The Nile Tributaries of Abyssinia 93 



The scenery of these rivers, would appear to be often magnificent 

 in the extreme. The junction of the Royan with the Settite, is 

 described as a curious and frightful spot in the rainy season. The 

 entire course of the Royan is extremely rapid, but at its lower 

 extremity, it enters a rocky pass between two hills, and leaps, in 

 a succession of grand falls, into a circular basin of about four 

 hundred yards diameter. This peculiar basin is surrounded by 

 high cliffs, covered with trees : to the left, is an island formed by 

 a rock about sixty feet high ; at the foot a deep and narrow 

 gorge, through which the Settite River makes its exit from the 

 circle. This large river enters the basin through a rocky gap, 

 at right angles Avith the rush of water from the great falls of the 

 Royan ; and as both streams issue from gorges which accelerate 

 their velocity to the highest degree, their junction forms a tre- 

 mendous whirlpool, and in the rainy season is a most frightful 

 scene of giddy waters. The accompanying plate, kindly lent us 

 by Sir Samuel's publishers, will give the reader some idea of it. 



Of course actual travelling, during such rains as those which 

 supply these torrents, is impracticable. Baker encamped at a 

 village favourably situated on the banks of the Atbara, and re 

 mained for three months, until the rainy season passed. Althougli 

 violent storms were of daily occun-ence, opportunities of hunting 

 were not unfrequent, especially at the latter part of the rainy season. 

 The game, however, was all on the other side of the rapid river, 

 and the modes of crossing, by extemporised apparatus, might be 

 instructive to our troops now entering Abyssinia. 



When the dry season came, Baker resumed his journey, and as 

 he journeyed from district to district, and from river to river, found 

 full scope for his hunting fervour. At an early period, he heard of 

 and came in contact with the Hamran hunters ; and the most ex- 

 citing adventures in his book, were performed in company with 

 these swordsmen. The following is his account of them : 



" licfore my arrival at Sofi, I had heard of a particular tribe of Arabs that 

 inhabited the Base country ; these were the Hamrans, who were described as the 

 most extraordinary Nimrods, who hunted and killed all wild animals, fi-om the 

 antelope to the elephant, with no other weapon than the sword ; the lion and 

 the rhinoceros fell alike before the invincible sabres of these mighty hunters. 



" In a long conversation with these men, I found a corroboration of all that 

 I had previously lieard of their exploits, and they described the various modes 

 of killing the elephant with the sword. Those hunters who could not afford to 

 purchase hoi'ses hunted on foot, in parties not exceeding two persons. Their 

 method was to follow the tracks of an elephant so as to arrive at their game 

 lietween the hours of 10 a.m., and noon, at which time the animal is cither 



