -head of any river but that of the Tacazzé. The third campaign was in -1625, against Sacala, Geesh, and Ashoa, when the Galla made an inroad -into Gojam, but retired upon the royal army’s marching against them, -and crossed the Nile into their own country. Socinios upon this had -advanced against the Agows of Damot, then in rebellion also, and had -fought with Sacala, Ashoa, and Geesh likewise, the clan immediately -contiguous to the sources. Now this was surely the time when Peter -Paez, or any attendant on the emperor, might have seen the fountains -of the Nile in safety, as the king’s army, in whole or in part, must -have been encamped near, or perhaps upon, the very sources themselves; -a place, of all other, suited for such a purpose; but this was in the -year 1625, and Peter Paez died in the year 1622. - -I shall now state, in Kircher’s own words, translated into English, the -description he has given, as from Paez, of the sources which he saw; -and I will fairly submit, to any reader of judgment, whether this is a -description he ought to be content with from an eye-witness, whether -it may not suit the sources of any other river as well as those of the -Nile, or whether in itself it is distinct enough to leave one clear -idea behind it. - -“The river[128], at this day, by the Ethiopians is called the Abaoy; -it rises in the kingdom of Gojam, in a territory called Sabala, whose -inhabitants are called Agows. The source of the Nile is situated -in the west part of Gojam, in the highest part of a valley, which -resembles a great plain on every side, surrounded by high mountains. -On the 21st of April, in the year 1618, being here, together with the -king and his army, I ascended the _place_, and observed every thing -with great attention; I discovered first two round fountains, each -about four palms in diameter, and saw, with the greatest delight, what -neither Cyrus[129] king of the Persians, nor Cambyses, nor Alexander -the Great, nor the famous Julius Cæsar, could ever discover. The two -openings of these fountains have no issue in the plain on the top of -the mountain, but flow from the root of it. The second fountain lies -about a stone-cast west from the first: the inhabitants say that this -whole mountain is full of water, and add, that the whole plain about -the fountain is floating and unsteady, a certain mark that there is -water concealed under it; for which reason, the water does not overflow -at the fountain, but forces itself with great violence out at the -foot of the mountain. The inhabitants, together with the emperor, who -was then present with his army, maintain that that year it trembled -little on account of the drought, but other years, that it trembled and -overflowed so as that it could scarce be approached without danger. -The breadth of the circumference may be about the cast of a sling: -below the top of this mountain the people live about a league distant -from the fountain to the west; and this place is called Geesh, and the -fountain seems to be a cannon-shot distant from Geesh; moreover, the -field where the fountain is, is upon all sides difficult of access, -except on the north side, where it may be ascended with ease.” - -I shall make only a few observations upon this description, sufficient -to shew that it cannot be that of Paez, or any man who had ever been -in Abyssinia: there is no such place known as Sabala; he should have -called it Sacala: in the Ethiopic language Sacala means the highest -ridge of land, where the water falls down equally on both sides, -from east and west, or from north and south. So the sharp roofs of -our houses, or tops of our tents, in that manner are called Sacala, -because the water runs down equally on opposite sides; so does it in -the highest lands in every country, and so here in Sacala, where the -Nile runs to the north, but several streams, which form the rivers Lac -and Temsi, fall down the cliff, or precipice, and proceed southward in -the plain of Ashoa about 300 feet below the level of the ground where -the mountain of Geesh stands, at the very foot of which is the marsh -wherein are the sources of the river. - -Again, neither Sacala nor Geesh are on the west side of Gojam, -nor approach to these directions; as, first the high mountains of -Litchambara, then the still higher of Amid Amid, are to be crossed -over, before you reach Gojam from Sacala; and after descending from -that high barrier of mountains called Amid Amid, you come into the -province of Damot, when the whole breadth of that province is still -between you and the west part of Gojam. These are mistakes which it is -almost impossible to make, when a man is upon the spot, in the midst -of a whole army, every one capable, and surely willing (as he was a -favourite of the king) to give him every sort of information; nor -was there probably any one there who would not have thought himself -honoured to have been employed to fetch a _straw_ for him from the top -of Amid Amid. - -Both the number and situations of the fountains, and the situations of -the mountain and village of Geesh with respect to them, are therefore -absolutely false, as the reader will observe in attending to my -narrative and the map. This relation of Paez’s was in my hand the -5th of November, when I surveyed these fountains, and all the places -adjacent. I measured all his distances with a gunter’s chain in my own -hand, and found every one of them to be imaginary; and these measures -so taken, as also the journal now submitted to the public, were fairly -and fully written the same day that they were made, before the close of -each evening. - -It is not easy to conceive what species of information Paez intends to -convey to us by the observation he makes lower, “That the water, which -found way at the foot of the mountain, did not flow at the top of it.” -It would have been very singular if it had; and I fully believe that a -mountain voiding the water at its top, when it had free access to run -out at its bottom, would have been one of the most curious things the -two Jesuits could ever have seen in any voyage. But what mountain is it -he is speaking of? he has never named any one, but has said the Nile -was situated in the highest part of a plain. I cannot think he means -by this that the highest part of a plain is a mountain; if he does, it -is a species of description which would need an interpreter. He says -again, the mountain is full of water, and trembles; and that there is a -village below the top of the mountain, on the mountain itself. This I -never saw; they must have cold and slippery quarters in that mountain, -or whatever it is; and if he means the mountain of Geesh, there is not -a village within a quarter a mile of it. The village of Geesh is in the -middle of a high cliff, descending into the plain of Ashoa. The bottom -of that cliff or plain is 300 feet, as I have already said, below the -base of the mountain of Geesh, and the place where the fountains rise. - -Paez next says, that it is three miles from that village of Geesh to -the fountains of the Nile. Now, as my quadrant was placed in my tent, -on the brink of the cliff of Geesh, it was necessary for me to measure -that distance; and by allowing for it to reduce my observations to the -exact spot where the sources rose, I did accordingly with a chain -measure from the brink of the precipice to the center of the altar, -in which the principal fountain stands, and found it 1760 feet or 586 -yards 2 feet, and this is the distance Paez calls a league, or the -largest range of a shell shot from a mortar; this I do aver is an error -that is absolutely impossible for any travellers to commit upon the -spot, or else his narrative in general should have very little weight -in point of precision. - -I shall close these observations with one which I think must clearly -evince Paez had never been upon the spot. He says the field, in which -the fountains of the Nile are, is of very difficult access, the ascent -to it being very steep, excepting on the north, where it is plain -and easy. Now, if we look at the beginning of this description, we -should think it would be the descent, not the ascent that would be -troublesome; for the fountains were placed in a valley, and people -rather descend into valleys than ascend into them; but supposing it a -valley in which there was a field, upon which there was a mountain, and -on the mountain these fountains, still I say that these mountains are -nearly inaccessible on the three sides, but that the most difficult of -them all is the north, the way we ascend from the plain of Goutto. From -the east, by Sacala, the ascent is made from the valley of Litchambara, -and from the plain of Assoa, to the south, you have the almost -perpendicular craggy cliff of Geesh, covered with thorny bushes, trees, -and bamboos, which conceal the mouths of the caverns; and, on the -north, you have the mountains of Aformasha, thick-set with all sorts of -thorny shrubs and trees, especially with the kantussa; these thickets -are, moreover, full of wild beasts, especially huge, long-haired -baboons, which we frequently met walking upright. Through these high -and difficult mountains we have only narrow paths, like those of sheep, -made by the goats, or the wild beasts we are speaking of, which, after -we had walked on them for a long space, landed us frequently at the -edge of some valley, or precipice, and forced us to go back again to -search for a new road. From towards Zeegam, to the westward, and from -the plain where the river winds so much, is the only easy access to the -fountains of the Nile, and they that ascend to them by this way will -not think even that approach too easy. - -It remains only for me to say, that neither have the Jesuits, (Paez his -brethren in the mission, and his contemporaries) made any geographical -use of this discovery, either in longitude or latitude; nor have the -historians of his society, who have followed afterwards, with all -the information and documents before them, thought proper even to -quote his travels; it will not be easy, from the authority of a man -like Athanasius Kircher, writing at Rome, to support the reality of -such a discovery, not to be found in the genuine writings of Peter -Paez himself. With such a voyage, if it had been real, there should -have been published at least an itinerary, and most of the Jesuits -were capable enough to have made a rough observation of longitude and -latitude, in the country where they resided, for near one hundred -years. Add to this, no observation appears from any Jesuit of the -idolatry or pagan worship, which prevailed near the source of the Nile, -and this would seem to have been their immediate province. - -From Dancaz they might have taken very properly their departure, and, -by a compass, the use of which was then well known to the Portuguese, -they might have kept their route to those fountains without much -trouble, and, with a sufficient degree of exactness, to shew all the -world the road by which they went. They were not fifty miles distant -from Geesh when at Gorgora, and they have erred above sixty, which is -ten miles more than the whole distance; this happened because they -sought the fountains in Gojam, from which, at Gorgora, they knew -themselves to be at that distance, and where the source of the Nile -never was. - -When I set out from Gondar, whose latitude and longitude I had first -well ascertained, I thought in such a pursuit as this, where local -discovery was the only thing sought after in all ages, that the best -way was to substitute perhaps a drier journal, or itinerary, to a more -pleasant account; with this view I kept the length of my journies -each day by a watch, and my direction by the compass. I did observe, -indeed, many altitudes of the sun and stars at Dingleber, at Kelti, and -at Goutto; and lastly, I ascertained the other extreme, the sources -of the Nile, by a number of observations of latitude, and by a very -distinct and favourable one for the longitude: I calculated none of -these celestial observations till I went back to Gondar. I returned by -a different way on the other side of the Nile, and made one observation -of the sun at Welled Abea Abbo, the house of Shalaka Welled Amlac, -of whom I am about to speak. Arrived at Gondar, I summed up my days -journies, reduced my bearings and distances to a plain course, as if -I had been at sea, taking a mean where there was any thing doubtful, -and in this topographical draught laid down every village through -which I had passed, or which I had seen at a small distance out of -the road, to which I may add every river, an immense number of which -I had crossed between Gondar and Geesh, whither I was going. The -reader, upon the inspection of this small map, will form some, but a -very inadequate idea of the immense labour it cost me: However, the -result, when I arrived at Gondar, amply rewarded me for my pains, -upon comparing my route by the compass, to what it came to be when -ascertained by observation; I found my error of computation upon the -whole to be something more than 9 miles in latitude, and very nearly 7 -in longitude; an error not perceptible in the journey upon any reduced -scale, and very immaterial to all purposes of geography in any large -one. - -Now Peter Paez, or any man laying claim to a discovery so long and so -ardently desired, should surely have done the same; especially as from -Gorgora he had little more than half of the journal to keep. But if it -were true, that he made the discovery which Kircher attributes to him, -still, for want of this necessary attention, he has left the world in -the darkness he found it; he travelled like a thief, discovered that -secret source, and took a peep at it, then covered it again as if he -had been affrightened at the sight of it. - -Ludolf and Vossius are very merry, without mentioning names, with this -story of the discovery, which they think Kircher makes for Peter Paez, -whom they call the River Finder: they say, it is extremely laughable -to think, that the emperor of Abyssinia brought a Jesuit of Europe -to be the antiquary of his country, and to instruct him first, that -the fountains of the Nile were in his dominions, and in what part -of them. But, with Vossius’s leave, this is a species of intemperate -ill-founded criticism; neither Kircher, nor Paez, nor whoever was -author of that work, ever said they instructed the emperor about the -place in his dominions where the Nile arose, as what he says is only -that the Agows of Geesh reported that the mountain trembled in dry -weather, and had done so that year, when the emperor, who was present, -confirmed the Agow’s report: this is not saying that Peter Paez told -the emperor encamped with his army upon the fountains, that the Nile -rose in his dominions, and that this was the source. Wo be to the works -of Scaliger, Bochart, or Vossius, when they shall, in their turn, be -submitted to such criticism as this. - -A Protestant mission was the next, that I know of at least, which -succeeded that of the Portuguese, and consisted only of one traveller, -Peter Heyling, of Lubec; although he lived in the country, nay, -governed it several years, he never attempted to visit the source of -that river; he had dedicated himself to a studious and solitary life, -having, among other parts of his reading, a very competent knowledge of -Roman, or civil law; he is said to have given a great deal of his time -to the compiling an institute of that law in the Abyssinian language -for the use of that nation, upon a plan he had brought from Germany; -but he did not live to finish it, though that and two other books, -written in Geez, still exist in private hands in Abyssinia, at least I -have been often confidently told so. - -The next and last attempt I shall take notice of, and one of the most -extraordinary that ever was made for the discovery of the Nile, was -that of a German nobleman, Peter Joseph le Roux, comte de Desneval. -This gentleman had been in the Danish navy ever since the year 1721, -and in 1739 was raised to the rank of rear-admiral in that service. -He says, in a publication of his own now lying before me, that the -ambassador of Louis XIV. (M. du Roule) and all those sent by the Dutch -and English to visit that country, had perished, because they were -ignorant of the proper _key_ to be employed to enter that country, -which he flattered himself he had found in Denmark. - -In 1739 he resigned his Danish commission, and began his first attempt -in Egypt, whilst, for the greater facility of travelling in these -_mild_ and _hospitable_ countries, he took his wife along with him. The -count and the countess went as far as Cairo, where they wisely began -at a festival to dispute upon the etiquette with a Turkish mob, and -this bringing the janizaries and guards of police upon them to take -them into custody, the _grey mare_, as they say, proved the better -_horse_; Madame la comtesse de Desneval exerted herself so much, that -she defeated the body of janizaries, wounding several of them, armed -only with a very feminine weapon, a pair of scissars, which, with full -as much profit, and much more decency, she might have been using, -surrounded with her family at home. - -However well acquainted the count was with the key for entering into -Abyssinia, he had not apparently got the door. In fact, his first -scheme was a most ridiculous one; he resolved to ascend the Nile in -a barge armed with small cannon, and all necessary provisions for -himself and wife. Some people wiser than himself, whom he met at Cairo, -suggested to him, that, supposing government might protect him so -far as to allow his barge safely to pass the confines of Egypt and to -the first cataract, where the malice of the pilots would certainly -have destroyed her, and supposing she was arrived at Ibrim or Deir, -the last garrisons depending on Cairo, and that this might have been -atchieved by money, (for by money any thing may be obtained from the -government of Cairo,) yet still, some days journey above the garrisons -of Deir and Ibrim, begin the barren and dreadful deserts of Nubia; and -farther south, at the great cataract of Jan Adel, the Nile falls twenty -feet down a perpendicular rock; so here certainly was to be the end -of his voyage; but the count, being ignorant of the manners of those -countries, and exceedingly presumptuous of his own powers, flattered -himself to obtain such assistance from the garrison of Ibrim and Deir, -that he could unscrew his vessel, take her to pieces, and carry her, by -force of men, round behind the cataract, where he was to rescrew and -launch her again into the Nile. - -The Kennouss, inhabiting near the cataract, have several villages, -particularly two, one called Succoot, or the place of tents, where -Kalid Ibn el Waalid, after taking Syene in the Khalifat of Omar, -encamped his army in his march to Dongola; the other, in a plain near -the river, called Asel Dimmo, or the Field of Blood, where the same -Kalid defeated an army of Nubians, who were marching to the relief of -Dongola, which was by him immediately after besieged and taken. These -two villages are on the Egyptian side of the cataract; the direct -occupation of the inhabitants is gathering sena, where it very much -abounds, and they carry it in boats down to Cairo. Above, and on the -other side of the cataract, is another large village of the Kennouss, -called Takaki. Some of these miserable wretches, were brought to the -count, and a treaty made, that all these men of the two villages were -to assist him in his re-embarkation, after he had got his barge round -the cataract; and among these barbarians he would have lost his life. - -The count, besides his wife, had brought with him his lieutenant, Mr -Norden, a Dane, who was to serve him as draughtsman; but neither the -count, countess, nor lieutenant understood one word of the languages. -There are always (happily for travellers) wise and honest men among -the French and Venetian merchants at Cairo, who, seeing the obstinacy -of the count, persuaded him that it was more military, and more in -the stile of an admiral, to detach Norden, his inferior officer, to -reconnoitre Ibrim, Deir, and the cataract of Jan Adel, as also to renew -his treaty with the Kennouss at Succoot and Asel Dimmo. - -Norden accordingly sailed in the common embarkations used upon -the Nile; the voyage is in every body’s hands. It has certainly a -considerable deal of merit, but is full of squabbles and fightings -with boat-men and porters, which might as well have been left out, as -they lead to no instruction, but serve only to discourage travellers, -for they were chiefly owing to ignorance of language. It was with the -utmost difficulty, and after many disasters, that Norden arrived at -Syenè, and the first cataract; after which greater and greater were -encountered before he reached Ibrim, where the Kascheff put him in -prison, robbed him of what he had in the boat, and scarcely suffered -him to return to Cairo without cutting his throat, which, for a -considerable time, he and his soldiers had determined to do. - -This sample of the difficulties, or rather impossibility of the voyage -into Abyssinia by Nubia, discouraged the count; and much reason had he -to be thankful that his attempt had not ended among the Kennouss at -Succoot. He therefore changed his plan, and resolved to enter Abyssinia -by a voyage round the Cape into the Indian Ocean, through the Straits -of Babelmandeb into the Red Sea, and so to Masuah. In this voyage he -began to make use of his Spanish commission, and, having taken two -English ships, under protection of a neutral fort in the Isle of May, -he was met there some days after by commodore Barnet, who made all his -ships prizes, and sent the count home passenger in a Portuguese ship to -Lisbon. - - - - -CHAP. XIV. - -_Description of the Sources of the Nile--Of Geesh--Accounts of its -several Cataracts--Course from its Rise to the Mediterranean._ - - -I hope that what I have now said will be thought sufficient to convince -all impartial readers, that these celebrated sources have, as it -were, by a fatality, remained to our days as unknown as they were to -antiquity, no good or genuine voucher having yet been produced capable -of proving that they were before discovered, or seen by the curious -eye of any traveller, from earliest ages to this day; and it is with -confidence I propose to my reader, that he will consider me as still -standing at these fountains, and patiently hear from me the recital of -the origin, course, names, and circumstances of this the most famous -river in the world, which he will in vain seek from books, or from any -other human authority whatever, and which, by the care and attention I -have paid to the subject, will, I hope, be found satisfactory here:-- - - ----_Non fabula mendax - Ausa loqui de fonte tuo est: ubicunque videris, - Quœreris; et nulli contingit gloria genti, - Ut Nilo sit lœta suo, tua flumina prodam, - Quâ Deus undarum celator, Nile, tuarum_ - Te mihi nôsse dedit._---- - LUCAN. - -The Agows of Damot pay divine honour to the Nile; they worship the -river, and thousands of cattle have been offered, and still are -offered, to the spirit supposed to reside at its source. They are -divided into clans, or tribes; and it is worthy of observation, that -it is said there never was a feud, or hereditary animosity between any -two of these clans; or, if the seeds of any such were sown, they did -not vegetate longer than till the next general convocation of all the -tribes, who meet annually at the source of the river, to which they -sacrifice, calling it by the name of the _God of Peace_. One of the -least considerable of these clans, for power and number, has still -the preference among its brethren, from the circumstance that, in its -territory, and near the miserable village that gives it name, are -situated the much sought-for springs from which the Nile rises. - -Geesh, however, though not farther distant from these than 600 yards, -is not in sight of the sources of the Nile. The country, upon the same -plane with the fountains, terminates in a cliff about 300 yards deep -down to the plain of Assoa, which flat country continues in the same -subaltern degree of elevation, till it meets the Nile again about -seventy miles southward, after it has made the circuit of the provinces -of Gojam and Damot. This cliff seems purposely fashioned into many -shelves or stages, each of which is occupied by a cluster of houses -seldom above eight or ten in number; some above, some below, some along -the side of each other, but chiefly occupying the space, or two-thirds -of the middle of the cliff, that is, none of them nearer to the top of -the cliff, nor to the plain of Assoa below, than a distance equal to -that proportion of the whole. The reason of choosing this situation is -the fear of the Galla, who have often invaded that part of Abyssinia, -and have even exterminated some clans of Agows entirely. - -In the middle of this cliff, in a direction straight north towards -the fountains, is a prodigious cave, whether the work of nature or -of art, I cannot determine; in it are many bye-paths, so that it is -very difficult for a stranger to extricate himself; it is a natural -labyrinth, large enough to contain the inhabitants of the village, and -their cattle; there are likewise two or three lesser ones, which I -did not see; in this large one, I tired myself part of several days, -endeavouring to reach as far northward as possible, but the air, when I -had advanced something above one hundred yards, seemed to threaten to -extinguish my candle by its dampness; and the people were besides not -at all disposed to gratify my curiosity farther, after assuring me that -there was nothing at the end more remarkable than I then saw, which I -have reason to believe was the case. - -The face of this cliff, which fronts to the south, has a most -picturesque appearance from the plain of Assoa below, parts of the -houses at every stage appearing, through the thickets of trees and -bushes with which the whole face of the cliff is thickly covered; -impenetrable fences of the very worst kind of thorn, hide the -mouths of the caverns above mentioned, even from sight; there is no -other communication with the houses either from above or below, but -by narrow-winding sheep-paths, which through these thorns are very -difficult to be discerned, for all are allowed to be overgrown with -the utmost wildness, as a part of their defence; lofty and large trees -(most of them of the thorny kind) tower high up above the edge of the -cliff, and seem to be a fence against people falling down into the -plain; these are all at their proper season covered with flowers of -different sorts and colours, so are the bushes below on the face of -the cliff: every thorn in Abyssinia indeed bears a beautiful flower; a -small atonement for the evils they occasion. - -From the edge of the cliff of Geesh above where the village is -situated, the ground slopes with a very easy descent due north, and -lands you at the edge of a triangular marsh above eighty-six yards -broad, in the line of the fountains, and two hundred and eighty-six -yards two feet from the edge of the cliff above the house of the priest -of the river, where I resided: this triangle, supposing it a right one, -will measure one hundred and ninety-six yards in its length, or in the -perpendicular; I mean it did so on the 6th of November 1770; doubtless, -like other marshes, in the middle of the dry season, and of the -rains, it will vary its dimensions. I suppose that this perpendicular -represents the north of the marsh, and immediately from the brink of -it the ground rises in a rather steep bank, and forms a round hill not -a hundred yards high, upon the top of which is placed the church of -St Michael Geesh; I did not measure this distance, but am sure it is -very little less than five hundred yards from the church to the middle -fountain. On the east the ground descends likewise with a very easy -tho’ perceptible slope from the large village of Sacala, which gives -its name to that territory; it is distant six miles from the source, -but, to sight, seems scarcely to be two. - -I shall suppose the sharp point of the triangle composed of the -hypothenuse and the perpendicular, to point like the needle of a -compass to Sacala, and the line of the hypothenuse to represent the -south side of the marsh near the village Geesh. The base, or line, -uniting the west end of the hypothenuse, and forming the right angle -with the other side, I suppose to be the edge of the marsh formed by -the bottom of the mountain of Geesh, and from this west side of it -rises this high and beautiful mountain, quite detached from others, -like a pyramid, which it resembles in its elegant and regular form. It -is about 4870 feet high measured in the slope; for near one half way -the ascent is very easy and gradual. The base being of a remarkable -breadth, it then becomes exceedingly steep, but all the way covered -with good earth, producing fine grass and clover, interspersed with -wild flowers. - -Upon the rock in the middle of this plain, the Agows used to pile up -the bones of the beasts killed in sacrifice, mixing them with billets -of wood, after which they set them on fire. This is now discontinued, -or rather transferred to another place near the church, as they are at -present indulged in the full enjoyment of their idolatrous rites, both -under Fasil and Michael. - -In the middle of this marsh (that is about forty yards from each side -of it) and something less from the bottom of the mountain of Geesh, -arises a hillock of a circular form, about three feet from the surface -of the marsh itself, though apparently founded much deeper in it. The -diameter of this is something short of twelve feet, it is surrounded by -a shallow trench, which collects the water and voids it eastward; it -is firmly built with sod or earthen turf, brought from the sides, and -constantly kept in repair, and this is the altar upon which all their -religious ceremonies are performed. In the middle of this altar is a -hole, obviously made, or at least enlarged by the hand of man. It is -kept clear of grass, or other aquatic plants, and the water in it is -perfectly pure and limpid, but has no ebullition or motion of any kind -discernible upon its surface. This mouth, or opening of the source, -is some parts of an inch less than three feet diameter, and the water -stood at that time the 5th of November, about two inches from the lip -or brim, nor did it either increase or diminish during all the time of -my stay at Geesh though we made plentiful use of it. - -Upon putting down the shaft of my lance at six feet four inches, I -found a very feeble resistance, as if from weak rushes or grass, -and about six inches deeper I found my lance had entered into soft -earth, but met with no stones or gravel; this was confirmed by another -experiment, made on the 9th with a heavy plummet and line besmeared -with soap, the bottom of which brought up at the above depth only black -earth, such as the marsh itself and its sides are composed of. - -Ten feet distant from the first of these springs, a little to the west -of south, is the second fountain, about eleven inches in diameter, but -this is eight feet, three inches deep. And about twenty feet distant -from the first, to the S. S. W. is the third source, its mouth being -something more than two feet large, and it is five feet eight inches -deep. Both these last fountains stand in the middle of small altars, -made, like the former, of firm sod, but neither of them above three -feet diameter, and having a foot of less elevation than the first. The -altar in this third source seemed almost dissolved by the water, which -in both flood nearly up to the brim; at the foot of each appeared a -clear and brisk running rill; these uniting joined the water in the -trench of the first altar, and then proceeded directly out, I suppose, -at the point of the triangle, pointing eastward, in a quantity that -would have filled a pipe of about two inches diameter. - -The water from these fountains is very light and good, and perfectly -tasteless; it was at this time most intensely cold, though exposed -to the mid-day sun without shelter, there being no trees nor bushes -nearer it than the cliff of Geesh on its south side, and the trees that -surround Saint Michael Geesh on the north, which, according to the -custom of Abyssinia, is, like other churches, planted in the midst of a -grove. - -On Monday the 5th of November, the day after my arrival at Geesh, the -weather perfectly clear, cloudless, and nearly calm, in all respects -well adapted to observation, being extremely anxious to ascertain, -beyond the power of controversy, the precise spot on the globe that -this fountain had so long occupied unknown, I pitched my tent on the -north edge of the cliff, immediately above the priest’s house, having -verified the instrument with all the care possible, both at the -zenith and horizon. With a brass quadrant of three feet radius, by one -meridian altitude of the sun’s upper limb, all necessary æquations -and deductions considered, I determined the latitude of the place of -observation to be 10° 59´ 11´´; and by another observation of the -same kind made on the 6th, 10° 59´ 8´´; after which, by a medium of -thirty-three observations of stars, the largest and nearest, the -first vertical, I found the latitude to be 10° 59´ 10´´; a mean of -which being 10° 59´ 9½´´, say 10° 59´ 10´´; and if we should be so -unnecessarily scrupulous as to add 15´´ for the measured distance the -place of the tent was south of the altar, then we shall have 10° 59´ -25´´ in round numbers, for the exact latitude of the principal fountain -of the Nile, though the Jesuits have supposed it, 12° N. by a random -guess; but this being nearly the latitude of Gondar, the capital from -which they set out, shews plainly they knew not the precise latitude of -either of these places. - -On the 7th of November I was fortunate enough to be in time for the -observation of an immersion of the first satellite of Jupiter, the -last visible here before that planet’s conjunction with the sun. My -situation was very unfavourable, my view of the heavens being every -way interrupted by a thick grove of bamboo canes, with high and shady -trees growing upon the head of the precipice. Jupiter was low, and the -prodigious mass of that beautiful mountain of Geesh, bade fair to hide -him before our business was done; I was therefore obliged to remove my -telescope up to the edge of the cliff, after which, the weather being -perfectly favourable, I had as fair and distinct a view of the planet -as I could desire, and from that observation I did conclude unalterably -the longitude of the chief fountain of the Nile to be 36° 55´ 30´´ -east of the meridian of Greenwich. - -The night of the 4th, that very night of my arrival, melancholy -reflections upon my present state, the doubtfulness of my return in -safety, were I permitted to make the attempt, and the fears that even -this would be refused, according to the rule observed in Abyssinia with -all travellers who have once entered the kingdom; the consciousness -of the pain that I was then occasioning to many worthy individuals, -expecting daily that information concerning my situation which it was -not in my power to give them; some other thoughts, perhaps, still -nearer the heart than those, crowded upon my mind, and forbade all -approach of sleep. - -I was, at that very moment, in possession of what had, for many years, -been the principal object of my ambition and wishes: indifference, -which from the usual infirmity of human nature follows, at least for -a time, complete enjoyment, had taken place of it. The marsh, and the -fountains, upon comparison with the rise of many of our rivers, became -now a trifling object in my sight. I remembered that magnificent scene -in my own native country, where the Tweed, Clyde, and Annan rise in -one hill; three rivers, as I now thought, not inferior to the Nile in -beauty, preferable to it in the cultivation of those countries through -which they flow; superior, vastly superior to it in the virtues and -qualities of the inhabitants, and in the beauty of its flocks; crowding -its pastures in peace, without fear of violence from man or beast. I -had seen the rise of the Rhine and Rhone, and the more magnificent -sources of the Soane; I began, in my sorrow, to treat the inquiry -about the source of the Nile as a violent effort of a distempered -fancy:-- - - What’s Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba, - That he should weep for her?-- - -Grief or despondency now rolling upon me like a torrent; relaxed, not -refreshed, by unquiet and imperfect sleep, I started from my bed in the -utmost agony; I went to the door of my tent; every thing was still; -the Nile, at whose head I stood, was not capable either to promote or -to interrupt my slumbers, but the coolness and serenity of the night -braced my nerves, and chased away those phantoms that, while in bed, -had oppressed and tormented me. - -It was true, that numerous dangers, hardships, and sorrows had beset -me through this half of my excursion; but it was still as true, -that another Guide, more powerful than my own courage, health, or -understanding, if any of these can be called man’s own, had uniformly -protected me in all that tedious half; I found my confidence not -abated, that still the same Guide was able to conduct me to my now -wished-for home: I immediately resumed my former fortitude, considered -the Nile indeed as no more than rising from springs, as all other -rivers do, but widely different in this, that it was the palm for three -thousand years held out to all the nations in the world as a _detur -dignissimo_, which, in my cool hours, I had thought was worth the -attempting at the risk of my life, which I had long either resolved -to lose, or lay this discovery, a trophy in which I could have no -competitor, for the honour of my country, at the feet of my sovereign, -whose servant I was. - -I had procured from the English ships, while at Jidda, some -quick-silver, perfectly pure, and heavier than the common sort; -warming therefore the tube gently at the fire, I filled it with -this quick-silver, and, to my great surprise, found that it stood -at the height of 22 English inches: suspecting that some air might -have insinuated itself into the tube, I laid it by in a warm part of -the tent, covered till morning, and returning to bed, slept there -profoundly till six, when, satisfied the whole was in perfect order, I -found it to stand at 22 English inches; neither did it vary sensibly -from that height any of the following days I staid at Geesh and thence -I inferred, that, at the sources of the Nile, I was then more than two -miles above the level of the sea; a prodigious height, to enjoy a sky -perpetually clear, as also a hot sun never over-cast for a moment with -clouds from rising to setting. - -On the 6th of November, at a quarter past five in the morning, -Fahrenheit’s thermometer stood at 44°, at noon 96°, and at sun-set 46°. -It was, as to sense, cold at night, and still more so an hour before -sun-rise. - -The Nile, keeping nearly in the middle of the marsh, runs east for -thirty yards, with a very little increase of stream, but perfectly -visible, till met by the grassy brink of the land declining from -Sacala. This turns it round gradually to the N. E. and then due north; -and, in the two miles it flows in that direction, the river receives -many small contributions from springs that rise in the banks on each -side of it: there are two, particularly one on the hill at the back of -St Michael Geesh, the other a little lower than it on the other side, -on the ground declining from Sacala, These last-mentioned springs -are more than double its quantity; and being arrived under the hill -whereon stands the church of Saint Michael Sacala, about two miles from -its source, it there becomes a stream that would turn a common mill, -shallow, clear, and running over a rocky bottom about three yards wide: -this must be understood to be variable according to the season; and the -present observations are applicable to the 5th of November, when the -rains had ceased for several weeks. There is the ford which we passed -going to Geesh, and we crossed it the day of our arrival, in the time -of my conversation with Woldo about the sash. - -Nothing can be more beautiful than this spot; the small rising hills -about us were all thick-covered with verdure, especially with clover, -the largest and finest I ever saw; the tops of the heights crowned with -trees of a prodigious size; the stream, at the banks of which we were -sitting, was limpid and pure as the finest crystal; the ford, covered -thick with a bushy kind of tree that seemed to affect to grow to no -height, but thick with foliage and young blanches, rather to court -the surface of the water, whilst it bore, in prodigious quantities, a -beautiful yellow flower, not unlike a single wild rose of that colour, -but without thorns; and, indeed, upon examination, we found that it was -not a species of the rose, but of hypericum. - -From the source to this beautiful ford, below the church of St Michael -Geesh, I enjoyed my second victory over this coy river, after the first -obtained at the fountains themselves. What might still be said of the -world in general no longer applied to me:-- - - ----_Nec contigit ulli - Hoc vidisse caput;_ - -And again, - - _Nec licuit populis parvum te, Nile, videre._ - -Here, at the ford, after having stepped over it fifty times, I observed -it no larger than a common mill stream. The Nile, from this ford, turns -to the westward, and, after running over loose stones occasionally, -in that direction, about four miles farther, the angle of inclination -increasing greatly, broken water, and a fall commences of about six -feet, and thus it gets rid of the mountainous place of its nativity, -and issues into the plain of Goutto, where is its first cataract; for, -as I have said before, I don’t account the broken water, or little -falls, cataracts, which are not at all visible in the height of the -rains. - -Arrived in the plain of Goutto, the river seems to have lost all its -violence, and scarcely is seen to flow, but, at the same time, it there -makes so many sharp, unnatural windings, that it differs from any -other river I ever saw, making above twenty sharp angular peninsulas -in the course of five miles, through a bare, marshy plain of clay, -quite destitute of trees, and exceedingly inconvenient and unpleasant -to travel. After passing this plain, it turns due north, receives the -tribute of many small streams, the Gometti, the Googueri, and the -Kebezza, which descend from the mountains of Aformasha; and, united, -fall into the Nile about twenty miles below its source; it begins here -to run rapidly, and again receives a number of beautiful rivulets, -which have their rise in the heights of Litchambara, the semi-circular -range of mountains that pass behind, and seem to inclose Aformasha: -These are the Caccino, the Carnachiuli, the Googueri, the Iworra, the -Jeddeli, and the Minch, all which, running into the Davola, join the -Nile something less than a mile west of the church of Abbo. - -It is now become a considerable stream; its banks high and broken, -covered with old timber trees for the space of about three miles; it -inclines to the north-east, and winds exceedingly, and is then joined -by the small river Diwa from the east. It then makes a semi-circle, and -receives Dee-ohha, turns sharply to the east, and falls down its second -cataract at Kerr. About three miles below this cataract, the large, -pleasant, and limpid Jemma pays its tribute to the Nile. Though its -course is now mostly north, through Maitsha on the east, and Aroossi -and Sankraber on the west, it still is inclining toward the lake Tzana, -and, after receiving the rivers Boha and Amlac Ohha, small streams -from the west, and the Assar, Aroossi, and Kelti, large rivers from -the east, it crosses the south end of the lake Tzana for about seven -leagues, preserving the colour of its stream distinct from that of -the lake, till it issues out at the west side of it in the territory -of Dara, where there is a ford, though very deep and dangerous, -immediately where it first resumes the appearance of a river. - -The deep stream is here exceedingly rapid; the banks in the course of -a few miles become very high, and are covered with a verdure, abundant -and varied beyond all description: passing afterwards below Dara, it -bounds that narrow stripe of flat country which is called Foggora, -confined between the lake and the mountains of Begemder, till it -arrives at its third cataract of Alata, a small village of Mahometans, -on the east side of the river, and there exhibits a scene that requires -more fancy, and the description of a more poetical pen than mine, -although the impression the sight of it made upon me will certainly -never be removed but with life. - -The course of the river is now S. E.; in that direction it washes -the western part of Begemder and Amhara on the right; the river then -incloses the province of Gojam, so that, in the circle that it makes in -returning towards its source, that province remains always on the right. - -From both sides, the Nile receives a number of tributary streams, -the Muga, Gammala, Abea, Aswari, and Mashillo, from the mountains of -Gojam; and the Bashilo, Boha, and Geeshem from those of Begemder and -Amhara; it then passes below Walaka. The river now has a course near -the southward, passes Upper and Lower Shoa. From these countries, on -the east of the Nile, come the great rivers Samba, Jemma, Roma, with -some others, and the Temsi, Gult, and Tzul from the high country of -the Agows, and Amid Amid to the northward. From Shoa the Nile winds -to the S. W. to the W. N. W. nearly inclosing all the south of Gojam. -Immediately adjoining to it, turning still more northerly, is the -province of Bizamo, bordering on the river Yabous, which, coming from -the southward, and terminating this province, falls into the Nile. - -The Nile, now turned almost due north, approaches its source so as -to be distant from it only about 62 miles; it is here very deep and -rapid, and is only fordable at certain seasons of the year. The Galla, -however, when they invade Abyssinia, cross it at all times without -difficulty, either by swimming, or on goats skins blown up like -bladders: other means of passing are in small rafts, placed upon two -skins filled with wind; or, twisting their hands round the horse’s -tail, they are drawn over by them; this last is the way that the women, -who follow the armies of Abyssinia, cross unfordable rivers, a case -that always occurs in late campaigns. Crocodiles abound exceedingly in -this part of the Nile; but the people, who live on the banks of the -river, have or pretend to have charms which defend them from the most -voracious of these animals. - -Adjoining to the Gongas, and bounding them on the north, arises a vast -chain of very high mountains; the south side of this is inhabited -by tribes of Gongas and others, but on the north-east side, nearest -Abyssinia, is a nation of perfect blacks, called Guba. The Nile seems -to have forced its way through a gap in this prodigious barrier, and -falls down a cataract of about 280 feet. This is immediately followed -by two others in the same ridge of mountains, both very considerable, -if not compared with the first. This high ridge runs west far into the -continent of Africa, where it is called Dyre and Tegla; the east end -(that is east of the Nile) joins the mountainous country of Kuara, and -is there called the Mountains of Pazuclo. These mountains, as far as I -could learn, are all very fully inhabited throughout by many powerful -clans, or nations, mostly Pagans. It is, however, a country the least -known of any in Africa, but a very large quantity of gold is brought -from thence, as well as many slaves; the gold is washed down by the -torrents in the time of the tropical rains, and, upon these ceasing, -they search after that metal found in small pellets entangled among -roots, branches, tufts of grass, hollows, or in any thing that can -imprison and detain it. This is the fine gold of Sennaar, called Tibbar. - -The Nile now runs close by Sennaar, in a direction nearly north and -south; it then turns sharply toward the east, is brim-full and vastly -pleasant in the fair season, being indeed the only ornament of this -bare and flat, though cultivated country. From Sennaar it passes many -large towns inhabited by Arabs, all of them white people. The Nile then -passes Gerri, and runs N. E. to join the Tacazzè, passing in its way a -large and populous town called Chendi, probably the ancient metropolis -of _Candace_[130]. - -If we are not to reject entirely the authority of ancient history, the -island of Meroë, so famous in the first ages, must be found somewhere -between the source of the Nile and this point, where the two rivers -unite; for of the Nile we are certain, and it seems very clear that -the Atbara is the Astaboras of the ancients. Pliny[131] says, it is -the stream which incloses the left side of Meroë as the Nile does -the right; and we must consider him to be looking southward from -Alexandria, when he uses the otherwise equivocal terms of right and -left, and, after this junction of these two rivers, the Nile receives -or unites itself with no other till it falls into the sea at Alexandria. - -Much inquiry has been made about this island, once a most distinguished -spot on our globe, the cradle of science and philosophy, which -spread itself from this to enlighten other nations, we are now full -of uncertainty, searching in a desert for the place of its existence; -such is the miserable instability of all human excellence. Nothing but -confusion has followed this inquiry, because they who were engaged in -it rather substituted vain systematical prejudices of their own, than -set themselves to consider those lights which were immediately before -them. - -The Jesuits, and a French writer, who is a constant champion of -their errors, have fixed the peninsula of Gojam to be the Meroë of -the ancients. M. le Grande (the compiler alluded to) having in vain -endeavoured to answer the objections against Gojam being Meroë, at last -declares, in a kind of literary passion, that the ancients have spoken -so differently about Meroë, that Gojam is as likely to be the place as -any other. - -I have a proper esteem for the merit of M. le Grande, where he -forms his conjectures from his own opinion, and I have also a due -deference to that learned Order the Jesuits; it is to their labours, -that learning in general, and geography in particular, has been more -indebted than to those of any other set of men whatever. Yet still I -can never believe, either that Gojam is Meroë, or that there is any -difficulty in finding its true situation, or that the ancients have -written confusedly about it. On the contrary, I find it described -by its latitude, its distance from places known, the produce of its -soil, colour of its inhabitants, and several other circumstances which -peculiarly belong to it, with greater accuracy and precision than many -other disputed situations. - -I shall begin by giving my reasons why Gojam is not Meroë: and, first, -Diodorus[132] tells us, this island had its name from a sister of -Cambyses, king of Persia, who died there in the expedition that prince -had undertaken against Ethiopia. Now, Cambyses’s army perished in -the desert immediately to the southward, after he had passed Meroë, -consequently he never was in Gojam, nor within 200 miles of it; his -mother, therefore, could not have died there, nor would his army have -perished with hunger if he had arrived in Gojam, or near it, for he -would then have been in one of the most plentiful countries in the -world. - -The next reason to prove that Gojam is not Meroë, is, that that -island was inclosed between the Astaboras and the Nile, but Gojam is -surrounded entirely by the Nile; there is no other river than it that -can, or ever did, pass for the Astaboras, whose situation was distant, -and which, retaining its ancient name, cannot be mistaken, for it is at -this day called Atbara. Again, as the ancients knew Meroë, if Gojam had -been Meroë, they must have known the fountains of the Nile; and this we -are sure they did not. - -On the other hand, Pliny says, Meroë, the most considerable of all -the islands of the Nile, is called Astaboras, from the name of its -left channel--“_Circa clarissimam earum Meroën, Astabores lævo -alveo dictus_;[133]” which, cannot describe any other place than -the confluence of those two rivers, the Nile and Atbara. The same -author says farther, that the sun is vertical twice a year, once when -proceeding northward he enters into the 18th degree, Taurus, and after -returning southward into the 14th degree of the Lion.----Lucan says the -same:-- - - ----_Latè tibi gurgite rupto - Ambitur nigris Meroë fæcunda colonis, - Læta comis hebeni; quæ quamvis arbore multâ - Frondeat, æstatem nullâ sibi mitigat umbrâ: - Linea tam rectum mundi ferit illa Leonem._ - -Now Gojam, being in lat. 10°, could never answer this description. - -But there are in these lines two circumstances which are peculiar to -the peninsula of Atbara, or Meroë, and described as such by the poet. -The first is, the inhabitants of Meroë were black, such were the -Gymnosophists, the first philosophers and inhabitants of this island, -and such they have ever been down to the Saracen conquest. On the other -hand, nobody will pretend to say that the people of Gojam are black; -they are long-haired, and of as fair a complexion as other Abyssinians; -nor was it ever supposed that they had philosophers or science among -them before the Jesuits arrived in the country. - -The next circumstance, peculiar to Meroë, is, that the ebony-tree -grew there, which is spread all over the peninsula of Atbara, and out -of it this tree is not found, (as far as I know) unless a few trees -in the province of Kuara, in the low and northernmost part of it; a -country, for its intolerable heat, not inferior to that of Atbara, and -contiguous to it; but in Gojam, a country deluged with six months -rain, this tree would not grow; though so much farther south it is near -two English miles higher than Atbara, and is therefore too cold. Such -are my reasons for believing that Gojam cannot be Meroë. In my return -through the desert I shall confirm this, by proving that Atbara is -Meroë, and that we are to look for it about lat. 16° 29´, near the end -of the tropical rains. - -The Nile, now united with the Astaboras, takes its course straight -north for more than two degrees of the meridian; it then makes a -very unexpected turn W. by S. considerably more than that space in -longitude, winding very little till it arrives at Korti, the first town -in the Barabra, or kingdom of Dongola. The river by this time, with -three sides, inclosed the great deserts of Bahiouda the road through -this from Dereira to Korti (before it was cut off by the Arabs, as it -now continues to be) made the fourth side of the square which bound -this desert; by this route it was that Poncet and the unfortunate M. du -Roule went to Abyssinia. - -From Korti the Nile runs almost S. W. where it passes Dongola, a -country of the Shepherds, called also Beja, the capital of Barabra, -and comes to Moscho, a considerable town, and welcome place of -refreshment to the weary traveller, when the caravans were suffered -to pass from Egypt into Ethiopia, who, after traversing the dreary -desert of Selima for near 500 miles, found himself at Moscho, in -repose, in the enjoyment of plenty of fresh water, long ago become to -him an indulgence more delicious than ever he had before conceived. -From Moscho the Nile turns gradually to the N. E. and in lat. 22° -15´ it meets with a chain of mountains, and throws itself over them -down a cataract called Jan Adel, which is its seventh cataract; and, -continuing still N. E. it passes Ibrim and Deir, two small garrisons -belonging to Egypt. The fall of the Nile in the country of Kennouss, -which forms the 8th cataract, and its course through Egypt, are already -described in my voyage up the river. - - - - -CHAP. XVI - -_Various Names of this River--Ancient Opinion concerning the Cause -of its Inundation--Real Manner by_ which it is effected--Remarkable -Disposition of the Peninsula of Africa. - - -It is not to be wondered, that, in the long course the Nile makes from -its source to the sea, it should have acquired a different name in -every territory, where a different language was spoken; but there is -one thing remarkable, that though the name in sound and in letters is -really different, yet the signification is the same, and has an obvious -reference to the dog-star. - -Among the Agow, a barbarous and idolatrous nation, it is called Gzeir, -Geesa[134], Seir; the first of these names signifying _God_; it is -also called Abba, or Ab, _Father_; and by many other terms which I -cannot write in the language of that nation, whilst, with a fervent -and unfeigned devotion, under these, or such-like appellations, they -pray to the Nile, or spirit residing in that river. The next name -it receives is when descended into Gojam, where it is called Abay. -Foreigners, of all denominations, not acquainted with the language of -the country, have, from hearing it was stiled Ab, _Father_, by the -Agows, or Abai, imagined its name Abawi, a case of that noun, which, in -their ignorance, they have made to signify, the Father. - -Ludolf, the only one in the age he lived that had any real knowledge -of either the Geez or Amharic, was the first to perceive this: he -found in neither of these languages Abawi could be a nominative, and -consequently could not be applied to any thing; and next he as truly -found it could not be of the singular number, and, if so, could not -signify one river. He stopped, however, as it were, in the very brink -of discovery, for he knew there was no writing or letters in Amharic, -which were therefore necessarily borrowed from the old and written -language Geez, so that all that could be done was, first, attentively -to hear the pronunciation of the word in Amharic, and then to write -it in Geez characters as nearly conformable to the sound as possible. -Now, the name of the river in Amharic is Abay, pronouncing the y open, -or like two (i), and the sense of that word so wrote in Geez, as -well as Amharic, is, “the river that suddenly swells, or overflows, -periodically with rain;” than which a more apposite name could never -have been invented. - -By the Gongas, on the south of the mountains Dyre and Tegla, who -are indigenæ, the river is called Dahli, and, on the north of these -mountains, where the great cataracts are by the Guba, Nuba, and -Shangalla, it is stiled Kowass, both which names signify a _watching -dog_, the latrator anubis, or, the _dog-star_. In the plain country, -between Fazuclo and Sennaar, it is called Nil, which signifies _blue_; -and the Arabs interpret it by the word Azergue, which it keeps as far -as Halfaia, or near it, where it joins the White River. - -The next name by which the Nile went was Siris: Pliny tells us it was -called Siris both before and after it came into Beja. “_Nec ante Nilus, -quam se totum aquis concordibus rursus junxit. Sic quoque etiamnum -Siris, ut ante nominatus per aliquot millia, et in totum Homero -Egyptus, aliisque Triton_[135].” This name the Greeks thought was given -to it, because of its black colour during the inundation, which mistake -presently produced confusion; and we find, according to this idea, the -compiler of the Old Testament, (I should suppose Esdras, after the -captivity) has translated Siris, _the black river_, by the Hebrew, -Shihor; but nobody ever saw the Nile black when it overflowed; and -it would be a very strong figure to call it so in Egypt, where it is -always white during the whole of the inundation. Had Esdras, or whoever -it was that followed the Greek interpretation of Siris, viz. _black_, -inquired in Beja what was the origin of this name, they would have -there learned it imported the River of the Dog-star, on whose vertical -appearance this Nile, or Siris, overflows; and this idolatrous worship, -paid to the Nile, was probably part of the reason of the question the -prophet Jeremiah asks[136], “And what hast thou to do in Egypt, to -drink the water of Seir? or the water profaned by idolatrous rites?” - -As for the first, it is only the translation of the word Bahar, applied -to the Nile. The inhabitants of the Barabra, to this day, call it Bahar -el Nil, or, _the Sea of the Nile_, in contradistinction to the Red Sea, -which they know by no other name but Bahar el Melech, the _Salt Sea_. -The junction of the three great rivers; the Nile, flowing on the west -of Meroë; the Tacazzé, which washes the east side, and joins the Nile -at Maggiran, in lat. 17°; and the Mareb, which falls into this last, -something above this junction--gives the name of Triton to the Nile. - -More doubt has been raised as to the third name, Ægyptus, which it -obtains in Homer, and which, I apprehend, was a very ancient name given -it even in Ethiopia. The generality, nay, all interpreters, I may say, -imagine, as in that of Siris, that this name was given it in relation -to its colour, viz. _black_; but with this I cannot agree; Egypt, in -the Ethiopic, is called _y Gipt_, Agar; and, an inhabitant of the -country, _Gypt_, for precisely so it is pronounced, which means the -country of ditches, or canals, drawn from the Nile on both sides at -right angles with the river; nothing, surely is more obvious than to -write y Gipt, so pronouncing Egypt, and, with its termination, _us_, -or _os_, Egyptus. The Nile is also called _Kronides_, Jupiter; as -also several other names; but these are rather the epithets of poets, -relative and transitory, not the permanent appellation of the river. - -I would pass over another name, that of Geon, which some of the fathers -of the church have fondly given it, pretending it was one of the rivers -that came from the terrestrial paradise, and encompassed the whole land -of Cush, whilst, for this purpose, they bring it two thousand miles by -a series of miracles, as it were, under the earth and under the sea: To -do what? to surround the whole land of Cush. And does it surround it, -or does it surround any land whatever? This, and some similar wonders -told by St Augustine, have been eagerly catched at, and quoted by -unbelieving sceptics; meaning to insinuate, that no better, in other -respects, was the authority of these fathers when they explain and -defend the truths of Christianity. For my own part, though perfectly -a friend to free and temperate inquiry, these injudicious arguments -which I need not quote, have little weight with me. St Augustine, when -explaining those truths, was undoubtedly under the direction of that -spirit which could not lie, and was promised to the priesthood while -occupied in their master’s commission the propagation of Christian -knowledge; but when, from vanity and human frailty, he attempted to -establish things he had nothing to do with, speaking no longer by -commandment, he reasoned like a mere man, misled by vanity and too -great confidence in his own understanding. - -We come now to investigate the reason of the inundation of the Nile, -which, being once explained, I cannot help thinking that all further -inquiries concerning this subject are superfluous. - -It is an observation that holds good through all the works of -Providence, That although God, in the beginning, gave an instance of -his almighty power, by creating the world with one single _fiat_, yet, -in the laws he has laid down for the maintaining order and regularity -in the details of his creation, he has invariably produced all these -effects by the least degree of power possible, and by those means that -seem most obvious to human conception. But it seemed, however, not -according to the tenor of his ways and wisdom, to create a country -like Egypt, without springs, or even dews, and subject it to a nearly -vertical sun, that he might save it by so extraordinary an intervention -as was the annual inundation, and make it the most fertile spot of the -universe. - -This violent effort seemed to be too great, above all proportion, -for the end for which it was intended, and the cause was therefore -thought to merit the application of the sublimest philosophy; and -accordingly, as Diodorus Siculus[137] tells us, it became the study of -the most learned men of the first ages, the principal of whom, with -their opinions, he quotes, and at the same time alledges the reason why -they were not universally received. The first is Thales of Miletum, -one of the seven sages, who assigns for the cause the Etesian winds, -which blowing, all the hot season, from the Mediterranean, in contrary -direction to the stream of the river, force the Nile to accumulate, -by obstructing its flowing to the sea, occasion it to rise above its -banks, and consequently to overflow the country. - -But to this it was answered, That, were this the cause, all rivers -running in a northern direction, to the sea, would be subject to -the same accident; and this it was known they were not. And we may -further add, that were this really the cause, the inundation of the -Nile would be very irregular; for the winds at this season often blow -from the south-west for two or three days together, and then the -inundation would be interrupted. To this it must be added, that a very -considerable part of Egypt, and that the most fertile, the Delta, is -under the dominion of variable winds, which last long, from one point, -at no time. - -I shall trespass upon my reader’s patience, on this head, by no more -than one additional observation. If the Etesian winds, by opposing the -stream, occasioned the inundation, they could effect this no longer -than they continued to blow. Now, it was an observation we made when -on the Nile, and it was almost without exception, that as often as -the Etesian winds blew throughout the day, the night was either calm, -or the wind blew gently from the south or east, so that it is morally -impossible the river could have overflowed at all, without a much more -powerful and constant agent than the Etesian winds:-- - - ----_Zephyros quoque vana vetustas - His adscripsit aquis_,---- - LUCAN. - -Vain, indeed! A philosopher of the present age would be thought mad -who should rely on a system so contrary to experiment and observation; -though Thales, the propagator of this now mentioned, was so highly -esteemed for his knowledge. - -The next opinion quoted is that of Anaxagoras, who attributes the -inundation of the Nile to snow melting in Ethiopia; and this Diodorus -contradicts, for a very substantial reason, that there is no snow in -Ethiopia to melt. But supposing all the mountainous part of Ethiopia -north of the Line, that is all Abyssinia, were covered with snow, -then the inundation must happen in other months, as it must begin in -January, for the sun being then within few degrees of being vertical, -it must have been the very height of flood when the sun passed over -that country in April; whereas its increase is not discerned till about -June, when the sun has left the zenith of all Abyssinia, having then -passed over Nubia, and is standing vertical to Syene, or as far to the -northward as it can proceed. - -It is not my meaning to maintain that there never was snow in -Abyssinia, as climates have wonderfully changed. In Cæsar’s time, -the greatest rivers in the Gaul almost every year were frozen over -for months, so that armed nations, with their families, cattle, and -incumbrances, passed regularly over them upon the ice without fear; an -event that happens not now once in a century. In Prussia[138] also were -found white bears, an animal now confined to the severest snowy regions -of the north; and, what comes still nearer to the present subject, in -the inscription found in Abyssinia by Cosmas Indoplaustes, Ptolomæus -Evergetes, speaking there, in the first person, of his own conquests -in Ethiopia, says, that he had passed the river Siris, and had entered -the kingdom of Samen, a country intolerable on account of cold and deep -snow. - -This account I think almost incredible. Ptolemy parted from Egypt, his -fleet coasting along the Red Sea, opposite to his army, and carrying -provisions for it; we know, moreover, the time his ships sailed, the -beginning of June, when the Nile was overflowed, and consequently of -great utility to his army on the first part of his expedition, while -he was in Egypt and part of Nubia. Now supposing him to pass the -desert as quickly as possible, and come to Axum, it must have been then -Summer, or near it; and as it was necessary his fleet should return by -the monsoon in October, so it must have then rained continually, and -the sun been perpendicular to the country when he found the deep snows -in Samen, which is not very probable. The river Tacazzé, moreover, -which Ptolemy crossed, was really not passable at that time, and no -Abyssinian army did ever attempt it during a flood, though, without, -scruple at all seasons they cross the Nile when most deep and rapid. - -I remember that when I first ascended Lamalmon, the highest mountain of -that ridge, running the whole length of the province of Samen, it was -in the depth of winter; the thermometer stood at 32°, wind N. W. clear -and cold, but attended with only hoar frost, though at that height, and -at that season; the grass scarcely was discoloured, and only felt crisp -below my feet, with this small degree of freezing; but this vanished -into dew after a quarter of an hour’s sun, nor did I ever see any sign -of congelation upon the water, however shaded and stagnant, upon the -top of that, or any other hill. I have seen hail indeed lie for three -hours in the forenoon upon the mountains of Amid Amid. - -The opinion of Democritus was, that the overflowing of the Nile was -owing to the sun’s attraction of snowy vapour from the frozen mountains -of the north, which being carried by the wind southward, and thawed by -warmer climates, fell down upon Ethiopia in deluges of rain: and the -same is advanced by Agatharcides of Cnidus in his Periplus of the Red -Sea. This opinion of Democritus, Diodorus attempts to refute, but we -shall not join him in his refutation, because we are now perfectly -certain, from observation, that Democritus and Agatharcides both of -them had fallen upon the true causes of the inundation. - -I shall now mention a treatise of a modern philosopher, wrote expressly -upon this subject, I mean a discourse on the causes of the inundation -of the Nile, by M. de la Chambre, printed at Paris in quarto, 1665, -where, in a long dedication, he modestly assures the king, he is -persuaded that his majesty will consider, as one of the glories of his -reign, the discovery of the true cause of the Nile’s inundation, which -he had then made, after it had baffled the inquiry of all philosophers -for the space of 2000 years; and, indeed, the cause and the discovery -would have been both very remarkable, had they been attended with the -least degree of possibility. M. de la Chambre says, that the nitre -with which the ground in Egypt is impregnated, ferments like a kind of -paste, occasioning the Nile to ferment likewise, and thus increases the -mass of water so much, that it spreads over the whole land of Egypt. - -Far be it from me to bear hard upon those attempts with which the -ancients endeavoured to solve those phænomena, when, for want of a -sufficient progress in experimental philosophy and observation, they -were generally destitute of the proper means; but there is no excuse -for a man’s either believing or writing, that earth, impregnated with -so small a quantity of any mixture as not to be discernible to the -eye, smell, or taste, could periodically swell the waters of a river, -then almost dry, to such an immensity, as to cover the whole plains -of Egypt, and discharge millions of tons every day into the sea, at -the same time that it contributed to the health of the people and the -fertility of the land. It puts me in mind of an assertion of M. de -Maillet, almost as absurd as de la Chambre’s treatise, that the Nile, -which in Egypt is the only fountain of pleasure, of health, and plenty, -has a mixture of one tenth of mud during the time of the inundation: -pleasant and wholesome stream, truly, to which Fleetditch would be -Hippocrene. - -But whatever were the conjectures of the dreamers of antiquity, modern -travellers and philosophers, describing without system or prejudice -what their eyes saw have found that the inundation of Egypt has been -effected by natural means, perfectly consonant with the ordinary rules -of Providence, and the laws given for the government of the rest of the -universe. They have found that the plentiful fall of the tropical rains -produced every year at the same time, by the action of a violent sun, -has been uniformly, without miracle, the cause of Egypt being regularly -overflowed. - -The sun being nearly stationary for some days in the tropic of -Capricorn, the air there becomes so much rarified, that the heavier -winds, charged with watery particles, rush in upon it from the Atlantic -on the west, and from the Indian Ocean on the east. The south wind, -moreover, loaded with heavy vapour, condensed in that high ridge -of mountains not far south of the Line, which forms a spine to the -peninsula of Africa, and, running northward with the other two, furnish -wherewithal to restore the equilibrium. - -The sun, having thus gathered such a quantity of vapours as it were -to a focus, now puts them in motion, and drawing them after it in -its rapid progress northward, on the 7th of January, for two years -together, seemed to have extended its power to the atmosphere of -Gondar, when, for the first time, there appeared in the sky white, -dappled, thin clouds, the sun being then distant 34° from the zenith, -without any one cloudy or dark speck having been seen for several -months before. Advancing to the Line with increased velocity, and -describing larger spirals, the sun brings on a few drops of rain at -Gondar the 1st of March, being then distant 5° from the zenith; these -are greedily absorbed by the thirsty soil, and this seems to be the -farthest extent of the sun’s influence, capable of causing rain, which -then only falls in large drops, and lasts but a few minutes: the rainy -season, however, begins most seriously upon its arrival at the zenith -of every place, and these rains continue constant and increasing after -he has passed it, in his progress northward. Before this, green boughs -and leaves appear floating in the Bahar el Abiad, and shew that, in the -latitude where it rises, the rains are already abundant. The Galla, -who inhabit, or have passed that river, give account of its situation, -which lies, as far as I could ever calculate, about 5° from the Line. - -In April, all the rivers in Amhara, Begemder, and Lasta, first -discoloured, and then beginning to swell, join the Nile in the several -parts of its course nearest them; the river then, from the height of -its angle of inclination, forces itself through the stagnant lake -without mixing with it. In the beginning of May, hundreds of streams -pour themselves from Gojam, Damot, Maitsha, and Dembea, into the lake -Tzana, which had become low by intense evaporation, but now begins to -fill insensibly, and contributes a large quantity of water to the Nile, -before it falls down the cataract of Alata. In the beginning of June, -the sun having now passed all Abyssinia, the rivers there are all full, -and then is the time of the greatest rains in Abyssinia, while it is -for some days, as it were, stationary in the tropic of Cancer. - -These rains are collected by the four great rivers in Abyssinia; the -Mareb, the Bowiha, Tacazzé, and the Nile. All these principal, and -their tributary streams, would, however, be absorbed, nor be able to -pass the burning deserts, or find their way into Egypt, were it not for -the White River, which, rising in a country of almost perpetual rain, -joins to it a never-failing stream, equal to the Nile itself. - -In the first days of May, the sun, in his way to the northern tropic, -is vertical over the small village of Gerri, the limit of the tropical -rains. Not all the influence of the sun, which has already past its -zenith, and for many days has been as it were stationary within a few -degrees of it over Syene, in the tropic of Cancer, can bring them -one inch farther to the northward, neither do any dews fall there as -might be reasonably expected from the quantity of fresh and exhalable -water that is then running in the Nile, though it passes close by that -village, and after, through that wild and dreary desert. The fact is -certain, and surely curious; the cause perhaps unknown, although it may -be guessed at. - -I conceive, that mountains are necessary to occasion either rain or -dew, by arresting and stopping the great quantity of vapour which is -here driven southward before the Etesian winds. Now, all that country -between Gerri and Syene is flat and desert, so that this interruption -is wanting; and it is owing to the same cause, that the bounds of the -tropical rains do stop farther to the southward as you travel westward, -and in place of lat. 16°, which is their limits at Gerri, they are -confined within lat. 14° in that part of the kingdom of Sennaar which -lies south and west of that capital, where all is free from mountains -till you come to those of Kuara and Fazuclo. - -Yet although the sun’s influence when at its greatest, is not strong -enough to draw the boundaries of the summer’s rain farther north than -Gerri, all the time that it is in the tropic of Cancer at its greatest -distance, these rains are then at their heaviest throughout all -Abyssinia; and Egypt, and all its labours, would soon be swept into the -Mediterranean did not the sun now begin to change its sphere of action -by hastening its progress southward. - -From Syene the sun passes over the desert, and arrives at Gerri; -here he reverses the effects his influence had when on his passage -northward; for whereas, in his whole course of declination northward, -from the Line to Gerri, he brought on the rains at every place where he -became vertical, so now he cuts off those rains the instant he returns -to the zenith of each of those places passing over Abyssinia in his -journey southward, till arrived at the Line, in the autumnal equinox, -his influence ceases on the side of Abyssinia, and goes to extend -itself to the southern hemisphere. And so precisely is this stupendous -operation calculated, that, on the 25th of September, only three days -after the equinox, the Nile is generally found at Cairo to be at its -highest, and begins to diminish every day after. - -Thus far as to the cause and progress of the Nile’s inundation in our -northern hemisphere; but so much light and confirmation is to be drawn -from our consideration of the remainder of the sun’s journey southward, -that I am persuaded my following him thither will require no apology to -my philosophic or inquisitive reader. - -Immediately after the sun has passed the Line he begins the rainy -season to the southward, still as he approaches the zenith of each -place; but the situation and necessities of this country being varied, -the manner of promoting the inundation is changed. A high chain of -mountains run from about 6° south all along the middle of the continent -towards the Cape of Good Hope, and intersects the southern part of -the peninsula nearly in the same manner that the river Nile does the -northern. A strong wind from the south, stopping the progress of the -condensed vapours, dashes them against the cold summits of this ridge -of mountains, and forms many rivers which escape in the direction -either east or west, as the level presents itself. If this is towards -the west, they fall down the sides of the mountains into the Atlantic, -and if on the east, into the Indian Ocean. Now all these would be -useless to man, were the Etesian winds to reign, as one would think -must be the case, analogous to what passes in Egypt; nay, if any -one wind prevailed, these rivers, swelled with rains, would not be -navigable, but another wise and providential disposition has remedied -this. - -The clouds, drawn by the violent action of the sun, are condensed, then -broken, and fall as rain on the top of this high ridge, and swell every -river, while a wind from the ocean on the east blows like a monsoon up -each of these streams in a direction contrary to their current, during -the whole time of the inundation, and this enables boats to ascend into -the western parts of Sofala, and the interior country to the mountains, -where lies the gold. The same effect, from the same cause, is produced -on the western side towards the Atlantic; the high ridge of mountains -being placed between the different countries west and east, is at once -the source of their riches, and of those rivers which conduct to the -treasures which would be otherwise inaccessible in the eastern parts of -the kingdoms of Benin, Congo, and Angola. - -There are three remarkable appearances attending the inundation of -the Nile; every morning in Abyssinia is clear, and the sun shines. -About nine, a small cloud, not above four feet broad, appears in the -east, whirling violently round as if upon an axis, but, arrived near -the zenith, it first abates its motion, then loses its form, and -extends itself greatly, and seems to call up vapours from all opposite -quarters. These clouds having attained nearly the same height, rush -against each other with great violence, and put me always in mind of -Elisha foretelling rain on Mount Carmel[139]. The air, impelled before -the heaviest mass, or swiftest mover, makes an impression of its own -form in the collection of clouds opposite, and the moment it has taken -possession of the space made to receive it, the most violent thunder -possible to be conceived instantly follows, with rain; after some -hours, the sky again clears, with a wind at north, and it is always -disagreeably cold when the thermometer is below 63°. - -The second thing remarkable is the variation of the thermometer; when -the sun is in the southern tropic, 36° distant from the zenith of -Gondar, it is seldom lower than 72°; but it falls to 60° and 59° when -the sun is immediately vertical; so happily does the approach of rain -compensate the heat of a too-scorching sun. - -The third is, that remarkable stop in the extent of the rains -northward, when the sun, that has conducted the vapours from the Line, -and should seem, now more than ever, to be in possession of them, is -here over-ruled suddenly, till, on its return to the zenith of Gerri, -again it resumes the absolute command over the rain, and reconducts it -to the Line to furnish distant deluges to the southward. - -I cannot omit observing here the particular disposition of this -peninsula of Africa; supposing a meridian line, drawn through the -Cape of Good Hope, till it meets the Mediterranean where it bounds -Egypt, and that this meridian has a portion of latitude that will -comprehend all Abyssinia, Nubia, and Egypt below it, this section of -the continent, from south to north, contains 64° divided equally by the -equator, so that, from the Line to the southmost point of Africa, is -32°; and northward, to the edge of the Mediterranean, is 32° also: now, -if on each side we set off 2°, these are the limits of the variable -winds, and we have then 30° south, and 30° north, within which space, -on both sides, the trade-winds are confined; set off again 16° from -the 32°, that is, half the distance between the Cape of Good Hope -and the Line, and 16° between the Line and the Mediterranean, and -you have the limits of the tropical rains, 16° on each side of the -equator: again, take half of 16°, which is 8°, and add it to the limit -of the tropical rains, that is to 16°, and you have 24°, which is the -situation of the tropics.--There is something very remarkable in this -disposition. - - - - -CHAP. XVI. - -_Egypt not the Gift of the Nile--Ancient Opinion refuted--Modern -Opinion contrary to Proof and Experience._ - - -It is here we shall discuss a question often agitated, whether Egypt -owed its existence to the Nile, and whether it was formerly an arm of -the sea, but in process of time, being filled up by the quantity of mud -which the Nile deposited in its inundation, it at length became firm -land, above the surface of the waters? I believe this is the general -opinion, as well of the books, as of the greatest part of travellers of -the present age; it therefore merits examination, whether it is founded -in fact and observation, or whether it is to be ranked among the old -and ill supported traditions fancifully now again brought into fashion. - -Egypt is a valley bounded on the right and left by very rugged -mountains; it must, therefore, occur to any one that the Nile, being -a torrent falling from very high ground in Ethiopia, were this valley -concave, the violent rapidity, or motion, would be much likelier -to carry away mud and soil, than to leave it behind in a state to -accumulate. - -The land of Egypt slopes gently from the middle of the valley to the -foot of the mountains on each side, so that the center is really -the highest part of the valley, and in the middle of this runs the -Nile[140]. At right angles with the stream large trenches are cut -to the foot of the mountains, in which canals the water enters, and -insensibly flows down to the end of these trenches, where it diffuses -itself over the level ground. - -As the river swells, these canals fill with water, which goes seeking -a level to the foot of the mountains; so that now the flood, which -begins to restagnate towards the bank of the river, acquires no motion, -as the calishes are formed at right angles to the stream. Sometimes, -indeed, the river is so high, when the rains in Ethiopia are excessive, -that the back-water joins the current of the Nile, when immediately -it communicates its motion to the stagnant water, and sweeps away -every thing that is planted into the sea. It is a mistake then to -assert,--the fuller the Nile, the better for Egypt. - -It has been said by various authors, that it was necessary Egypt should -be measured every year, on account of the quantity of mud which the -Nile brought down by its inundation, which so covered the land-marks, -that no proprietor knew or could discover the limits of his own farm, -and that this annual necessity first gave rise to the science of -Geometry[141]. How or when Geometry was first known and practised, is -not my business in this place to inquire, though I think the origin -here given is a very probable one. The land of Egypt was certainly -measured annually: it is as certainly so at this very time; and if so, -the present reason for this is probably the very one which first gave -rise to it; but that this is not owing to the mud of the Nile, will -appear on the slightest consideration; for if Egypt increase a foot -in a hundred years, one year’s increase of soil could be but the one -hundredth part of a foot, which could hide no land-mark whatever; and -we see to this day those in Egypt were huge blocks of granite often -with gigantic heads at the end of them; which the Nile, at the rate -Herodotus fixes, of a foot in 100 years, as being added to the soil, -would not cover in several thousand years. - -It is absurd to suppose that the Nile is to bring down an equal -quantity of soil every year from the mountains of Abyssinia; whatever -was the case at first when this river began to flow, we are sure -now, that almost every river and brook in Abyssinia runs in a bed of -hard stone, the earth having been long removed; and the rivers now -cannot furnish from their rocky beds what they first did from their -earthy bottoms, when Egypt was supposed, according to Herodotus, to -have its foundation laid in the floods; and therefore, on the first -consideration, this annual and equal increase must be impossible. - -At Basboch, before the Nile enters Sennaar, I made several hundred -trials upon its sediment, as it then came down from the cultivated -country of Abyssinia; I thereby found this sediment surprisingly small, -being a mixture of fat earth, and a small quantity of sand. At the -junction of the Nile and Astaboras I did the same, taking up the water -from the middle of the stream, and, having evaporated it afterwards, -I found little more sediment than at Sennaar; the water was indeed -whiter, and the greatest part of the sediment was sand. I repeated -this experiment at Syené with the utmost attention, where the Nile -leaves Nubia, and enters Egypt, and I found the quantity of sediment -fully nine times increased from what it was at Sennaar, and in it only -a trifle of black earth, all the rest being sand. The experiment at -Rosetto was not so often repeated as the others; but the result was, -that, in the strength of the inundation, the sediment consisted mostly -of sand, and, towards the end, was much the greater part of earth. I -think these experiments conclusive, as neither the Nile coming fresh -from Abyssinia, nor the Atbara, though joined by the Mareb, likewise -from the same country, brought any great quantity of soil from thence. - -It was at Syené that the water should have been most charged with -mud, for all the accession it was to bring to Egypt was then in its -stream; but there the chief part of the sediment was sand, fanned and -ventilated with perpetual hot winds, and spread on the surface of the -burning desert, never refreshed with the dew of heaven. In that dreary -desert, between Gooz and Syene, we saw huge pillars of this light -sand; their base in the earth, and heads in the clouds, crossing the -wide expanse in various directions, and, upon its becoming calm in the -evening, falling to pieces, and burying themselves in the Nile, with -whose stream they mixed like an impalpable powder, and were hurried -down the river, to compose the many sandy islands we see in the course -of it. - -It seems to be an established fact, that water of every sort, fresh -and salt, that of rivers, and what is stagnant, has from early times -sensibly diminished through the whole world; if then the land of Egypt -has been continually rising every year, while the quantity of water -that was to cover it has become less, or at least not increased, dearth -in these latter years must have been frequent in Egypt, for want of the -Nile’s rising to a proper height; but this is so far from being the -case, that, in these last 34 years[142], there has not been one season -of scarcity from the lowness of the Nile, although the rise having -been too great, and the waters too abundant, have thrice in that time -occasioned famine by carrying away the millet. - -If the land of Egypt increased (as Herodotus says) one foot in 100 -years, this addition must have appeared in the most ancient public -monuments: now, the very base of all the obelisks in Upper Egypt, are -bare and visible, and even the paved plane, laid visibly on purpose to -receive the Gnomonical shade, is not covered, nor scarcely out of its -level, and these small deviations are apparently owing to the falling -of neighbouring buildings. There are in the plain, immediately before -Thebes, two Colossal statues[143], obviously designed for Nilometers, -covered with hieroglyphics, as well as more modern inscriptions; these -statues are uncovered to the lowest part of their base; whereas we -should have now been walking on ground nearly equal in height to their -heads. The same may be said of every public monument, if there had been -any truth in the surface of Egypt increasing a foot in a hundred years. - -It appears, at least as far as Hadrian’s time, that if the _pecus_ of -the Greeks be the peek of the present Egyptians, the same quantity of -water overflowed Egypt as now. - -The advocates for the supposed increase of the land of Egypt on a -foot in 100 years, pressed by this observation, which they cannot -contradict, have chose to evade it, by supposing, without foundation, -that a smaller measure of the Nile’s increase had been introduced by -the Saracens to obviate the Nile’s scantiness, and this has landed them -in a palpable absurdity; for, while the Nile failed, the introduction -of a lesser measure would not have increased the crop; and, if the -quantity of grain had been exacted when it was not produced, this would -have only doubled the distress, and made it more apparent; this would -never have occasioned the joyful cry, _Wafaa Ullah_, God has given us -our desire, _men Jibbel, alla Jibbel_, the Nile has overflowed, from -the mountains on one side of the valley to the mountains on the other. -Besides, there is no country in the world, perhaps, but where this -trick may be played with impunity, except in Egypt, for a reason that I -am about to explain. - -The extension of the land of Egypt northward, the distance between -it and Cyprus, and the situation of Canopus, all shew, that no or -very little alteration has been made these 3000 years. Dr Shaw, and -the other writers, who are advocates for what has been advanced by -Herodotus[144], that Egypt hath been produced by the Nile, have -deserted this ground of maintaining their hypothesis, and have recourse -to the Nilometer to prove, that the soil has increased in height, and -that a greater quantity of water is necessary now to overflow the land -of Egypt than was required in the days of Homer. - -If the first part of their assertion can be proved, I shall make no -sort of difficulty of giving up the other. But I rather conceive, that -none of those who have written upon this subject hitherto, whatever -degree of learning and information they may have possessed, have -possessed sufficient _data_ to explain this subject intelligibly. It -seems, indeed, to have remained with _the source of the river_, a -secret reserved for latter times. - -It will be necessary for us first to consider what the use of a -Nilometer was, for what cause it was made, and by whom. - -It is scarcely necessary to observe, that, in every state or society, -the product or revenue should be known, as well as what will be wanted -for the supply of the necessities of the people. Now, it was only -the ground overflowed by the Nile that could produce grain for the -subsistence of the inhabitants and revenue of the state. - -The first consideration, then, was, to know how much of the land of -Egypt was overflowed in a given term of years, and how much grain -was produced upon that average. This could only be ascertained by -measuring, and they, therefore, settled with precision the land that -was overflowed from the earliest times, and do so to this day. These -actual measurements gave them a _maximum_ and a _minimum_, which -furnished them with a mean, and thus they were in possession of all the -principles necessary for making a Nilometer, by dividing a pillar into -corresponding cubits, and divisions of cubits called digits, placing -it also firm and perpendicular, so as to be liable to no alteration or -injury, though in the middle of the stream. - -The first stated measure was certainly that mentioned in scripture, -the cubit, _secundum cubitum virilis manus_, measuring from the center -of the round bone in the elbow to the point of the middle finger[145]. -This is still the measure of all unpolished nations, but no medium -or term, expressive of its exact contents, having been applied, -writers have differed as to the length of this cubit, and no standard -existing to which it might be referred, a great deal of confusion has -thereupon followed. Dr Arbuthnot[146] says, that there are two cubits -in scripture, the one, 1 foot 9 inches, and 888/1000 parts of an inch, -according to our measure, being the 4th part of a fathom, twice the -span, and six times the palm. The other is equal to 1 foot 824/1000 -parts of a foot, or the 400dth part of a stadium. I shall not inquire -into the grounds he goes on; I believe, however, that neither are -precisely the ancient cubit of the east, but both are too large; at -least the Egyptian I found to be very exactly 1 foot 5⅗ inches, which -is 2 inches more than father Mersenne[147] has made his Hebrew cubit. -But this is of less consequence to us now, because Herodotus[148] -informs us, that in his time, and probably at the first institution of -a Nilometer, the measure was the Samian cubit, which is about 18 inches -English, or half an inch less than the ancient cubit. - -The reader will then consider, that the divisions of this Nilometer -were a representation of certain facts: That the Nile’s reaching to -such a division corresponded to a certain quantity of corn that was -sown, a proportion of the produce of which was to be paid to the king, -the rest to go to the landlord and the labourer. - -The Nilometer then ascertained the contract between king and people -on these terms, That, in the event of so much corn being produced -by the land of Egypt, such a tribute was to be paid: But, in case a -certain quantity of ground, less than that, was overflowed, or, which -is the same thing, a lesser quantity of grain was produced, then the -king was not to exact his tribute, because it was understood such a -quantity only was produced as was sufficient for the maintenance of -the landholder and labourer. This was referred to the Nilometer, whose -division shewed to what height the Nile had risen. Men appointed by -the sovereign were to superintend this Nilometer, and to publish the -height of the Nile, whilst the reason why the king was to have the -direction of the Nilometer, and not his subjects, was very obvious, -though it has not yet been understood, because the king could not gain -by substituting false measures, whereas the people might. - -The Nile, though in an average of years it brought down nearly the same -quantity of water, yet, in particular ones, it varied sometimes more -and sometimes less. It is likewise observed, like most other rivers, to -run more on one side of the valley for some years than to the other. -The consequence of this varying and deviation was, that though, upon -the whole, the quantity indicated by the Nilometer was the same, yet -nobody knew his _quota_, or what proportion of the whole was drawn -from the property of each individual; as for this they were obliged to -apply to actual mensuration. Supposing a man’s property was a section -of the land of Egypt, of 12,000 feet from the brink of the river to -the mountain, and of any given breadth, 4000 feet of this perhaps were -overflowed, whilst the other 8000 remained dry, and above the level of -the water. The tenant, after having measured, did not till then know -what his farm of 12,000 feet would give him for that year, only 4000 of -which had been overflowed by the water, and was then fit for sowing; -for this he paid his landlord the highest rent laid upon cultivated -land. But the 8000 feet that still remained were not equally useless, -though not overflowed by the inundation; for 4000 of the 8000, which -lay by the bank of the river, could be overflowed by machines, and by -the labour of man, when, for a certain time, the river was high enough -to be within reach of machinery; so that the value of this 4000 feet to -the farmer was equal to the first, _minus_ the expence and trouble it -cost him for watering it by labour; for this, then, he paid one half of -the rent only to the landlord. - -Now, though it was known that the whole farm was 12,000 feet, yet, till -it was measured, no one could say how much of that would be overflowed -by the Nile alone, and so manured without expence; how much was to -be watered by labour, and so pay half rent; and how much was to be -incapable of any such cultivation, and for that year equally useless to -landlord and tenant. I speak not of a fact that happened in antiquity, -but one that is necessary and in practice at this very hour; and though -a man, by this mensuration, attains to the knowledge of what his farm -produces this same year, this is no general rule, as his cultivated -land next year may be doubled, or perhaps reduced to one-fourth; and -his neighbour, on the other side of the Nile, may in his farm make -up the correspondent deficiency, or excess; and the average quantity -produced by them both being the same, the degree of the Nilometer will -be the same likewise. - -From this it is obvious to infer, that there are two points of great -advantage to the tenant: The one is, when it is just high enough not -to pay the meery[149], for then he has all the harvest to himself, and -pays nothing, though he has very near the same quantity as if he was -subject to the tax. The other is, when near the whole of these 12,000 -feet is overflowed by the Nile, but before the water is in contact -with the current of the river; for then, though he is liable to pay -the meery, he has sown the greatest part of his land possible, without -additional labour or expence; more than this is loss, for then the -water of the inundation is put likewise in motion, and all the floating -pulverised earth that has been trode into an impalpable powder, during -March, April, and May, is swept away by the current into the sea, and -nothing left but a bare, cold, hard till, which produces little, and -is not easily pulverised by the poor instruments of husbandry there -in use, when neither farmer nor landholder pays any thing, because, -indeed, there is not any receipt. - -However, from this uncertainty one thing arises which does not seem -to have been understood; for the tenant, not knowing precisely the -quantity of seed that he may want, comes to his farm unprovided, and, -being uncertain of its produce, takes his land only from year to year; -the landlord furnishes him with seed[150], and even with all labouring -utensils. - -And here I am to explain what I have before advanced, what to some -will seem a paradox, That the substituting false measures in the -Nilometer by the sovereign is absolutely impracticable. Supposing the -height of the Nilometer, when at 8 cubits, shewed that there was just -corn enough to maintain the inhabitants, and that the tenant knew, -by the quantity of land measured, that he had barely what was to pay -his rent and support his family; this he must know before he sowed, -because he measured immediately after the inundation; and this he must -know likewise by the corn he borrows for seed from his landlord, who, -as I have said, furnishes his tenant both with seed and labouring -utensils. If, then, he finds he can barely maintain himself, and not -pay his rent, upon the proclamation at the Nilometer, he deserts his -farm, and neither plows nor sows[151], but flies to Palestine to the -Arabs, or into the cities, and brings famine along with him. The next -year there is a plague, and sweeps all those poor wretches, in a bad -state of health by living upon bad food, into their graves, so that -the introduction, of a supposed false measure, directly advanced by -Dr Shaw[152], and often alluded to by others, but always without -possibility of foundation, is one of the many errors he has fallen into. - -He knew nothing but of the Delta, never was in Upper, and no -considerable time even in Lower Egypt, but when the Nile had overflowed -it, and I suppose never conversed with a fellah, or Egyptian peasant, -in his life. All his _wonders_ are in the land of _Zoan_[153], and -his observations should have reached no further, because they are not -fact, but fanciful imaginations of his own; not from any bad intention, -but because he never was in the way of being better informed, but -determined not to abandon a system he had once formed. - -Herodotus[154] mentions, that in the time of Mæris, when, the minimum -came to be 8 Samian cubits, all Egypt below Memphis was overflowed, -but that in his days it took 16 cubits, or at least 15, to put the -same land in like condition for cultivation; or, in other words, the -minimum, when they paid their meery, was 16, or at least 15 cubits in -his time; and the uncertainty of these two terms shews, that there -were unaccountable inequalities, even in his days, as we shall find -there have been ever since. But I must here beg leave to ask, why we -should believe Herodotus knew the management of the Nilometer more than -travellers have done since, as he tells us constantly throughout this -part of his history, that when he inquired of the priests concerning -the Nile, they would tell him nothing about it[155]? - -In Mæris’s time there were great lakes dug, as Herodotus says[156], to -carry off the superfluous water, to what place is not said, but surely -into the desert for the use of the Arabs. Now, unless we knew what time -these lakes were opened to receive the stream, we do not know whether -it was the evacuation by the lake, or scarcity of the water that -impeded the rise of the Nile upon the Nilometer. We have no account of -these transactions, and we shall be less inclined to rely upon them, -when I shall shew, that the Nilometer could be of no use in solving -this question at all, either in Herodotus’s days, or any time since, -without a previous knowledge of several other circumstances never yet -taken into the calculation, and of which Herodotus must have been -ignorant. - -But let us grant that the Nile in Mæris’s time rose only 8 cubits, -and in the days of Herodotus to 16, let us see if, at certain periods -afterwards, it kept to any thing like that proportion. Above 400 years -after Herodotus, Strabo travelled in Egypt; he went through the whole -country from Alexandria to beyond Syene and the first cataract; and as -he is an historian whose character is established, both for veracity -and sagacity, we may receive what he says as unexceptionable evidence, -especially as he travelled in such company as it is not probable the -priests could have refused him any thing. Now Strabo[157] says, that, -in his days, 8 cubits were a _minimum_, or the _Wafaa Ullah_ of the -Nile’s increase; therefore, from Mæris’s time to Strabo there is not an -inch difference in the _minimum_, and this includes the space of 1400 -years. - -It may be said, indeed, that the passage in Strabo[158] imports, -that, in the time of Petronius, by a particular care of the banks and -calishes, the Nile at 8 peeks (or cubits) enabled the Egyptians to pay -their meery without hardship; but this was by particular industry, -more than what had been in common use, and this, too, I conceive to -be Strabo’s meaning. But let us compute from Herodotus, who says that -16, or at least 15, were necessary in his time, whilst Strabo informs -us, that, before Petronius exerted himself as to the banks and calishes -just mentioned, the extreme abundance must then have been at 12, and -the _minimum_ at 10. Now, by this passage, beyond all exception, it -is clear that there could have been no increase indicated by the -Nilometer; for 10 cubits watered the whole land of Egypt sufficiently -in Strabo’s time, whereas 16 and 15 were necessary in the days of -Herodotus: and I must likewise observe, that if we should suppose -the same industry and attention used in Mæris’s time that was in -Petronius’s, (and there is every reason to induce us to think there -was) then the proof is positive, that there was no difference in the -soil of Egypt indicated by the Nilometer for the first 1400 years. - -From this let us descend to Hadrian, about 100 years afterwards. We -know from Pliny[159], and from an inscription upon a medal of great -brass of Hadrian’s, who was himself in Egypt, that 16 cubits were then -the fiscal term or rise of the Nile, by which the Egyptians paid their -rent; and this is precisely what Herodotus says, in his time, was no -more than sufficient. - -About the beginning of the 4th century, in the emperor Julian’s -reign[160], 15 cubits were a sufficient minimum to incur the payment of -the tribute, and this is one of the terms that Herodotus fixes upon, -as being sufficient to oblige the payment in his days; and the other is -16, or a cubit more; so that if the Nilometer proves any thing at all, -it is this, that presumptively the Nile has never increased from Mæris -to Petronius’s, or in 1400 years, and certainly that, if it has not -diminished, it has not increased for 700 years from Herodotus to the -emperor Julian. - -Procopius, in his first book, I think, says, that 18 peeks was too full -a Nile, and occasioned dearth by its quantity. But, in the middle of -the 6th century, he tells[161] us it required 18 cubits for a minimum, -by which Egypt was to pay the meery; so that in 100 years from Julian -to Justinian, the minimum had increased three cubits, which was 4½ -feet; not one foot in 100 years as the proposition bears; and this -would prove too much, if it was true, but it is impossible. - -Thus far, then, we are at liberty to say, that, as long as Egypt was -a Greek kingdom, no visible alteration or increase of the soil can be -fairly established from history or inspection. - - - - -CHAP. XVII. - -_The same Subject continued--Nilometer what. How divided and measured._ - - -In the 7th century a revolution happened that stops our Grecian -account from proceeding farther, Egypt was conquered by an ignorant -and barbarous enemy, the Saracen, and Amru Ibn el Aas was governor of -Egypt for Omar, the second Caliph after Mahomet. Omar was a foreigner, -conqueror, bigot and a tyrant; he destroyed the Grecian Nilometer -from motives of religion, the same which had before moved him to burn -the library of Alexandria; and after, with the same degree of _sound -judgment_, determined to establish his empire at Medina, in the middle -of the peninsula of Arabia, a country without water, and surrounded -on all sides with barren sands; but he was nevertheless desirous of -feeding his famished Saracens with the wheat of Egypt, a province he -had subdued; for this purpose he ordered Amru to begin a canal from -the Nile to the Red Sea, to carry the wheat to the Arabian Gulf, and -thence to Yambo, the port of Medina on that gulf. - -The traitor Greeks, who had delivered the country to the Saracens, had -probably informed him of the great plenty which constantly reigned -in Egypt, and which every body had an opportunity of knowing by the -cheapness of grain at the market. - -Omar thought that a larger tribute was due to put the conquerors -a little more upon a footing with the conquered; for Egypt, which -had once 20,000 cities, had not then the tenth part of them. Having -therefore a larger extent to cultivate, with the same quantity of -water, it produced more grain, and at the same time having fewer -people to eat it, nothing was less oppressive than that a part of the -surplus of the produce should go in augmentation of the tribute. For -this purpose, following the very weak lights of his own judgment, he -introduced a different measure on the Nilometer, and the consequence -of that measure, imposed by a conqueror, affected the people (not -reflecting upon their decrease in population) so much, that they -prepared to fly the country; from which it immediately would have -followed, that all Egypt would have lain desolate and uncultivated, and -all Arabia been starved. - -[Illustration: _Mikeas._ - -_London Published Dec^r. 1^{st}. 1789. by G. Robinson & Co._] - -They were perfectly acquainted with their ancient measure, and it is -probable that Omar made an excessive addition by the new Nilometers -which he had erected; so that faith being thereby broken between the -government and people, the Egyptians set about watching the Nile -upon the Nilometer with its new measure, as the only way of being -informed when poverty or famine was to overtake them. This being -told to Omar, he ordered the new Nilometer to be demolished; but as -it had been part of the complaint to him, that their counting the -divisions of the Mikeas[162] was the reason why the people were kept -in continual terror, he shut up the access to Christians, and that -prohibition continues in Cairo to this day; and, instead of permitting -ocular inspection, he ordered the daily increase to be proclaimed, -but in a manner so unintelligible, that the Egyptians in general no -longer understood it, nor do they understand it now; for, beginning -at a given point, which was not the bottom of the Nilometer, he went -on, telling the increase by subtracting from the upper division; so -that as nobody knew the lower point from which he began, although they -might comprehend how much it had risen since the crier proclaimed its -increase, yet they never could know the height of the water that was in -the Nilometer when the proclamation began, nor what the division was to -which it had ascended on the pillar. - -To understand this, let us premise, that, on the point of the island -Rhoda, between Geeza and Cairo, near the middle of the river, but -nearer to Geeza, is a round tower, and in that an apartment, in the -middle of which is a very neat well, or cistern, lined with marble, -to which the Nile has free access, through a large opening like an -embrasure, the bottom of the well being on the same level with the -bottom of the river. In the middle of this well rises a thin column, as -far as I can remember, of eight faces of blue and white marble, to the -foot of which, if you are permitted to descend, you are then on the -same plane with the foot of the column and bottom of the river. This -pillar is divided into 20 peeks, called Draa El Belledy, of 22 inches -each[163]. - -The two lowermost peeks are not divided at all, but are left absolutely -without mark, to stand for the quantity of sludge the water deposits -there, and which occupies the place of water. Two peeks are then -divided on the right hand into 24 digits each; then, on the left, four -peeks are divided each into 24 digits; then, on the right, four; and, -on the left, another four: again, four on the right, which complete the -number of 18 peeks from the first division marked on the pillar each -of 22 inches. The whole, marked and unmarked, amounts to 36-8/12 feet -English. - -On the night of St John, when the Nucta has fallen, that is, when they -see the rain-water from Ethiopia is so mixed with the Nile that at -Cairo it is become exhalable, and falls down in dews upon the earth, -which till that time it never does, they then begin to cry, having -five peeks of water marked on the Mikeas, and two unmarked for the -sludge; of which they take no notice in the proclamation. Their first -proclamation, suppose the Nile hath risen 12 digits, is 12 from six, -or it wants 12 digits to be six peeks. When it rises three more, it is -nine from six, or, _Tissa am Sitte_, and so it goes on, subtracting the -digits from the upper number, without giving you any information what -that six is, or that they began to count from five, which I suppose is -the assumed depth of the Nile before it begins to increase. - -When the river has risen on the Mikeas eight peeks and 23 digits, -they then call _Wahad am erba Tush_, i. e. one from 14, five peeks of -water being left marked in the Mikeas, but only eight of augmentation -that has risen upon the column, according to the divisions, which -make in all 13 peeks and 23 digits, which wants one from being nine -of augmentation, and that being added, they cry _Wafaa Ullah_, which -obliges the country to the payment of the meery. Again, suppose 17 -peeks, or cubits, and 23 digits to stand on the column, the cry -is _Wahad am temen Tush_, i. e. one from 18, and, upon this being -filled, and the divisions complete by a certain day in August, the -next is _Ashareen_, 20, or, _men Jibbel, alla Jibbel_, from mountain -to mountain, that is, 18 peeks marked on the pillar, and two unmarked -at the foot of it, supposed to be covered with mud. All the land of -Egypt is then fitted for cultivation; the great canal at Mansoura, and -several others, are opened, which convey the water into the desert, -and hinder any further stagnation on the fields, though there is still -a great part of the water to come from Ethiopia, but which would not -drain soon enough to fit the land for tillage, were the inundation -suffered to go on. - -Now, from these 16 peeks the _Wafaa Ullah_ if we deduce 5, which were -in the well, and marked on the column when the crier began, there will -have been but 11 peeks of rise as a minimum, which still made the meery -due, or 15, deducing 5 from 20, the maximum, _men Jibbel, alla Jibbel_, -the increase that fits all Egypt for cultivation, after which is loss -and danger. Therefore, suppose the 16 peeks on the medal of Hadrian -to have been the minimum or fiscal term, we must infer, that the same -quantity of inundation produced the _Wafaa Ullah_ or payment of the -meery, in Hadrian’s time, that it does at this day, and consequently -the land of Egypt has not increased since his time, that is, in the -last 1600 years. - -As a summary of the whole relating to this periodical inundation of the -Nile, I shall here deliver my opinion, which I think, as it is founded -upon ancient history, consonant to that of intermediate times, and, -invincibly established by modern observation, can never be overturned -by any argument whatever. And this I shall do as shortly as possible, -lest, having anticipated it in part by reflections explanatory of the -narrative, it may at first sight have the appearance of repetition. - -It is agreed on all hands, that Egypt, in early ages, had water enough -to overflow the ground that composed it. It was then a narrow valley -as it is now; having been early the seat of the arts, crowded with a -multitude of people, enriched by the most flourishing and profitable -trade, and its numbers supplied and recruited when needful by the -immense nations to the southward of it, having grain and all the -necessaries and luxuries of life (oil excepted) for the great multitude -which it fed, Egypt was averse to any communication with strangers till -after the foundation of Alexandria. - -The first princes, after the building of Memphis, finding the land turn -broader towards the Delta, whereas before it had been a narrow stripe -confined between mountains; observing also that they had great command -of water for fitting their land for cultivation, nay, that great part -of it ran to waste without profit, which must have been the case, -since it is so at this day: observing likewise, that the superabundance -of water in the Nile did harm, and that the neighbouring sandy plains -of Libya needed nothing but a judicious distribution of that water, -to make it equal to the land of Egypt in fertility, and surpass it -in the variety of natural productions, applied themselves very early -to digging large lakes[164], that, preserving a degree of level -sufficient, all the year long watered the dry deserts of Libya like so -many fruitful showers. Geometry, architecture, and all the mechanic -arts of those times, were employed to accomplish those designs. These -canals and vast works communicated one with another to imprison the -water, and set it again at liberty at proper times. - -We may be satisfied this was observed attentively all the time of the -dynasties, or reigns of the Egyptian princes. After the accession of -the Ptolemies, who were strangers, the multitude of inhabitants had -greatly decreased. There was no occasion for works to water lands that -were not peopled; so far as they were necessary for cities, gardens, -and pleasure-grounds, they were always kept up. The larger and more -extensive conduits, dykes, and sluices, though they were not used, were -protected by their own solidity and strength from sudden ruin. Egypt, -now confined within its ancient narrow valley, had water enough to keep -it in culture, and make it still the granary of the inhabited world. - -When the ancient race of the Ptolemies ended, a scene of war and -confusion, and bad government at home, was succeeded by a worse under -foreigners abroad. The number of its inhabitants was still greatly -decreased, and the valley had yet a quantity of water enough to fit it -for annual culture. - -In the reign of the second emperor after the Roman conquest, Petronius -Arbiter, a man well known for taste and learning, was governor of -Egypt. He saw with regret the decay of the magnificent works of -the ancient native Egyptian princes. His sagacity penetrated the -usefulness and propriety of those works. He saw they had once made -Egypt populous and flourishing. Like a good citizen and subject of the -state he served, and from a humane and rational attachment to that -which he governed, he hoped to make it again as flourishing under the -new government as it had been under the old. Like a man of sense, and -master of his subject, he laughed at the dastardly spirit of the modern -Egyptians, anxious and trembling lest the Nile should not overflow land -enough to give them bread, when they had the power in their hands to -procure plenty in abundance for six times the number of the people then -in Egypt. To shew them this, he repaired their ancient works, raised -their banks, refitted their sluices, and by thus imprisoning, as I may -say, the inundation at a proper time in the beginning, he overflowed -all Egypt with 8 peeks of water, as fully, and as effectually, as to -the purposes of agriculture, as before and since it hath been with 16; -and did not open the sluices to allow the water to run and waste in the -desert (where there was now no longer any inhabitants), till the land -of the valley of Egypt had been so well watered as only to need that -the inundation should retire in time to leave the farmer the ground -firm enough for plowing and sowing. - -Let any one read what I have already quoted from Strabo; it is just -what I have here repeated, but in fewer words. Let him consider how -fair an experiment this of Petronius was, that by re-establishing -the works of Mæris, and putting the inundation to the same profit -that Mæris did, he found the same quantity of water overflow the same -quantity of ground, and consequently, that the land of Egypt had not -been raised an inch from Mæris’s time to that of Petronius, above 1400 -years. - -Now the second part of the question comes, what difference of measure -was made by the Saracens, and how does it now stand, after that period, -as to the supposed rise of a foot in a hundred years? It is now above -1100 years since the[165] first of the Hegira, and near 900 years since -the erection of the present Mikeas, which being equal to the period -between Mæris and Herodotus, and again to that between Herodotus and -Julian, we should begin to be certain if any such increase in the -land has ever, from Mæris to the present time, been indicated by the -Nilometer. - -The reader will perhaps be surprised, at what I am going to advance, -That those writers, as well as their supporters who have pronounced -so positively on this subject, have not furnished themselves with the -_data_ which are absolutely necessary to solve this question. Quantity -is only to be ascertained by measure, yet none of them have settled -that only medium of judging. The Mikeas, or pillar, is the subject to -be measured, and they are not yet agreed within 20 feet of its extreme -height, nor about the division of any part of it. As this accusation -appears to be a strong one, I shall set down the proof for the reader’s -consideration, that it may not be supposed I mean to criticise -improperly, or to do any author injustice. - -And first of the Mikeas. Mr Thomas Humes, a gentleman quoted by[166] Dr -Shaw, who had been a great many years a factor at Cairo, says, that the -Mikeas is 58 feet English in height. Now, there is really no reason why -such an enormous pillar should have been built, as the Nile would drown -all Cairo before it was to rise to this height; accordingly, as we have -seen, its height is not so much by near 22 feet. Dr Perry[167] next, -who has wrote largely upon the subject, says, the Mikeas, or column, is -divided into 24 peeks, and each peek or cubit is 24 inches nearly. Dr -Pococke[168], who travelled at the same time, agrees in the division -of 24 peeks, but says that these peeks are unequal. The 16 lower he -supposes are 21 inches, the 4 next, 24 inches, and the uppermost, 22. -So that one of these gentlemen makes the Mikeas 43 feet, which is above -six feet more than the truth, and the other 48, which is above 11; -besides the second error which Dr Pococke has committed, by saying the -divisions are of three different dimensions, when they really are not -any one of them what he conceives, nor is the Mikeas divided unequally. - -As for Mr Humes, who had lived long at Cairo, I would by no means be -thought to insinuate a doubt of his veracity: There may, in change of -times, be occasions when Christians may be admitted to the Mikeas, and -be allowed to measure exactly. This, however, must be with a long rod, -divided and brought on purpose, with a high stool or scaffold, and -this sort of preparation would be attended with much danger if seen in -the hand of a Christian without, and much more if he was to attempt to -apply it to the column within. At Cairo a man may see or hear any thing -he desires, by the ordinary means of gold, which no Turk can withstand -or refuse; but often one villain is paid for being your guide, and -another villain, his brother, pays himself, by informing against -you; the end is mischief to yourself, which, if you are a stranger, -generally involves also your friends. You are asked, What did you at -the Mikeas when you know it is forbidden? and your silence after that -question is an acknowledgement of guilt; sentence immediately follows, -whatever it may be, and execution upon it. I rather am inclined to -think, that though several Christians have obtained admission to the -Mikeas, very few have had the means or instruments, and fewer still the -courage, to measure this column exactly; which leads me to believe, as -Dr Shaw says, he procured the number of feet in a letter from Mr Humes, -that the Doctor has mistaken 58 for 38, which, in a foreign hand, is -very easily done; it would then be 38, instead of 58 English feet, and -to that number it might approach near enough, and the difference be -accounted for, from an aukward manner of measuring with a trembling -hand, there being then only a little more than one foot of error. - -From what I have just now mentioned, I hope it is sufficiently plain to -the reader, that the length and division of the column in the Mikeas, -by which the quantity of water, and consequently the increase of the -soil, was to be determined, was utterly unknown to those travellers who -had undertaken this mode of determining it. - -I shall now inquire, whether they were better instructed in the length -of that measure, which, after the Saracen conquest, was introduced -into the Nilometer, of Geeza, where it has remained unaltered since -the year 245? Dr Shaw introduces the consideration of this subject by -an enumeration of many different peeks, seven of which he quotes from -Arabian authors, as being then in use. First, the Homaræus 1-2/9 digit -of the common cubit. 2. The Hasamean, or greater peek, of 24 digits. -3. The Belalæan, less than the Hasamean. 4. The black cubit less than -the Belalean 2⅔ digits. 5. The Jossippæan ⅔ of a digit less than the -black cubit. 6. The Chord, or Asaba, 1⅔ digit less than the black peek. -7. The Maharanius, 2⅔ digits less than the black cubit[169]. Now, I -will appeal to any one to what all this information amounts, when I am -not told the length of the common peek to which he refers the rest, as -being 1½ digit, or 2 digits more or less. He himself thinks that the -measuring peek is the Stambouline peek, but then, for computation’s -sake, he takes a peek of his own invention, being a medium of 4 or 5 -guesses, and fixes it at 25 inches, for which he has no authority but -his own imagination. - -I will not perplex the reader more with the different measures of these -peeks, between the Hasamean and great peek of Kalkasendas, which is -18 inches, and the black peek, a model of which Dr Bernard[170] has -given us from an Arabic MS. at Oxford, the difference is 10 inches. The -first being 18 inches equal to the Samian peek, the other 28½ inches, -and from this difference we may judge, joined to the uncertainties of -the height and divisions of the Mikeas, how impossible it is for us to -determine the increase of 12 inches in a hundred years. - -As the generality of writers have fixed upon the Constantinople, or -Stambouline peek, for the measure of the Mikeas, in which choice they -have erred, we will next seek what is the measure of the Stambouline -peek, and whether they have in this article been better informed. - -M. de Maillet, French consul at Cairo, says, that this peek is equal -to 2 French feet, or very nearly 26 inches of our measure: and, to -add to this another mistake, he states, that by this peek the Mikeas -is measured; and, for the completing of the confusion, he adds, that -the Nile must rise 48 French feet before it covers _all their lands_. -What he means by all their lands is to very little purpose to inquire, -for he would probably have been drowned in his closet in which he made -these computations, long before he had seen the Nile at that height, or -near it. - -Without, then, wandering longer in this extraordinary confusion, which -I have only stated to shew that a traveller may differ from Dr Shaw, -and yet be right, and that this writer, however learned he may be, -cannot, for want of information, be competent to solve this question -which he so much insists upon, I shall now, with great submission to -the judgment of my reader, endeavour to explain, in as few words as -possible, how the real state of the matter stands, and he will then -apply it as he pleases. - -There was a very ingenious gentleman whom I met with at Cairo, M. -Antes, a German by birth, and of the Moravian persuasion, who, both -to open to himself more freely the opportunities of propagating his -religious tenets, and to gratify his own mechanical turn, rather than -from a view of gain, to which all his society are (as he was) perfectly -indifferent, exercised the trade of watch-maker at Cairo. This very -worthy and sagacious young man was often my unwearied and useful -partner in many inquiries and trials, as to the manner of executing -some instruments in the most compendious form for experiments proposed -to be made in my travels. By his assistance, I formed a rod of brass, -of half an inch square, and of a thickness which did not easily warp, -and would not alter its dimensions unless with a violent heat. Upon -the three faces of this brasen rod we traced, with good glasses and -dividers, the measure of three different peeks, then the only three -known in Cairo, the exact length of which was taken from the standard -model furnished me by the Cadi. The first was the Stambouline, or -Constantinople peek, exactly 23⅗ inches; the second, the Hendaizy, of -24-7/10 inches; and the third the peek El Belledy, of 22 inches, all -English measure. - -It was natural to suppose, that, after knowing as we do, that no -alteration has been made in the Mikeas since the 245th year of the -Hegira, that the peek of Constantinople, a foreign measure, was -probably then not known, nor introduced into Egypt; nor, till after -the conquest of Sultan Selim, in the year 1516, was it likely to -be the peek with which the Mikeas was measured. It did not, as I -conceive, exist in the 245th of the Hegira, though, even if it had, -its dimensions may have been widely different from those fixed upon by -the number of writers whose authority we have quoted, but who do not -agree. It was not likely to be the Hendaizy peek either, for this, too, -was a foreign measure, originally from the island of Meroë, and well -known to the Egyptians in Upper Egypt, but not at all to the Saracens -their present masters. The peek, El Belledy, the measure in common use, -and known to all the Egyptians, was the proper cubit to be employed in -an operation which concerned a whole nation, and was, therefore, the -measure made use of in the division of the Mikeas, for that column, as -I have said, is divided equally into peeks, or draas, called _Draa El -Belledy_, consisting of 22 inches; and each of these peeks is again -divided into 24 digits. - -A very ingenious author, who treats of the particular circumstances -of those times, in his MS. called _Han el Mohaderat_, says, that the -inhabitants of Seide counted 24 peeks on their Nilometer, when there -were 18 peeks marked as the rise of the water upon the Mikeas at Rhoda; -and this shews perfectly two things: First, That they knew the whole -secret of counting there both by the marked and unmarked part of the -column; for the peek of the Mikeas being 22 inches English, it was, -by consequence, four inches larger each peek than the Samian peek; -so that if, to 20 peeks of Seide, you add twenty times four inches, -which is 80, the difference of the two peeks, when divided by 18, gives -four, which, added to the 20 peeks on the column, make 24 peeks, the -number sought. Secondly, That this observation in the Han el Mohaderat -sufficiently confirms what I have said both of the length of the column -and length of the peek; that the former is 20 peeks in height, and that -the measure, by which this is ascertained, is the peek El Belledy of -22 inches, as it appears on the brass rod, four inches longer than the -Samian peek, and consequently is not the peek of Stambouline, nor any -foreign measure whatever. - -A traveller thinks he has attained to a great deal of precision, when, -observing 18 peeks on the highest division of the column from its -base, or bottom of the well, he finds it 37 feet; he divides this by -18, and the quotient is 24 inches; when he should divide it by 20, -and the answer would be 22 and a fraction, the true content of the -peek El Belledy, or peek of the Mikeas. This erroneous division of his -he calls the peek of the Mikeas; and comparing it with what authors, -less informed than himself, have said, he names the Stambouline peek, -and then the black peek, when it really is his own peek, the creature -of his own error or inadvertence; but, as he does not know this, it -is handed down from traveller to traveller, till unfortunately it is -adopted by some man of reputation, and it then becomes, as in this -case, a sort of literary crime to any man, from the authority of his -own eyes and hands, to dispute it. - -Mr Pococke makes two very curious and sensible remarks in point of -fact, but of which he does not know the reason. “The Nile, he says, -in the beginning, turns red, and sometimes green; then the waters are -unwholesome. He supposes that the source of the Nile beginning to flow -plentifully, the waters at first bring away that green or red filth -which may be about the lakes at its rise, or at the rise of these small -rivers that flow into it, near its principal source; for, though there -is so little water in the Nile, when at lowest, that there is hardly -any current in many parts of it, yet it cannot be supposed that the -water should stagnate in the bed of the Nile, so as to become green. -Afterwards the water becomes very red and still more turbid, and then -it begins to be wholesome[171].” - -The true reason of this appearance is from those immense marshes spread -over the country about Narea and Caffa, where there is little level, -and where the water accumulates, and is stagnant, before it overflows -into the river Abiad, which rises there. The overflowing of these -immense marshes carry first that discoloured water into Egypt, then -follows, in Abyssinia, the overflowing of the great lake Tzana, through -which the Nile passes, which, having been stagnated and without rain -for six months, under a scorching sun, joins its putrid waters with -the first. There are, moreover, very few rivers in Abyssinia that run -after November, as they stand in prodigious pools below, in the country -of the Shangalla, and afford drink for the elephant, and habitation -and food for the hippopotamus. These pools likewise throw off their -stagnant water into the Nile on receiving the first rains; at last -the rivers, marshes, and lakes, being refreshed by showers, (the rain -becoming constant) and passing through the kingdom of Sennaar, the -soil of which is a red bole; This mixture, and the moving sands of the -deserts, fall into the current, and precipitate all the viscous and -putrid substances, which cohere and float in the river; and thence (as -Pococke has well observed) the sign of the Nile being wholesome, is -not when it is clear and green, but when mingled with fresh water, and -after precipitation it becomes red and turbid, and stains the water of -the Mediterranean. - -The next remark of Mr Pococke[172] is equally true. It has been -observed, says he, that after the rainy season is over, the Nile -fallen, and the whole country drained from inundation, it has begun -again to rise; and he gives an instance of that in December 1737, -when it had a sudden increase, which alarmed all Egypt, where the -received opinion was that it presaged calamities. This also is said -to have happened in the time of Cleopatra, when their government was -subverted, their ancient race of kings extinguished in the person of -that princess, and Egypt became a province to the Romans. - -The reader will not expect, in these enlightened times, that I should -use arguments to convince him, that this rising of the Nile had nothing -to do with the extinction of the race of the Ptolemies, though popular -preachers and prophets have always made use of these fortuitous events -to confirm the vulgar in their prejudices. - -The rains, that cease in Abyssinia about the 8th of September, leave -generally a sickly season in the low country; but other rains begin -towards the end of October, in the last days of the Ethiopic month -Tekemt, which continue moderately about three weeks, and end the 8th -of November, or the 12th of the Ethiopic month Hedar. All sickness and -epidemical diseases then disappear, and the 8th of that month is the -feast of St Michael, the day the king marches, and his army begins -their campaign; but the effect of these second rains seldom make any, -or a very short appearance in Egypt, all the canals being open. But -these are the rains upon which depend their latter crops, and for which -the Agows, at the source of the Nile, pray to the river, or to the -genius residing in the river. We had plentiful showers both in going -and coming to that province, especially in our journey out. Whenever -these rains prove excessive, as in some particular years it seems -they do, though but very rarely, the land-floods, and those from the -marshes, falling upon the ground, already much hardened and broken into -chasms, by two months intense heat of the sun, run violently into the -Nile without sinking into the earth. The consequence is this temporary -rising of the Nile in December, which is as unconnected with the good -and bad crops of Egypt, as it is on those of Palestine or Syria. - -The quantity of rain that falls in Ethiopia varies greatly from year -to year, as do the months in which it falls. The quantity that fell, -during 1770, in Gondar, between the vernal equinox and the 8th of -September, through a funnel of one foot English in diameter, was 35.555 -inches; and, in 1771, the quantity that fell in the same circumference -was 41.355 inches in the same space[173]. - -In 1770, August was the rainy month; in 1771 July. Both these years -the people paid the meery, and the _Wafaa Ullah_ was in August. When -July is the rainy month, the rains generally cease for some days in the -beginning of August, and then a prodigious deal falls in the latter end -of that month and the first week of September. In other years, July and -August are the violent rainy months, whilst June is fair. And lastly, -in others, May, June, July, August and the first week of September. -Now we shall suppose (which is the most common case of all) that every -month from June doubles its rain. The _Wafaa Ullah_ generally takes -place about the 9th of August, the tribute being then due, and all -attention to the Mikeas is abandoned at 14 real peeks, the Calish is -then cut, and the water let down to the Delta. - -Now these 14 peeks are not a proof how much water there is to overflow -the land; for supposing nine days for its passage from Ethiopia, then -the 9th of August receives at Cairo no later rains than those that have -fallen the 1st of August in Ethiopia, and from that date till the 17th -of September, the Nile increases one third of its whole inundation, -which is never suffered to appear on the Mikeas, but is turned down -to the lakes in the Delta, as I suppose it always has been; so that -the quantity of water which falls in Ethiopia hath never yet been -ascertained, and never can be by the Mikeas, nor can it ever be known -what quantity of water comes in to Egypt, or what quantity of ground -it is sufficient to overflow, unless the dykes were to be kept close -till the Nile attained its extreme height,which would be about the 25th -of September, long before which it would be over the banks and mounds, -if they held in till then, or have swept Cairo and all the Delta into -the Mediterranean, and if it should not do that, it would retire so -late from the fields as to leave the ground in no condition to be sown -that year. - -I do not comprehend what idea other travellers have formed of the -beginning of the inundation of the Nile, as they seem to admit that -the banks are not overflowed; and this is certainly the case; because -the cities and villages are built there as securely as on the highest -part of Egypt, and even when the Nile has risen to its greatest height -they still are obliged to water those spots with machines. In another -part of the work it is explained how the calishes carry the water -upon the lands, approaching always to the banks as the river rises in -proportion, and these calishes being derived from the Nile at right -angles with the stream, and carrying the water by the inclination of -the ground, in a direction different from the course of the river, the -water is perfectly stagnated at the foot of the hills, till accumulated -as the stream rises, it moves in a contrary direction backwards again, -and approaches its banks. But when the inundation is so great that the -back-water comes in contact with the current of the Nile, by known laws -it must partake the same motion with it, and so all Egypt become one -torrent. - -Dr Shaw, indeed[174], says, that there seems to be a descent from the -banks to the foot of the mountains, but this he considers as an optic -fallacy; I wish he had told us upon what principle of optics; but if it -was really so, how comes it that the banks are every year dry, when the -foot of the mountains is at same time under inundation; or, in other -words, what is the reason of that undisputed fact, that the foot of the -mountains is laid under water in the beginning of the rivers rising, -while the ground which they cultivate by labour near the banks, cannot -supply itself from the river by machines, till near the height of the -inundation? these facts will not be contraverted by any traveller, who -has ever been in Upper Egypt; but if this had been admitted as truth -instead of an optic fallacy, this question would have immediately -followed. If the land of Egypt at the foot of the mountains, is the -lowest, the first overflowed, and the longest covered with water, and -often the only part overflowed at all, whence can it arise that it is -not upon a level with the banks of the river if it is true that the -land of Egypt receives additional height every year by the mud from -Abyssinia deposited by the stream? and this question would not have -been so easily answered. - -The Nile for these thirty years has but once so failed as to occasion -dearth, but never in that period so as to produce famine in Egypt. -The redundance of the water sweeping every thing before it, has -thrice been the cause, not of dearth, but of famine and emigration; -but carelessness, I believe, hath been, the occasion of both, and -very often the malice of the Arabs; for there are in Egypt, from -Siout downwards, great remains of ancient works, vast lakes, canals, -and large conduits for water, destined by the ancients to keep this -river under controul, serving as reservoirs to supply a scanty year, -and as drains, or outlets, to prevent the over abundance of water -in wet years, by spreading it in the thirsty sands of Libya to the -great advantage of the Arabs, rather than letting it run to waste in -the Mediterranean. The mouths of these immense drains being out of -repair, in a scanty year, contribute by their evacuation to make it -still scantier by not retaining water, and if after a dearth they are -well secured, or raised too high, and a wet season follows, they then -occasion a destructive inundation. - -I hope I have now satisfied the reader, that Egypt was never an arm -of the sea, or formed by sediments brought down in the Nile, but -that it was created with other parts of the globe at the same time, -and for the same purposes; and we are warranted to say this, till we -receive from the hand of Providence a work of such imperfection, that -its destruction can be calculated from the very means by which it was -first formed, and which were the apparent sources of its beauty and -pre-eminence. Egypt, like other countries, will perish by the _fiat_ -of Him that made it, but when, or in what manner, lies hid where it -ought to be, inaccessible to the useless, vain inquiries, and idle -speculations of man. - - - - -CHAP. XVIII. - -_Inquiry about the Possibility of changing the Course of the -Nile--Cause of the Nucta._ - - -It has been thought a problem that merited to be considered, Whether -it was possible to turn the current of the Nile into the Red Sea, and -thereby to famish Egypt? I think the question should more properly -be, Whether the water of the Nile, running into Egypt, could be so -diminished, or diverted, that it should never be sufficient to prepare -that country for annual cultivation? Now to this it is answered, That -there seems to be no doubt but that it is possible, because the Nile, -and all the rivers that run into it, and all the rains that swell those -rivers, fall in a country fully two miles above the level of the sea; -therefore, it cannot be denied, that there is level enough to divert -many of the rivers into the Red Sea, the Indian, and Atlantic Oceans, -or, perhaps, still easier, by turning the course of the river Abiad -till it meets the level of the Niger, or pass through the desert into -the Mediterranean. - -Lalibala, as we have already seen, attempted the former method with -great appearance of success; and this prince, to whom the accidental -circumstances of the time had given extraordinary powers, and who was -otherwise a man of great capacity and resolution, might, if he had -persevered, completed his purpose, the thing being possible, that is, -no law of nature against it, and all difficulties are only relative -to the powers vested in those who are engaged in the undertaking. -Alexander the Great would have succeeded--his father Philip would have -miscarried--Lewis the XIV. would perhaps have accomplished it, as -easily as he united the two seas by the canal of Languedoc, and with -the same engineers; but he is the only European prince of whom this -could have been expected with any degree of probability. - -Alphonso Albuquerque, viceroy of India, is said to have wrote -frequently to the king of Portugal, Don Emanuel, to send him some -pioneers from Madeira, people accustomed to level ground, and prepare -it for sugar-canes, with whose assistance he was to execute that -enterprise of turning the Nile into the Red Sea, and famishing Egypt. -His son mentions this very improbable story in his[175] father’s -commentaries; and he says further, that he imagines it might have been -done, because it was a known fact that the Arabs in Upper Egypt, when -in rebellion against the Soldan, used to interrupt the course of the -canal between Cosseir on the Red Sea, and Kenna in Egypt. - -Tellez and le Grande, mentioning the two opinions of the father and the -son upon this subject, give great praise to the son at the expence of -the father, but without reason. - -In the first place, we have seen that the utmost exertion Don Emanuel -could make was to send 400 men to assist the king of Abyssinia, whose -country was then almost conquered by the Turks and Moors. It was not -then from India we were to expect the execution of so arduous an -undertaking. And as to the second, the younger Albuquerque is mistaken -egregiously in point of fact, for there never was a canal between -Cosseir and Kenna, the goods from the Red Sea were transported by a -caravan, and are so yet. We have seen, in the beginning of this work, -the account of my travelling thither from Kenna; this intercourse -probably was often interrupted by the Arabs in the days he mentions, -and so it is still; but it is the caravan, not the canal, that is stopt -by the Arabs, for no canal ever existed. - -The sum of all this story is, a long and violent persecution followed -the conquest of Egypt by the Saracens, who were accustomed to live -in tents, which, with their dislike to the Christian churches, made -them destroy all the buildings of stone, as also persecute the masons, -whom they considered as being employed in the advancement of idolatry: -these unhappy workmen, therefore, fled in numbers to Lalibala, an -Abyssinian prince of their own religion, who employed them in many -stupendous works for diverting the Nile into the Red Sea, or the Indian -Ocean, which I have already described, and which exist entire to this -day[176]. - -This idea, indeed, had subsisted as long as the royal family lived -in the south part of Abyssinia, in Shoa, in the neighbourhood, and -sometimes on the very spot where the attempt was made. When the court, -however, removed northward, and the princes, no longer confined in -Geshen, (a mountain in Amhara) were imprisoned, as they now are, in -Wechné, in Belessen, near Gondar, these transactions of remote times -and places were gradually forgot, and often misrepresented; though, -so far down as the beginning of this century, we find Tecla Haimanout -I.[177] (king of Abyssinia) expostulating by a letter with the basha of -Cairo upon the murder of the French envoy M. du Roule, and threatening -the Turkish regency, that, it they persisted in such misbehaviour, he -would make the Nile the instrument of his vengeance, the keys of which -were in his hand, to give them famine or plenty, as they should deserve -of him. In my time, no sensible man in Abyssinia believed that such a -thing was possible, and few that it had ever been attempted. - -As for the opinion of those, that the Nile may be turned into the -Red Sea from Nubia or Egypt, it deserves no answer. What could be -the motive of such an undertaking? Would the Egyptians suffer such -an operation to be carried on in their own country for the sake of -starving themselves? and if the country had been taken from them by an -enemy, still it could not be the interest of that conqueror to let the -inhabitants, now become his subjects, perish, and much less to reduce -them to the necessity of so doing by such an undertaking. - -Much has been wrote about a miraculous drop, or dew, called Gotta, or -Nucta, which falls in Egypt precisely on St John’s day, and is believed -to be the peculiar gift of that saint; it stops the plague, causes -dough to leaven, or ferment, and announces a speedy and plentiful -inundation. - -I hope my reader will not expect that I should enter into the -discussion of the part St John is thought to have in this event, my -business is only with natural causes. - -Memphis and Alexandria, and all the ancient cities of Lower Egypt, -stand upon cisterns, into which the Nile, upon its overflowing, was -admitted, and there remained till it had deposited all its sediment, -and became fit for drinking. These cisterns are now full of filth; -though in disrepair, the water, when the Nile is high insinuates itself -into them through the broken conduits. - -In February and March the sun is on its approach to the zenith of one -extremity of Egypt, and of course has a very considerable influence -upon the other. The Nile being now fallen low, the water in the -cisterns putrifies, and the river itself has lost all its volatile -and finer parts by the continued action of a vertical sun; so that, -instead of being subject to evaporation, it becomes daily more and -more inclined to putrefaction. About St John’s day[178] it receives a -plentiful mixture of the fresh and fallen rain from Ethiopia, which -dilutes and refreshes the almost corrupted river, and the sun near at -hand exerts its natural influence upon the water, which now is become -light enough to be exhaled, though it has still with it a mixture of -the corrupted fluid, so that it rises but a small height during the -first few days of the inundation, then falls down and returns to the -earth in plentiful and abundant dews; and that this is really so, I am -persuaded from what I observed myself at Cairo. - -My quadrant was placed on the flat roof, or terrass, of a gentleman’s -house where I was taking observations; I had gone down to supper, -and soon after returned, when I found the brass limb of the quadrant -covered with small drops of dew, which were turned to a perfect green, -or copperas colour; and this green had so corroded the brass in an -hour’s time, that the marks remained on the limb of the quadrant -for six months; and the cavities made by the corrosion were plainly -discernible through a microscope. - -It is in February, March, or April only, that the plague begins in -Egypt. I do not believe it an endemial disease, I rather think it comes -from Constantinople with merchandise, or passengers, and at this time -of the year that the air having attained a degree of putridity proper -to receive it by the long absence of dews, the infection is thereto -joined, and continues to rage till the period I just spoke of, when it -is suddenly stopped by the dews occasioned by a refreshing mixture of -rain-water, which is poured out into the Nile at the beginning of the -inundation. - -The first and most remarkable sign of the change brought about in the -air is the sudden stopping of the plague at Saint John’s day; every -person, though shut up from society for months before, buys, sells, and -communicates with his neighbour without any sort of apprehension; and -it was never known, as far as I could learn upon fair inquiry, that one -fell sick of the plague after this anniversary: it will be observed I -don’t say _died_; there are, I know, examples of that, though I believe -but few; the plague is not always a disease that suddenly terminates, -it often takes a considerable time to come to a head, appearing only by -symptoms; so that people taken ill, under the most putrid influence of -the air, linger on, struggling with the disease which has already got -such hold that they cannot recover; but what I say, and mean is, that -no person is taken ill of the plague so as to die after the dew has -fallen in June; and no symptoms of the plague are ever commonly seen in -Egypt but in those spring months already mentioned, the greater part of -which are totally destitute of moisture. - -I think the instance I am going to give, which is universally known, -and cannot be denied, brings this so home that no doubt can remain of -the origin of this dew, and its powerful effects upon the plague. - -The Turks and Moors are known to be predestinarians; they believe the -hour of man’s death is so immutably fixed that nothing can either -advance or defer it an instant. Secure in this principle, they expose -in the market-place, immediately after Saint John’s day, the clothes -of the many thousands that have died during the late continuance of -the plague, all which imbibe the moist air of the evening and the -morning, are handled, bought, put on, and worn without any apprehension -of danger; and though these consist of furs, cotton, silk, and -woollen cloths, which are stuffs the most retentive of the infection, -no accident happens to those who wear them from this their happy -confidence. - -I shall here sum up all that I have to say relating to the river Nile, -with a tradition handed down to us by Herodotus, the father of ancient -history, upon which moderns less instructed have grafted a number of -errors. Herodotus[179] says, that he was informed by the secretary of -Minerva’s treasury, that one half of the water of the Nile flowed due -north into Egypt, while the other half took an opposite course, and -flowed directly south into Ethiopia. - -The secretary was probably of that country himself, and seems by his -observation to have known more of it than all the ancients together. -In fact, we have seen that, between 13° and 14° N. latitude, the Nile, -with all its tributary streams, which have their rise and course within -the tropical rains, falls down into the flat country, (the kingdom of -Sennaar), which is more than a mile lower than the high country in -Abyssinia, and thence, with a little inclination, it runs into Egypt. - -Again, in lat. 9° in the kingdom of Gingero, the Zebeé runs south, or -south-east, into the inner Ethiopia, as do also many other rivers, and, -as I have heard from the natives of that country, empty themselves -into a lake, as those on the north of the Line do into the lake -Tzana; thence distribute their waters to the east and to the west. -These become the heads of great rivers that run through the interior -countries of Ethiopia (corresponding to the sea-coast of Melinda and -Mombaza) into the Indian Ocean, whilst, on the westward, they are the -origin of the vast streams that fall into the Atlantic, passing through -Benin and Congo, southward of the river Gambea, and the Sierraleona. - -In short, the periodical rains from the tropic of Capricorn to the -Line, being in equal quantity with those that fall between the Line and -the tropic of Cancer, it is plain, that if the land of Ethiopia sloped -equally from the Line southward and northward, half of the rains that -fall on each side would go north, and half south, but as the ground -from 5° N. declines all southward, it follows that the river which runs -to the southward must be equal to those that run to the northward, -_plus_ the rain that falls in the 5° north latitude, where the ground -begins to slope to the southward, and there can be little doubt this -is at least one of the reasons why there are in the southern continent -so many rivers larger than the Nile that run both into the Indian and -Atlantic Oceans. - -From this very true and sensible relation handed to us by Herodotus, -from the authority of the secretary of Minerva, the Nubian geographer -has framed a fiction of his own, which is, that the river Nile divides -itself into two branches, one of which runs into Egypt northward, and -one through the country of the negroes westward, into the Atlantic -Ocean. And this opinion has been greedily adopted by M. Ludolf[180], -who cites the authority of Leo Africanus, and that of his monk Gregory, -both of them, in these respects, fully as much mistaken as the Nubian -geographer himself. M. Ludolf, after quoting a passage of Pliny, tells -us that he had consulted the famous Bochart upon that subject whether -the Nile and the Niger (the river that runs through Nigritia into the -Western Ocean) were one and the same river? The famous Bochart answers -him peremptorily in the true spirit of a schoolman,--That there is -nothing more certain than that the Niger is a part of the river Nile. -With great submission, however, I must venture to say there is not the -least foundation for this assertion. - -Pliny seems the first who gave rise to it, but he speaks modestly -upon the subject, giving his reasons as he goes along. “Nigri fluvio -eadem natura, quæ Nilo, calamum & papyrum, & easdem gignit animantes, -iisdemque temporibus augescit.[181]” That it has the same soil from -which the Nile takes its colour, the water is the same in taste, -produces the same reeds, and especially the papyrus; has the same -animals in it, such as the crocodile and hippopotamus, and overflows -at the same season; this is saying nothing but what may be applied -with equal truth to every other river between the northern tropic -and the Line; but the other two authors, the Nubian and the monk, -assert each of them a direct falsehood. The Nubian says, that if the -Nile carried all the rains that fall in Abyssinia down into Egypt, -the people would not be safe in their houses. To this I answer by a -matter of fact, the map of the whole course of the Nile is before the -reader; and it is plain from thence, that the whole rain in Abyssinia -must now go, and ever has gone down into Egypt, and yet the people are -very safe in their houses, and very seldom is the whole land of Egypt -compleatly overflowed: and it is by no means less certain from the same -inspection, that, unless a river as large as the Nile, constantly full, -having its rise in countries subject to perpetual rains, and pouring -its stream, which never decreases, into that river, as the Abiad does -at Halfaia, all the waters in Abyssinia collected in the Nile would not -be sufficient to pass its scanty stream through the burning deserts of -Nubia and the Barabra, so as it should be of any utility when arrived -in Egypt. - -The next falsehood in point of fact is that of the monk Gregory, who -says that this left branch of the Nile parts from it, after having -passed the kingdom of Dongola into Nubia, after which it runs through -Elvah, and so down the desert into the Mediterranean, between the -Cyrenaicum and Alexandria. Now, first, we know, from the authority of -all antiquity, that there is not a desert more destitute of rivers than -that of the Thebaid. This want of water (not the distance) made the -voyage to the temple of Jupiter Ammon an enterprise next to desperate, -and so worthy of Alexander, who never, however, met a river in his way; -had there been there such a stream, there could be no doubt that the -banks of it would have been fully as well inhabited as those of the -Nile, and the Thebaid consequently no desert. Besides the caravans, -which for ages passed between Egypt and Sennaar, must have seen this -river, and drunk of it; so must the travellers, in the beginning of -this century, Poncet and M. du Roule. They were both at Elvah; and, -passing through the dreary deserts of Selima, they must have gone -along its side, and crossed it, where it parted from the Nile in their -journey to Sennaar. Whereas we know they never saw running water from -the time they left the Nile at Siout in Egypt, till they fell in again -with it at Moscho, during which period they had nothing but well water, -which they carried in skins with them. - -The district of Elvah is the Oasis Magna and Oasis Parva of the -ancients; large plentiful springs breaking out in the middle of the -burning sands, and running constantly without diminution, have invited -inhabitants to flock around them. These conducting off the water that -spills over the fountain by trenches, the neighbouring lands have -quickly produced a plentiful vegetation: gardens and verdure are spread -on every side, large groves of palm tree have been planted, and the -overflowings of every fountain have produced a little paradise, like so -many beautiful and fruitful islands amidst an immense ocean. - -The coast of the Mediterranean, from the Cyrenaicum or Ptolemaid (that -is, the coast from Bengazi, or Derna, to Alexandria) is well known by -the shipping of every nation; but what pilot or passenger ever saw this -magnificent watering-place in that desert coast, where this branch of -the Nile comes down into the Mediterranean? Besides, the author of this -fable betrays his ignorance in the very beginning, where he derives -this left branch of the Nile from the principal river, and says, that, -after passing the kingdom of Dongola, it enters Nubia. Now, when it -entered Dongola it must have already passed Nubia, for Dongola is the -capital of the Barabra, every inch of which is to the northward of -Nubia. I do not know worse guides in the geography of Africa than Leo -Africanus and the Nubian geographer. I believe them both impostors, -and the commentators upon them have greatly increased by their own -conjectures, the confusion and errors which the text has everywhere -occasioned. - -As far as I have been ever able to learn, by a very diligent and -cautious inquiry, from the inhabitants of the neighbouring countries, I -believe the origin of the Niger is in lat. 12° north, and in long. 30° -from the meridian of Greenwich nearly; that it is composed of various -rivers falling down the sides of very high mountains, called Dyre and -Tegla; and runs straight west into the heart of Africa. I conclude -also, that this river (though it has abundant supply from every -mountain) is very much diminished by evaporation, running in a long -course upon the very limits of the tropical rains, when entire, under -the name of Senega; or, perhaps, when divided under those of Senega and -Gambia, it loses itself in the Atlantic Ocean. I conceive also, that, -as Pliny says, it has the same taste and natural productions with the -Nile, because it runs in the same climate, and like that river owes, if -not its existence, yet certainly its increase and fulness to the same -cause, the tropical rains in the northern hemisphere falling from high -mountains. - -I hope I have now fully exhausted every subject worthy of inquiry -as to the place where the fountains of the Nile are situated, also -as to its course and various names, the different countries through -which it flows, the true cause, and every thing curious attending -its inundations; and that as, in old times, Caput Nili Quærere, _to -seek the source of the Nile_, was a proverb in use to signify the -impossibility of an attempt, it may hereafter be applied, with as much -reason, to denote the inutility of any such undertakings. - - - - -CHAP. XIX. - -_Kind reception among the Agows--Their Number, Trade, Character, &c._ - - -After having given my reader so long, though, I hope, no unentertaining -lecture, it is time to go back to Woldo, whom we had left settling -our reception with the chief of the village of Geesh. We found the -measures taken by this man such as convinced us at once of his capacity -and attachment. The miserable Agows, assembled all around him, were -too much interested in the appearance we made, not to be exceedingly -inquisitive how long our stay was to be among them. They saw, by the -horse driven before us, we belonged to Fasil, and suspected, for the -same reason, that they were to maintain us, or, in other words, that -we should live at discretion upon them as long as we chose to tarry -there; but Woldo, with great address, had dispelled these fears almost -as soon as they were formed. He informed them of the king’s grant to -me of the village of Geesh; that Fasil’s tyranny and avarice would end -that day, and another master, like Negadé Ras Georgis, was come to -pass a chearful time among them, with a resolution to pay for every -labour they were ordered to perform, and purchase all things for ready -money: he added, moreover, that no military service was further to be -exacted from them, either by the king or governor of Damot, nor from -their present master, as he had no enemies. We found these news had -circulated with great rapidity, and we met with a hearty welcome upon -our arrival at the village. - -Woldo had asked a house from the Shum, who very civilly had granted -me his own; it was just large enough to serve me, but we were obliged -to take possession of four or five others, and we were scarcely -settled in these when a servant arrived from Fasil to intimate to -the Shum his surrendry of the property and sovereignty of Geesh to -me, in consequence of a grant from the king: he brought with him a -fine, large, milk-white cow, two sheep, and two goats; the sheep and -goats I understood were from Welleta Yasous. Fasil also sent us six -jars of hydromel, fifty wheat loaves of very excellent bread, and to -this Welleta Yasous had added two middle-sized horns of excellent -strong spirits. Our hearts were now perfectly at ease, and we passed -a very merry evening. Strates, above all, endeavoured, with many a -bumper of the good hydromel of Buré, to subdue the devil which he had -swallowed in the inchanted water. Woldo, who had done his part to great -perfection, and had reconciled the minds of all the people of the -village to us, had a little apprehension for himself; he thought he had -lost credit with me, and therefore employed the servant of Ayto Aylo -to desire me not to speak of the sash to Fasil’s servant. I assured -him, that, as long as I saw him acting properly, as he now did, it -was much more probable I should give him another sash on our return, -than complain of the means he had used to get this last. This entirely -removed all his fears, and indeed as long after as he was with us, he -every day deserved more and more our commendations. - -Before we went to bed I satisfied Fasil’s servant, who had orders from -Welleta Yasous to return immediately; and, as he saw we did not spare -the liquor that he brought us, he promised to send a fresh supply as -soon as he returned home, which he did not fail to perform the day -after. - -Woldo was now perfectly happy; he had no superior or spy over his -actions; he had explained himself to the Shum, that we should want -somebody to buy necessaries to make bread for us, and to take care -of the management of our house. We displayed our lesser articles for -barter to the Shum, and told him the most considerable purchases, such -as oxen and sheep, were to be paid in gold. He was struck with the -appearance of our wealth, and the generosity of our proposals, and -told Woldo that he insisted, since we were in his houses, we would -take his daughters for our house-keepers. The proposal was a most -reasonable one, and readily accepted. He accordingly sent for three in -an instant, and we delivered them their charge. The eldest took it upon -her readily, she was about sixteen years of age, of a stature above -the middle size, but she was remarkably genteel, and, colour apart, -her features would have made her a beauty in any country in Europe; -she was, besides, very sprightly; we understood not one word of her -language, though she comprehended very easily the signs that we made. -This nymph of the Nile was called by nickname Irepone, which signifies -some animal that destroys mice, but whether of the ferret or snake kind -I could not perfectly understand; sometimes it was one and sometimes -another, but which it was I thought of no great importance. - -The first and second day, after disposing of some of our stock in -purchases, she thought herself obliged to render us an account, and -give back the residue at night to Woldo, with a protestation that she -had not stolen or kept any thing to herself. I looked upon this regular -accounting as an ungenerous treatment of our benefactress. I called on -Woldo, and made him produce a parcel that contained the same with the -first commodities we had given her; this consisted of beads, antimony, -small scissars, knives, and large needles; I then brought out a pacquet -of the same that had not been broken, and told her they were intended -to be distributed among her friends, and that we expected no account -from her; on the contrary, that, after she had bestowed these, to buy -us necessaries, and for any purposes she pleased, I had still as many -more to leave her at parting, for the trouble she had given herself. -I often thought the head of the little savage would have turned with -the possession of so much riches, and so great confidence, and it -was impossible to be so blinded, as not to see that I had already -made great progress in her affections. To the number of trifles I had -added one ounce of gold, value about fifty shillings sterling, which I -thought would defray our expences all the time we staid; and having now -perfectly arranged the œconomy of our family, nothing remained but to -make the proper observations. - -The houses are all of clay and straw. There was no place for fixing my -clock; I was therefore obliged to employ a very excellent watch made -for me by Elicott. The dawn now began, and a few minutes afterwards -every body was at their doors; all of them crowded to see us, and we -breakfasted in public with very great chearfulness. The white cow -was killed, and every one invited to his share of her. The Shum, -priest of the river, should likewise have been of the party, but he -declined either sitting or eating with us, though his sons were not so -scrupulous. - -It is upon the principal fountain and altar, already mentioned, that -once a-year, on the first appearance of the dog-star, (or, as others -say, eleven days after) this priest assembles the heads of the clans; -and having sacrificed a black heifer that never bore a calf, they -plunge the head of it into this fountain, they then wrap it up in its -own hide, so as no more to be seen, after having sprinkled the hide -within and without with water from the fountain. The carcase is then -split in half, and cleaned with extraordinary care; and, thus prepared, -it is laid upon the hillock over the first fountain, and washed all -over with its water, while the elders, or considerable people, carry -water in their hands joined (it must not be in any dish) from the two -other fountains; they then assemble upon the small hill a little well -of St Michael, (it used to be the place where the church now stands) -there they divide the carcase into pieces corresponding to the number -of the tribes, and each tribe has its privilege, or pretensions, -to particular parts, which are not in proportion to the present -consequence of the several clans. Geesh has a principal slice, though -the most inconsiderable territory of the whole; Sacala has the next; -and Zeegam, the most considerable of them all in power and riches, has -the least of the whole. I found it in vain to ask upon what rules this -distribution was founded; their general and constant answer was, It was -so observed in old times. - -After having ate this carcase raw, according to their custom, and drunk -the Nile water to the exclusion of any other liquor, they pile up the -bones on the place where they sit, and burn them to ashes. This used -to be performed where the church now stands; but Ras Sela Christos, -some time after, having beaten the Agows, and desirous, at the Jesuits -instigation, to convert them to Christianity, he demolished their altar -where the bones were burnt, and built a church upon the site, the doors -of which, I believe, were never opened since that reign, nor is there -now, as far as we could perceive, any Christian there who might wish -to see it frequented. After Sela Christos had demolished their altar -by building this church, they ate the carcase, and burnt the bones, on -the top of the mountain of Geesh out of the way of profanation, where -the vestiges of this ceremony may yet be seen; but probably the fatigue -attending this, and the great indifference their late governors have -had for Christianity, have brought them back to a small hillock by the -side of the marsh, west of saint Michael’s church, and a little to the -southward, where they perform this solemnity every year, and they will -probably resume their first altar when the church is fallen to ruins, -which they are every day privately hastening. - -After they have finished their bloody banquet, they carry the head, -close wrapt from sight in the hide, into the cavern, which they say -reaches below the fountains, and there, by a common light, without -torches, or a number of candles, as denoting a solemnity, they perform -their worship, the particulars of which I never could learn; it is a -piece of free-masonry, which every body knows, and no body ventures -to reveal. At a certain time of the night they leave the cave, but -at what time, or by what rule, I could not learn; neither would they -tell me what became of the head, whether it was ate, or buried, or how -consumed. The Abyssinians have a story, probably created by themselves, -that the devil appears to them, and with him they eat the head, -swearing obedience to him upon certain conditions, that of sending -rain, and a good season for their bees and cattle: however this may be, -it is certain that they pray to the spirit residing in the river, whom -they call the Everlasting God, Light of the World, Eye of the World, -God of Peace, their Saviour, and Father of the Universe. - -Our landlord, the Shum, made no scruple of reciting his prayers -for seasonable rain, for plenty of grass, for the preservation of -serpents, at least of one kind of this reptile; he also deprecated -thunder in these prayers, which he pronounced very pathetically with -a kind of tone or song; he called the river “Most High God, Saviour -of the World;” of the other words I could not well judge, but by the -interpretation of Woldo. Those titles, however, of divinity which he -gave the river, I could perfectly comprehend without an interpreter, -and for these only I am a voucher. - -I asked the priest, into whose good graces I had purposely insinuated -myself, if ever any spirit had been seen by him? He answered, without -hesitation, Yes; very frequently. He said he had seen the spirit the -evening of the 3d, (just as the sun was setting) under a tree, which -he shewed me at a distance, who told him of the death of a son, and -also that a party from Fasil’s army was coming; that, being afraid, -he consulted his serpent, who ate readily and heartily, from which he -knew no harm was to befal him from us. I asked him if he could prevail -on the spirit to appear to me? He said he could not venture to make -this request. If he thought he would appear to me, if, in the evening, -I sat under that tree alone? he said he believed not. He said he was -of a very graceful figure and appearance; he thought rather older than -middle age; but he seldom chose to look at his face; he had a long -white beard, his cloaths not like theirs, of leather, but like silk, -of the fashion of the country. I asked him how he was certain it was -not a man? he laughed, or rather sneered, shaking his head, and saying, -No, no, it is no man, but a spirit. I asked him then what spirit he -thought it was? he said it was _of the river_, it was God, the Father -of mankind; but I never could bring him to be more explicit. I then -desired to know why he prayed against thunder. He said, because it was -hurtful to the bees, their great revenue being honey and wax: then, why -he prayed for serpents? he replied, Because they taught him the coming -of good or evil. It seems they have all several of these creatures in -their neighbourhood, and the richer sort always in their houses, whom -they take care of, and feed before they undertake a journey, or any -affair of consequence. They take this animal from his hole, and put -butter and milk before him, of which he is extravagantly fond; if he -does not eat, ill-fortune is near at hand. - -Nanna Georgis, chief of the Agows of Banja, a man of the greatest -consideration at Gondar, both with the king and Ras Michael, and my -particular friend, as I had kept him in my house, and attended him -in his sickness, after the campaign of 1769, confessed to me his -apprehensions that he should die, because the serpent did not eat upon -his leaving his house to come to Gondar. He was, indeed, very ill of -the low country fever, and very much alarmed; but he recovered, and -returned home, by Ras Michael’s order, to gather the Agows together -against Waragna Fasil; which he did, and soon after, he and other seven -chiefs of the Agows were slain at the battle of Banja; so here the -serpent’s warning was verified by a second trial, though it failed in -the first. - -Before an invasion of the Galla, or an inroad of the enemy, they say -these serpents disappear, and are nowhere to be found. Fasil, the -sagacious and cunning governor of the country, was, as it was said, -greatly addicted to this species of divination, in so much as never to -mount his horse, or go from home, if an animal of this kind, which he -had in his keeping, refused to eat. - -The Shum’s name was Kefla Abay, or Servant of the river; he was a -man about seventy, not very lean, but infirm, fully as much so as -might have been expected from that age. He conceived that he might -have had eighty-four or eighty-five children. That honourable charge -which he possessed had been in his family from the beginning of the -world, as he imagined. Indeed, if all his predecessors had as numerous -families as he, there was no probability of the succession devolving -to strangers. He had a long white beard, and very moderately thick; an -ornament rare in Abyssinia, where they have seldom any hair upon their -chin. He had round his body a skin wrapt and tied with a broad belt: -I should rather say it was an ox’s hide; but it was so scraped, and -rubbed, and manufactured, that it was of the consistence and appearance -of shamoy, only browner in colour. Above this he wore a cloak with the -hood up, and covering his head; he was, bare-legged, but had sandals, -much like those upon ancient statues; these, however, he put off as -soon as ever he approached the bog where the Nile rises, which we -were all likewise obliged to do. We were allowed to drink the water, -but make no other use of it. None of the inhabitants of Geesh wash -themselves, or their cloaths, in the Nile, but in a stream that falls -from the mountain of Geesh down into the plain of Assoa, which runs -south, and meets the Nile in its turn northward, passing the country of -the Gafats and Gongas. - -The Agows, in whose country the Nile rises, are, in point of number, -one of the most considerable nations in Abyssinia; when their whole -force is raised, which seldom happens, they can bring to the field 4000 -horse, and a great number of foot; they were, however, once much more -powerful; several unsuccessful battles, and the perpetual inroads of -the Galla, have much diminished their strength. The country, indeed, is -still full of inhabitants, but from their history we learn, that one -clan, called Zeegam, maintained singly a war against the king himself, -from the time of Socinios to that of Yasous the Great, who, after all, -overcame them by surprise and stratagem; and that another clan, the -Denguis, in like manner maintained the war against Facilidas, Hannes -I. and Yasous II. all of them active princes. Their riches, however, -are still greater than their power, for though their province in length -is no where 60 miles, nor half that in breadth, yet Gondar and all -the neighbouring country depend for the necessaries of life, cattle, -honey, butter, wheat, hides, wax, and a number of such articles, upon -the Agows, who come constantly in succession, a thousand and fifteen -hundred at a time, loaded with these commodities, to the capital. - -As the dependence upon the Agows is for their produce rather than on -the forces of their country, it has been a maxim with wise princes to -compound with them for an additional tribute, instead of their military -service; the necessities of the times have sometimes altered these wise -regulations, and between their attachment to Fasil, and afterwards to -Ras Michael, they have been very much reduced, whereby the state hath -suffered. - -It will naturally occur, that, in a long carriage, such as that of a -hundred miles in such a climate, butter must melt, and be in a state -of fusion, consequently very near putrefaction; this is prevented -by the root of an herb, called Moc-moco, yellow in colour, and in -shape nearly resembling a carrot; this they bruise and mix with their -butter, and a very small quantity preserves it fresh for a considerable -time; and this is a great saving and convenience, for, supposing salt -was employed, it is very doubtful if it would answer the intention; -besides, salt is a money in this country, being circulated in the form -of wedges, or bricks; it serves the purpose of silver coin, and is the -change of gold; so that this herb is of the utmost use in preventing -the increase in price of this necessary article, which is the principal -food of all ranks of people in this country. Brides paint their feet -likewise from the ancle downwards, as also their nails and palms of -their hands, with this drug. I brought with me into Europe a large -quantity of the seed resembling that of coriander, and dispersed it -plentifully through all the royal gardens: whether it has succeeded or -not I cannot say. - -Besides the market of Gondar, the neighbouring black savages, -the woolly-headed Shangalla, purchase the greatest part of these -commodities from them, and many others, which they bring from the -capital when they return thence; they receive in exchange elephants -teeth, rhinoceros horns, gold in small pellets, and a quantity of -very fine cotton; of which goods they might receive a much greater -quantity were they content to cultivate trade in a fair way, without -making inroads upon these savages for the sake of slaves, and thereby -disturbing them in their occupations of seeking for gold and hunting -the elephant. - -The way this trade, though very much limited, is established, is by -two nations sending their children mutually to each other; there is -then peace between those two families which have such hostages; these -children often intermarry; after which that family is understood to be -protected, and at peace, perhaps, for a generation: but such instances -are rare, the natural propensity of both nations being to theft and -plunder; into these they always relapse; mutual enmity follows in -consequence. - -The country of the Agows, called Agow Midrè, from its elevation, must -be of course temperate and wholesome; the days, indeed, are hot, even -at Sacala, and, when exposed to the sun, we are sensible of a scorching -heat; but whenever you are seated in the shade, or in a house, the -temperature is cool, as there is a constant breeze which makes the sun -tolerable even at mid-day, though we are here but 10° from the Line, or -a few minutes more. - -Though these Agows are so fortunate in their climate, they are not said -to be long-livers; but their precise age is very difficult to ascertain -to any degree of exactness, as they have no fixed or known epoch to -refer to; and, though their country abounds with all the necessaries -of life, their taxes, tributes, and services, especially at present, -are so multiplied upon them, whilst their distresses of late have been -so great and frequent, that they are only the manufacturers of the -commodities they sell, to satisfy these constant exorbitant demands, -and cannot enjoy any part of their own produce themselves, but live in -misery and penury scarce to be conceived. We saw a number of women, -wrinkled and sun-burnt so as scarce to appear human, wandering about -under a burning sun, with one and sometimes two children upon their -back, gathering the seeds of bent grass to make a kind of bread. - -The cloathing of the Agows is all of hides, which they soften and -manufacture in a method peculiar to themselves, and this they wear -in the rainy season, when the weather is cold, for here the rainy -seasons are of long duration, and violent, which still increases the -nearer you approach the Line, for the reasons I have already assigned. -The younger sort are chiefly naked, the married women carrying their -children about with them upon their backs; their cloathing is like -a shirt down to their feet, and girded with a belt or girdle about -their middle; the lower part of it resembles a large double petticoat, -one ply of which they turn back over their shoulders, fastening it -with a broach, or skewer, across their breast before, and carry their -children in it behind. The women are generally thin, and, like the -men, below the middle size. There is no such thing as barrenness known -among them. They begin to bear children before eleven; they marry -generally about that age, and are marriageable two years before: they -close child-bearing before they are thirty, though there are several -instances to the contrary. - -Dengui, Sacala, Dengla, and Geesh, are all called by the name of -Ancasha, and their tribute is paid in honey. Quaquera and Azena pay -honey likewise; Banja, honey and gold; Metakel, gold; Zeegam, gold. -There comes from Dengla a particular kind of sheep, called Macoot, -which are said to be of a breed brought from the southward of the Line; -but neither sheep, butter, nor slaves make part of their tribute, being -reserved for presents to the king and great men. - -Besides what they sell, and what they pay to the governor of Damot, -the Agows have a particular tribute which they present to the king, -one thousand dabra of honey, each dabra containing about sixty pounds -weight, being a large earthen vessel. They pay, moreover, fifteen -hundred oxen and 1000 ounces of gold: formerly the number of jars of -honey was four thousand, but several of these villages being daily -given to private people by the king, the quantity is diminished by the -quota so alienated. The butter is all sold; and, since the fatal battle -of Banja, the king’s share comes only to about one thousand jars. The -officer that keeps the accounts, and sees the rents paid, is called -Agow Miziker[182]; his post is worth one thousand ounces of gold; and -by this it may be judged with what œconomy this revenue is collected. -This post is generally the next to the governor of Damot, but not of -course; they are separate provinces, and united only by the special -grant of the king. - -Although I had with me two large tents sufficient for my people, I was -advised to take possession of the houses to secure our mules and horses -from thieves in the night, as also from the assaults of wild beasts, -of which this country is full. Almost every small collection of houses -has behind it a large cave, or subterraneous dwelling, dug in the rock, -of a prodigious capacity, and which must have been the work of great -labour. It is not possible, at this distance of time, to say whether -these caverns were the ancient habitation of the Agows when they were -Troglodytes, or whether they were intended for retreats upon any alarm -of an irruption of the Galla into their country. - -At the same time I must observe, that all the clans, or districts of -the Agows, have the whole mountains of their country perforated in -caves like these; even the clans of Zeegam and Quaquera, the first of -which, from its power arising from the populous state of the country, -and the number of horses it breeds, seems to have no reason to fear -the irregular invasions of naked and ill-armed savages such as are the -Galla. The country of Zeegam, however, which has but few mountains, -hath many of these caverns, one range above another, in every mountain -belonging to them. Quaquera, indeed, borders upon the Shangalla; as -these are all foot, perfectly contiguous, and separated by the river, -the caverns were probably intended as retreats for cattle and women -against the attacks of those barbarians, which were every minute to be -apprehended. - -In the country of the Tcheratz Agow, the mountains are all excavated -like these in Damot, although they have no Galla for their neighbours -whole invasions they need be afraid of. Lalibala, indeed, their -great king and saint, about the twelfth century, converted many of -these caves into churches, as if he had considered them as formerly -the receptacles of Pagan superstition. At the same time, it is not -improbable that these caverns were made use of for religious purposes; -that of Geesh, for instance, was probably, in former times, a place -of secret worship paid to the river, because of that use it still is, -not only to the inhabitants of the village, but to the assembly of the -clans in general, who, after the ceremonies I have already spoken of, -retire, and then perform their sacred ceremonies, to which none but -the heads of families in the Agows country are ever admitted. - -When I shewed our landlord, Kefla Abay, the dog-star, (Syrius) he knew -it perfectly, saying it was Seir, it was the star of the river, the -messenger or star of the convocation of the tribes, or of the feast; -but I could not observe he ever prayed to it, or looked at it otherwise -than one does to a dial, nor mentioned it with the respect he did the -Abay; nor did he shew any sort of attention to the planets, or to any -other star whatever. - -On the 9th of November, having finished my memorandum relating to these -remarkable places, I traced again on foot the whole course of this -river from its source to the plain of Goutto. I was unattended by any -one, having with me only two hunting dogs, and my gun in my hand. The -quantity of game of all sorts, especially the deer kind, was, indeed, -surprising; but though I was, as usual, a very successful sportsman, I -was obliged, for want of help, to leave each deer where he fell. They -sleep in the wild oats, and do not rise till you are about to tread -upon them, and then stare at you for half a minute before they attempt -to run off. - -The only mention I shall make of the natural productions of this place -comes the more properly in here, as it relates to my account of the -religion of this people. In the writings of the Jesuits, the Agows are -said to worship _canes_[183]; but of this I could find no traces among -them. I saw no plant of this kind in their whole country, excepting -some large bamboo-trees. This plant, in the Agows language, is called -Krihaha. It grows in great quantity upon the sides of the precipice of -Geesh, and helps to conceal the cavern we have already mentioned; but -though we cut several pieces of these canes, they shewed no sort of -emotion, nor to be the least interested in what we were doing. - -Our business being now done, nothing remained but to depart. We had -passed our time in perfect harmony; the address of Woldo, and the -great attachment of our friend Irepone, had kept our house in a -chearful abundance. We had lived, it is true, too magnificently for -philosophers, but neither idly nor riotously; and I believe never -will any _sovereign_ of Geesh be again so popular, or reign over his -subjects with greater mildness. I had practised medicine gratis, and -killed, for three days successively, a cow each day for the poor and -the neighbours. I had cloathed the high priest of the Nile from head -to foot, as also his two sons, and had decorated two of his daughters -with beads of all the colours of the rainbow, adding every other little -present they seemed fond of, or that we thought would be agreeable. -As for our amiable Irepone, we had reserved for her the choicest of -our presents, the most valuable of every article we had with us, and a -large proportion of every one of them; we gave her, besides, some gold; -but she, more generous and nobler in her sentiments than us, seemed -to pay little attention to these that announced to her the separation -from her friend; she tore her fine hair, which she had every day before -braided in a newer and more graceful manner; she threw herself upon -the ground in the house, and refused to see us mount on horseback, or -take our leave, and came not to the door till we were already set out, -then followed us with her good wishes and her eyes as far as she could -see or be heard. - -I took my leave of Kefla Abay, the venerable priest of the most famous -river in the world, who recommended me with great earnestness to the -care of his god, which, as Strates humorously enough observed, meant -nothing less than he hoped the devil would take me. All the young men -in the village, with lances and shields, attended us to Saint Michael -Sacala, that is, to the borders of their country, and end of my little -sovereignty. - - - - -REGISTER - -OF THE - -QUANTITY OF RAIN-WATER, - -_IN INCHES AND DECIMALS_, - -WHICH FELL AT GONDAR, IN ABYSSINIA, IN THE YEAR 1770, - -THROUGH A FUNNEL OF ONE FOOT ENGLISH IN DIAMETER. - - - The rain began this year on the first of March: there fell } INCHES. - in showers, that lasted only a Few minutes, between the } - 1st of March and the last of April, } .039 - ____ - - -MAY. - - 1. From the 1st to the 6th, .039 - From the 6th to the 8th, .120 - From the 10th to the 12th it rained chiefly in the night, .711 - From the 12th to the 14th, .123 - 19. At four in the afternoon a small shower, but heavy rain - in the night, .526 - 21. At 7 o’clock in the evening a small shower, which continued - moderately through the night, .171 - 27. At 6 in the evening heavy rain for an hour, .540 - 29. At 3 in the afternoon frequent showers of light rain. - It continued one hour 30 minutes, .487 - Total rain in May, 2.717 - - -JUNE. - - 1. At 12 noon, light rain for 15 minutes, .028 - 2. Between 12 o’clock night it has rained 30 minutes, in - small showers, which lasted 5 or 6 minutes at a time, .049 - 4. At 8 in the morning slight showers for 30 minutes, .014 - 5. Between 6 and 10 in the morning four small showers, - that lasted 32 minutes, and at 12 a very gentle rain - that lasted 15 minutes, .031 - 10. It has rained very violently for 6 hours 30 minutes, .342 - 11. Between 2 and 6 in the afternoon, at three several times, - it has rained 20 minutes, .014 - 12. At noon a violent rain for one hour 30 minutes. At half - past 1 in the afternoon light rain for an hour. At 4 - afternoon, light rain for 30 minutes. At half past six - same afternoon, a very gentle rain for 3 hours, .421 - 13. Between 4 and 5 afternoon it rained twice for 15 minutes, - but not perceptible in the recipient, ---- - 16. Between 2 and 6 afternoon it has rained three times - smart showers, in all about 20 minutes, .033 - 17. There fell in the night small rain for an hour, .002 - 18. At 1 afternoon there was a strong shower for 15 minutes. - At half past 1 another for 45 minutes. Same - day at 6 afternoon, it rained at intervals for 2 - hours, .750 - 19. At half after 2 afternoon it began to rain violently with - intervals. At night a slight shower for 20 minutes, .118 - 20. At twelve noon there was a very slight shower for 6 minutes. - At half past 5, same day, a small shower that - lasted 30 minutes. At 8 o’clock evening it began to - rain smartly at intervals for 4 hours, .171 - 21. At a quarter past 11 it rained violently with thunder and - lightning for about 2 hours. At half past 4 in the - evening it rained, with intervals, in all about 45 minutes, .330 - 22. At half past 12 noon, it rained an hour, .175 - 23. At one o’clock afternoon slight showers for 2 hours. - Heavy rain in the night for 4 hours, .358 - 25. At a quarter past one afternoon, a small shower, which - lasted one hour 35 minutes. At night it rained one hour - 30 minutes; heavy rain with thunder and lightning, .552 - 26. At two in the afternoon, violent rain with intervals for 30 - minutes. At half past five it rained for 30 minutes; - and the beginning of the night for three hours, .233 - 27. At a quarter past twelve, a small shower for one hour 45 - minutes, and at night a moderate shower, .302 - 28. At half past twelve, a gentle rain. At 50 minutes after - twelve, violent. At two in the afternoon very gentle - rain for 15 minutes; and at 7, moderate rain for one - hour and 30 minutes, .290 - 29. At 1 in the afternoon, light rain, but a heavy rain - must have fallen somewhere else, as the river Kahha - is overflowed, .092 - 30. At noon a very gentle rain for 15 minutes, .002 - ----- - Total rain in June, 4.307 - - -JULY. - - 1. At 20 minutes past eleven, strong rain for 30 minutes, - with some showers through the night, .306 - 2. At half past eleven, a small shower for 30 minutes, and - then, at twelve, a violent shower, wind south-west, - for 45 minutes, .792 - 3. It rained at four in the afternoon, and in the night, .311 - 4. It rained from twelve to two, and in the night likewise, .390 - 5. It rained at noon, and some in the night, .029 - 7. It rained and hailed violently. It rained in the night - likewise, 1.686 - 8. Light rain in the night, .038 - 9. Light rain for a few minutes, and no more all day; but - the river Kahha has suddenly overflowed, and there - is appearance of rain on the Mountain of the Sun, .017 - 10. No rain, ---- - 11. Ditto, ---- - 12. At half an hour past noon it rained violently, .422 - 13. Violent rain at mid-day, and also in the night, 1.185 - 14. A few light showers night and day, .054 - 15. A small shower in the evening, and another in the night, .251 - 16. No rain, ---- - 17. A small shower at one in the afternoon, and flying - showers throughout the day. It rained at ten at - night violently, .658 - 18. A gentle shower at noon, but continued raining in the - night, .463 - 19. Light showers all the night, .237 - 20. It rained all night till eight o’clock next morning, .714 - 21. Light showers in the afternoon, but violent rain in the - night, 1.329 - 22. Light showers in the evening, .174 - 23. It rained one shower at half past ten in the morning, .107 - 24. Light showers night and day, .226 - 25. Light rains and frequent, .015 - 26. Light showers throughout the evening, .081 - 27. Light rains, .148 - 28. Flying showers, .070 - 29. Ditto, .081 - 30. Light showers, .013 - 31. Flying light showers night and day, .292 - ------ - Total rain in July, 10.089 - - -AUGUST. - - 1. Light rain in the afternoon, .056 - 2. It rained in the night smartly, .329 - 3. It rained at noon violently, 1.318 - 4. It rained from mid-day to evening, and some showers in - the night, 1.723 - 5. At 2 in the afternoon it began to rain violently for 2 - hours, 1.042 - 6. Smart showers at different times in the evening and night, .490 - 7. It rained in the night, .580 - 8. Light rain in the night, .053 - 9. Flying showers through the day, but for 6 minutes. - Evening very violent, .186 - 10. Smart showers in the evening and night, .342 - 11. & 12. Frequent showers, with a high wind, 1.184 - 13. & 14. Light rain the first day, but violent on the second, 1.423 - 15. Fair all day, but rained at night, .475 - 16. Flying showers night and day, .144 - 17. A very violent shower of short duration, .371 - 18. & 19. Several small showers, .609 - 20. & 21. Frequent light showers, .236 - 22. & 23. Constant rain, 1.502 - 24. Frequent showers in the evening, .306 - 25. & 26. Constant rain, 1.763 - 27. Frequent showers, .289 - 28. Ditto, .280 - 29. It rained in the night, .355 - 30. Ditto, .302 - 31. Ditto, .211 - ------ - Total rain in August, 15.569 - - -SEPTEMBER. - - 1. It rained in the night, .079 - 2. Ditto, .107 - 3. & 4. Frequent showers night and day, .358 - 5. & 6. Ditto, .568 - 7. It rained in the night only, .213 - 8. No rain, ---- - 9. It rained violently for a few minutes at 8 in the - Evening, .055 - 10. No rain, ---- - 11. It rained in the night only, .227 - 12. It rained smartly in the night, .566 - 13. No rain, ---- - 14. Light showers in the day, .042 - 15. Frequent showers night and day, .159 - 16. It rained a little in the night, .132 - 18. No rain, ---- - 19. Ditto, ---- - 20. Flying showers night and day, .263 - 21. No rain, ---- - 22. Ditto, ---- - 23. Some rain in the night, .039 - 24. Ditto, .026 - 25. The rain ceased, ---- - _____ - - Total rain in September, 2.834 - -N. B. This is the festival of the Cross in Egypt, when the inundation -begins to abate. It rains no more in Abyssinia till towards the -beginning of November, and then only for a few days; but these are the -rains Abyssinia cannot want for their latter crops, and it was for -these the Agows prayed when we were at the fountains of the Nile the -5th of November 1770. - - - - -STATE - -OF THE - -QUANTITY OF RAIN-WATER, - -WHICH FELL IN ABYSSINIA AT KOSCAM, THE QUEEN’S PALACE, IN 1771, DURING -THE RAINY MONTHS, - -_THROUGH A FUNNEL OF ONE FOOT ENGLISH IN DIAMETER, AS IN THE PRECEDING -YEAR 1770._ - - -FEBRUARY. - - INCHES. - 23. This day it rained, for the first time, from a - quarter before four o’clock afternoon to - half past four ditto, .003 - 28. It rained in the night one hour and a quarter, .001 - - -MARCH. - - 4. It rained in the night near two hours small rain, .042 - 7. It rained a small shower in the evening, .014 - 12. It rained three quarters of an hour this afternoon, .017 - 24. It rained and hailed violently for 18 minutes in - the night, .017 - 29. It rained an hour and a half in the afternoon, .066 - 30. It rained hard in the night, .504 - ---- - Total rain in February and March, .664 - - -APRIL. - - 3. It rained, or rather hailed, nine minutes, ---- - 5. It rained an hour in the afternoon, .067 - 8. Small rain at intervals throughout the afternoon, .002 - 10. It rained an hour in the night, .003 - 30. It rained one hour and a quarter in the night, .013 - ---- - Total rain in April, .085 - - -MAY. - - 1. From the 31st ult. to this day, at different times, .330 - 3. It rained hard in the night, .355 - 6. It has rained violently since three in the afternoon, - wind S. E. variable, .095 - 7. It has rained heavily in the night, wind varying - from N. to S. and S. W. .368 - 8. It rained small rain in the afternoon, .042 - 11. It has rained small rain this afternoon, wind N. W. .002 - 14. It has rained since yesterday at three all night, and - till noon to-day, .675 - 27. From yesterday at two P. M. it rained to half past - six, and heavily most part of the night, wind varying - from N. to S. .634 - ----- - Total rain in May, 2.501 - - -JUNE. - - 1. From yesterday at noon, in the night, and this - day, wind W. S. W. .212 - 3. At night, south, .002 - 5. It rained in the night, S. W. .223 - 6. Ditto, .006 - 9. It rained in the night and afternoon, wind W. by S. .725 - 10. Ditto, .463 - 11. It rained in the night, .343 - 13. It rained from the 12th, at noon, to the 13th at - ten, S. S. W. 1.265 - 14. It rained from three till seven, .120 - 15. It rained last night from sun-set till midnight, S. .160 - N. B. The 16th at night, is the day the Egyptians - say the Nile ferments, and is troubled, by falling - of the nucta. - 18. After three days fair, wind fresh, N. it began to - rain yesterday, and rained three quarters of an - hour, wind varying from north to west, .490 - 19. It rained with intervals from four to ten last - night, wind north, varying by east to south, - and south-west, where it fell calm, and rained - violently, .530 - 20. It rained from a quarter before six, till ten at night, - wind at north, fresh; changed to east, then to - south, and there fell calm; violent thunder and - lightning, .635 - 21. It began to rain yesterday at three, and rained till - near five; wind changed from north to south, - and fell calm; cleared with wind at north, .550 - 22. It began to rain at three, and rained till five; wind - changed from north to east, then to south, and - fell calm; cleared with wind at north; fair all - night, .149 - 25. It has been fair till yesterday evening: at three it - began raining, and rained till five this morning, - a few drops; wind north, .067 - 26. It rained small rain at several times yesterday afternoon, - and a few drops this morning, wind N. - calm; at ten it came to south and then to west, .120 - 27. It rained yesterday afternoon from four to five; - wind changed from north to west, but speedily - returned to north, fresh, .054 - 28. & 29. It rained the 27th in the afternoon and in the - night, wind at north. Yesterday it rained small - rain all day till five, and cleared in the night, - with wind at north, .268 - ----- - Total rain in June, 6.388 - - -JULY. - - 1. There fell small showers the night of the 29th and - of the 30th, .093 - 3. There fell a small shower the second in the afternoon, - and last night hard, .267 - 4. It rained small rain at noon. From two, and all - night, heavy and constant rain. It thundered - from noon till three, .373 - 5. It rained all yesterday afternoon, and by intervals, - till nine at night. Small rain this morning; - calm; W. S. W. and S. W. .423 - 6. It rained yesterday afternoon and in the night; - S. W. .489 - - N. B. The 6th of July is the first of the month Hamlie, and of - the Egyptian month Abib. It is this day they first begin to cry - the Nile's increase in the streets of Cairo. The night before, - or 30th of Senne, is called at Cairo the Eide el Bishaara, or - the eve of good news, because, after having measured at the - Mikeas, they come and tell at Cairo that to-morrow they begin - to count the Nile's rising. - - 7. It rained from two in the afternoon till four, and - from ten till midnight, .318 - 10. It rained yesternight, and in the afternoon and - night the day before, .289 - 11. It rained till yesterday afternoon: in the night a - violent shower that lasted 39 minutes; wind - south by west, 1.162 - 12. It rained a little from two to three in the afternoon, - but in the night violently for a short time, .319 - 13. It rained yesterday from three quarters past twelve - till midnight; W. S. W. calm, .912 - 14. It rained all yesterday afternoon till midnight, .739 - 15. It rained the 14th in the afternoon, and the 15th - a few showers through the day, .816 - 16. It rained in the night, and small rain in the afternoon, .290 - 17. It rained in the afternoon two showers, and in the - night a little; S. W. .212 - 19. It rained in the afternoon the 17th and 18th, and - the 18th only in the night, .912 - 20. It rained yesterday from two till half past ten constant - rain, and the hail lay all the afternoon on - the hills S. E. of the town; very cold wind; - S. by W. 1.371 - 21. & 22. It rained but one small shower the 20th, the 21st - it rained little in the afternoon, but hard in - the night, 1.185 - 24. It rained in the morning of yesterday only, fair - in the afternoon; to-day, in the morning, fair - in the night, .766 - 25. It rained all yesterday afternoon, and all this - morning small rain, but none in the night, .452 - 28. From the 25th in the afternoon to this day at - noon, 2.137 - 29. From the 28th at noon to the 29th it rained in - the first part of the night, but was fair all afternoon - and this morning, .267 - From the 29th at noon, to the 31st at ditto, .568 - ------ - Total rain in July, 14.360 - - - AUGUST. - - 1. It rained yesterday afternoon, but in the night little. - To day fair, .544 - 4. It rained only the third in the evening, and night - and this morning, 1.188 - 5. It rained yesterday evening and in the night, till - noon little, .544 - 6. It rained yesterday afternoon, and all night, and - a little this morning, .250 - 8. It was fair these two days, and only rained one - hard shower last night, .178 - 9. It rained last night only, was fair all day, and in this - morning, .214 - 10. It rained yesterday all the afternoon, and the first - of the night. To-day fair, .869 - 11. It rained in the night yesterday; all day and this - morning fair, .188 - 12. It rained a small shower yesterday afternoon, and - in the night a little, .268 - 13. It rained yesterday at three a hard shower, and - a little in the night, .308 - 14. It rained a few drops in the day, and a hard - shower at night, .360 - 15. It rained a hard shower near three, and at ten - at night, .386 - 16. In the night, .027 - 17. It rained hard several times in the evening and - night, .831 - 18. It rained hard yesterday afternoon, and in the - night, .329 - 19. It rained all day, but not hard, .491 - 20. It rained in the afternoon only, .010 - 21. Ditto, .097 - 22. It was fair all yesterday, and rained only a hard - shower at 9, .424 - 23. It rained hard at noon, and the evening, with little - intervals, till 9 at night, and again this morning at - sun-rise till 7, 1.148 - 24. It did not rain yesterday, ---- - 25. It rained an hour between two and three, .332 - 26. It rained a small shower yesterday, and none in the - night, .005 - 27. It rained a hard shower at four, and this day at 12 - morning, the night clear, .268 - 28. It rained hard yesterday at 2 for a few minutes, .201 - 29. It rained a hard shower for near an hour, after - two, but clear all night and this morning, .450 - 30. & 31. It rained a small shower the 30th, and heavily for - a quarter of an hour the 31st, at night, at ten, .109 - ------ - Total rain in August, 10.019 - - - SEPTEMBER. - - 2. It rained yesterday a hard shower in the evening, - and at ten at night, .664 - 3. It rained only a few drops, which did not appear - in the funnel, ---- - 4. It rained from noon till sun-set yesterday, with hard - and violent thunder: night fair, 1.739 - N. B. It is observed at Gondar, the Pagomen is - always rainy. It begins this year the 4th, and consists - of six days, being Leap Year. - 5. It rained yesterday all afternoon, small rain, .399 - 6. It rained yesterday all afternoon, and small rain in - the night till ten, .306 - 7. It rained from before noon till four, small rain; - the night fair. Wind high at north, .846 - 8. It rained from noon for an hour, small rain, .214 - 9. It rained a small shower at noon; clouds drive - from east to west; wind north, .107 - 10. Saint John's day, no rain, ---- - 11. It rained from noon till five o'clock, wind W. - cold; clouds drive from east and west, 1.135 - 12. It rained a smart shower a little before noon. - Clouds drive from east and from west, .214 - 13. It rained a small shower a little after noon. Cold - and calm. Clouds drive from east and west, .035 - 14. It rained small rain from noon to three, and hard - from eleven till near midnight, .344 - 15. It was fair all yesterday, but rained hard for a few - minutes at seven, and also a little before midnight, - from the east, .186 - 16. No rain to-day, ---- - 18. It rained a small shower last night, and to-day at - noon, .053 - 19. It rained and hailed violently in the afternoon, 1.096 - ----- - Total rain in September, 7.338 - -The rain totally ceased the 19th, none having -fallen from this day to the 25th. - -Saint John's day is the time observed for the rains beginning -to abate. - - N. B. At the 5th of October the people were all crying for - rain; the ground all in cracks, and teff in the blade burnt up. - - -TOTAL _of_ RAIN _that fell in_ ABYSSINIA _in the Years_ 1770 _and_ -1771, _in the Rainy Months_. - -GONDAR. - -1770. - - March } INCHES. - & } .039 - April,} - May, 2.717 - June, 4.307 - July, 10.089 - August, 15.569 - September, 2.834 - ------ - 35.555 - ------ - - -KOSCAM. - -1771. - - February,} INCHES. - & } .664 - March, } - April, .085 - May, 2.501 - June, 6.388 - July, 14.360 - August, 10.019 - September, 7.338 - ------ - 41.355 - ------ - - -_END OF THE THIRD VOLUME._ - - - - -FOOTNOTES: - -[1] Supposed from its name to have been formerly the capital of the -Dobas. - -[2] Levit. chap. xix, ver. 28. Jerem. chap. xvi, ver. 6. - -[3] See the article kol-quall in the appendix. - -[4] I apprehend this is the same instrument used by the ancients, -and censured by the prophets, which, in our translation, is rendered -crisping-pins. Isa. chap. iii. ver. 22. - -[5] See the article Erkoom in the Appendix. - -[6] A rebel governor of Samen, of which I shall after have occasion to -speak. - -[7] Gol. p. 22. proem. - -[8] Poncet says that these obelisks are covered with hieroglyphics; -but in this he is wrong; he has mistaken the carving, I shall directly -mention, for hieroglyphics. London edit. 12mo. 1709, p. 106. - -[9] Shihor. - -[10] See Johnson’s translation of Jerome Lobo, p. 29. - -[11] See page 28. - -[12] Page 28. - -[13] Poncet’s voyage to Ethiopia, p. 99. - -[14] It signifies _cold_. - -[15] A man much attached to Michael, and had been preferred by him to -many commands and consequently was the only Greek that could be called -a good soldier. - -[16] The crooked manner in which they hold their neck when this -ornament is on their forehead, for fear it should fall forward, -perfectly shews the meaning of speaking with a stiff neck when you hold -the horn on high, or erect like the horn of the unicorn. - -[17] See Introduction. - -[18] See the article ensete in the appendix. - -[19] Vid. Le Grande’s Hist. of Abyssinia. - -[20] Baalomaal, which, literally translated, is, Master of his effects, -or goods. - -[21] Hatzè Azazé. - -[22] Strabo, lib. xv. p. 783. Joseph. lib. xviii. cap. 3. Procop. lib. -i. de Bel Pers. - -[23] Dan. chap. ii. - -[24] Procop. lib. i. cap. 11. - -[25] Arrian, lib. ii. cap. 14. - -[26] Plut in Artax. lib. xv. p. 730. - -[27] Lucretius, lib. v. Ovid. Metam. lib. i. Lucian, in Navig. - -[28] Arrian, lib. iv. cap. 11. Exod. chap. 4. Matth. chap. 2. - -[29] Justin, lib. vi. Omil. Prob. - -[30] Justin, lib. 2. - -[31] Herod. lib. iii. - -[32] Herod, lib. vi. - -[33] Suet. Vespas. cap. 23, Sex. Aurel. Victor, cap. 23. - -[34] Lucian. de Votis ceu in Navigio, Esdras, lib. iii. - -[35] Valer. Maxim. lib. vi. cap. 2. - -[36] Justin lib. xv. - -[37] Philostrat. lib. ii. - -[38] Val. Max. lib. v. cap. 16.--Q. Curt. lib. viii. - -[39] Procop. lib. i. cap. 11. - -[40] Justin. lib. i. - -[41] Herod. lib. i. - -[42] Dio. Chrysost. Orat. 3. pro regno. - -[43] Joseph. lib. xi. cap. 1. - -[44] Esdras, cap. 5. - -[45] Judith, cap. 2. - -[46] Ctesias in Persicis. Xenephon, lib. i. - -[47] Plutarch, in Apothegmat. - -[48] De Mundo. - -[49] Herod lib. vii. - -[50] Xenoph. lib. iv. - -[51] Strabo lib. xv. - -[52] Esther, chap. ii. - -[53] Joseph. lib. xi. cap. 6. - -[54] If I remember right, it is D. Prideaux that says Esther is a -Persian word, of no signification. I rather think it is Abyssinian, -because it has a signification in that language. Eshté, the masculine, -signifies an agreeable present, and is a proper name, of which Esther -is the feminine. - -[55] Athen, lib. xii. cap. 2. - -[56] Herod, lib. vii. - -[57] Herod. lib. iii. - -[58] Xenoph. lib. i. Xenoph. lib. viii. - -[59] Ammonios, Billetana Gueta to Ayto Confu. - -[60] Thucyd. lib. i. Strabo, lib. xiv. Theod. Sic. lib. xi. - -[61] Xenoph. lib. i. - -[62] Diod. lib. xii. - -[63] Vide annals of Abyssinia, life of Socinios. - -[64] Esther, chap vii, and viii. - -[65] Cicero, lib. v. de Finib. - -[66] Ecclesiast. Histor. chap. xxii. - -[67] Procop. lib. i. cap. 5. de Bell. Pers. - -[68] Agath. lib. iii. - -[69] See this history of Abyssinia in vit. David IV. - -[70] Vide Ctesiani Hockerii. - -[71] Xenoph. lib. i. - -[72] Amm. Mar. lib. vii. - -[73] Q. Curt. lib. iii. 2. 19. - -[74] Q. Curt. v. 12. - -[75] Plin. Hist. Nat. lib. xiii. cap. 11. - -[76] Plin. lib. xiii. cap. 11. - -[77] Diod. Sic. lib. ii. - -[78] Genesis, chap. xlvii. ver. 4. - -[79] Exod. chap. viii. ver. 26. - -[80] Herod. lib. ii. p. 104. sec. 40. - -[81] Herodot. p. 121. sect. 92. - -[82] Herodot. lib. ii. p. 101. sect. 35. - -[83] Herodot. lib. ii. p. 101. sect. 35. - -[84] Herodot. lib. ii. p. 104. sect. 41. - -[85] Gen. chap. i. ver. 29. - -[86] Gen. chap. i. ver. 30. - -[87] Gen. chap. ix. ver. 3. - -[88] Gen. chap. ix. v. 4. - -[89] Deut. chap. xii. - -[90] Levit. chap. xvii. - -[91] Maimon. more. Nebochim. - -[92] 1 Sam. chap. xiv. ver. 32. 33. - -[93] Levit. chap. xvii. ver. 7. - -[94] Arnob. adv. Gent. Clem. Alexan. Sextus Impiricus, lib. iii. cap. -25. and Selden. de Jur. natur. and Gent. cap. 1. lib. vii. - -[95] In this particular they resemble the Cynics of old, of whom it was -said, “Omnia quæ ad Bacchum et Venerem pertinuerint in publico facere.” -Diogenes Laertius in Vit. Diogen. - -[96] Vide appendix, article Cusso. - -[97] The first invention is attributed to the Portuguese. - -[98] Ludolf, in his dictionary, says, this word, in Hebrew, signifies -any tall tree. In this, however, he is mistaken. The translators did -not, indeed, know what tree it was, and so have said this to cover -their ignorance; but Arz is as exclusively the oxy-cedrus, as is an oak -or an elm when so named. Arz is indeed a tall tree, but every tall tree -is not Arz, which is the Virginia berry-bearing cedar. - -[99] See Ludolf, lib. iii. cap. 2. N^o. 17. - -[100] Prince of Shoa, often spoken of in the sequel. - -[101] Vide Alvarez’s narrative in his account of the embassy of Don -Roderigo de Lima, page 155. - -[102] Vid. Alvarez, hoc loco. - -[103] Tournef. tom. i. p. 111. - -[104] See the Ethiopic liturgies passim. Ludolf, lib. iii. cap. 5. - -[105] Gen. chap. ix. ver. 22. - -[106] Exod. chap. iv. ver. 25. - -[107] Gen. chap. xvii. ver. 14. - -[108] Lib. xvii. p. 950. - -[109] The reader will observe, by the obscurity of this passage, that -it is with reluctance I have been determined to mention it at all; but -as it is an historical fact, which has had material consequences, I -have thought it not allowable to omit it altogether. Any naturalist, -wishing for more particular information, may consult the French copy. - -[110] Deut. chap. xiv. ver. 1. - -[111] Encom. 12th October, Od. 3. tom. 1. Ann. Alexan. p.m. 363. - -[112] The largest court, or outer space, surrounding the king’s house. - -[113] It signifies the hill, or high ground. - -[114] Maguzet. - -[115] Guilty of our blood, and subject to the laws of retaliation. - -[116] This is a large church belonging to the palace, called by this -extraordinary name, _Noah’s Ark_. - -[117] See a figure of this bird in the Appendix. - -[118] Polymnia frondosa. - -[119] This affected ignorance was probably intended to bring me to -mention the donation the king had given me of Geesh, which he never -much relished, and made effectually useless to me. - -[120] It is with pleasure I confess the man then in my mind was my -brave friend Sir William Erskine. - -[121] The person here called old Fasil, is Kasmati Waragna, in the time -of Yasous II. - -[122] By this is meant the Amharic, for in Geez the word for snow is -Tilze: this may have been invented for translating the scriptures. - -[123] Hortus Siccus, a large book for extending and preserving dry -plants. - -[124] Vol. II. b. ii. chap. v. - -[125] Arrianus de Exped. Alexandri, lib. vi. - -[126] Another reason why I think this journey of the centurions is -fictitious is, that they say the distance between Syene and Meroë is -660 miles. Plin. lib. 6. cap. 29. - -[127] Pliny, Nat. Hist. lib. v. cap. 9. - -[128] In Œdipo Syntagma, I. cap. vii. p. 57. - -[129] I never heard that Cyrus had attempted this discovery. - -[130] Called, in the Ethiopic annals _Hendaqué_; wrote originally, I -suppose, with an _X_ or _Ch_. - -[131] Lib. v. cap. 9. Nat. Hist. - -[132] Diod. Sicul. Bibliothec. lib. i. p. 20. - -[133] Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. v. cap. 9. - -[134] From a nation of Shangalla of that name, through which it runs, -after having passed its source, and taken its course into Nubia. - -[135] Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. v. cap. 9. - -[136] Jerem. chap. ii. ver. xviii. - -[137] Diod. Sic. lib. i. - -[138] Pausanius Arcad. chap. xvii. - -[139] 1 Kings, chap. xviii. ver. 43. - -[140] See this figure in Dr Shaw, chap. ii. sect. 3. p. 385. - -[141] Herod, lib. ii. p. 127. sect. 109. - -[142] Several Arabian MSS. attest this. - -[143] Shaamy and Taamy, of whom we have already spoken. - -[144] Herod. Eut. sect. 4, 5. Diod. Sic. lib. iii. p. 101. Arist. -Meteorol. lib. i. cap. 14. - -[145] Deut. chap. iii. ver. 11. - -[146] Encyclop. voce Cubit. - -[147] Vide Encyclop. voce Cubit. - -[148] Herod. lib. ii. sect. 168. p. 149. - -[149] The king’s yearly land-tax, or rent. - -[150] Gen. chap. xlvii. ver. 20 & 23. - -[151] This was apparently the reason why Joseph, who had bought not -only the lands, but the people of Egypt likewise, transferred them from -farms, not convenient for them, to others where they could thrive. The -same they do spontaneously at this day, now they are free. - -[152] Dr Shaw, chap. ii, sect. 3. p. 383. - -[153] Psalm lxxviii. ver. 12. - -[154] Herod. eut. sect. 13. - -[155] Herod. lib. ii. sect. 19. - -[156] Herod. lib. ii. sect. 4. 101. and 149. - -[157] Strabo, lib. xiii. p. 945. - -[158] Strabo, lib. xvii. p. 915. - -[159] Plin. lib. xxxvi. cap. 7. Philost. de icon. Nili. - -[160] Julian. Epist. egdicio prefecto Egypti. - -[161] Procop. lib. iii. de Reb. Goth. - -[162] Or Nilometer. - -[163] Vid. geometrical elevation and plan of the Mikeas. - -[164] We know that these lakes were dug, and in use as early as Moses’s -time. Exod. chap vii. ver. 19. chap. viii. ver. 5. - -[165] A. C. 622. - -[166] Shaw’s Travels, chap. ii. sect. 3. p. 382. - -[167] Descript. of the East, vol. I. p. 256. - -[168] A View of the Levant, p. 282. 284. 286. - -[169] Shaw, p. 380. 381. - -[170] Descript. de l’Egypte, p. 60. - -[171] Pococke, vol. i. p. 199, 200. - -[172] Pococke, vol. i. p. 201. - -[173] See Table, or Register of Rain, that fell in these years, -inserted at the end of this volume. - -[174] Shaw’s Travels, sect. 4. p. 401. - -[175] Alph. d’Albuquerque, Comment. lib. iv. cap. 7. - -[176] Vol. I. b. ii. chap. 8. - -[177] See this letter in the life of that prince. - -[178] In Abyssinia, the 24th June. - -[179] Herod. lib. ii. p. 98. sect. 28. - -[180] Vid. Ludolf in Proemio Histor. Æthiop. 1. 8. Id. lib. i. cap. -viii. p. 178. Leo Africanus in descrip. Africa, lib. i. cap. vii. - -[181] Plin. lib. v. cap. 8. - -[182] Accountant of the Agows. - -[183] See a very remarkable letter of Ras Sela Christos to the emperor -Socinios, in Balthazar Tellez, tom. 2. p. 496. - - -[Transcriber's Note: - -Inconsistent punctuation and capitalization are as in the original. - -Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation are as in the original.] - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Travels to Discover the Source of the -Nile. 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