ABYSSINIA. 



ABYSSINIA. 



30 



bounded on each side by steep slopes. Agriculture extends over the 

 acclivities of the hills, and even their flat tops are sometimes culti- 

 vated. In some places there are fine groves of large trees, which hi 

 most parts of Abyssinia are rarely met with. A few tracts which have 

 a less generous soil are overgrown with acacia and brushwood. The 

 superiority of the soil of this tract must be ascribed to its resting on 

 a substratum of basalt In the hilly tract which lies north of the 

 plain i a volcanic hill, called Alequa, whose summit rises about 800 

 nr 1 1 njO feet above the village ofAtegerat, or about 9000feet above 

 the sea-level. The elevation of the Plain of Antdlo has not been 

 ascertained, but it is probably greater than that of Ategerat. The 

 western portion of the plain is much less fertile. Near the village of 

 Call, about 25 miles from the banks of the Takkazzie, begins the descent 

 towards the river, which is so rapid that Salt observed that the differ- 

 i-nce of the temperature below Antilo and Cali amounted to 15 degreed. 

 At the same time cultivation ceases almost entirely, and the country 

 is covered with dark brushwood full of game. It improves a little 

 farther on, showing more signs of cultivation, and rich pastures with 

 numerous herds of cattle. But another considerable descent leads to 

 a sandy and barren district overgrown with thorny bushes and mimosas, 

 resembling the low country along the Red Sea : the pasture is scanty 

 and bad, and cultivation limited to a few spoto. By descending two 

 terraces more, which consist almost of bare rocka, the bed of the 

 Takkazzie is reached. Here Salt found the temperature as high aa 95, 

 whilst at Antalo it had been 65 ; which shows the great depression of 

 the bed of the river below the plain. It is probable that at this place 

 the Takkazzie is about 3500 feet above the sea, as Riippel found it at 

 the ford of Ber Agowe, which is about 20 miles farther down, only 

 3084 feet above the sea-level. Along the southern limits of the Plain 

 of Antdlo runs the Zamra river, which is bordered on its northern side 

 by a ridge of hills not much elevated above the plain, and of little 

 fertility, the soil being partly stony and partly sandy, and very dry ; 

 it produces only thorny bushes. 



North of the Plain of Antilo, and west of the Haramat Mountains, 

 on which the monastery of Debra Damo is built, is another plain of 

 great extent. It is, however, much less elevated than the Plain of 

 AnWlo, which is proved by the long and rather steep descent, known 

 ft the Pans of Atbara, by which it is entered from the south. This 

 descent is near 40* 25' E. long. The difference between the 1 

 this plain and that of Antdlo is probably more than 2000 feet, for 



Uiippel ilft.Tiiii 1 tli" elevation of Tukkanikira, which lies on a hill 



'<ie height, at 6348 feet above the sea; and he observes that 

 tho Haramat Mountains are at least 1200 feet above the level of the 

 Pearcc also observes that the natives, in ascending the Pass of 

 Atbara, say that they pass from the warm into the cold country. This 

 pl.iin, which, from the name of one of the provinces which it contains, 

 may be called the Plain of Tembien, extends from the base of the 

 Haramat Mountains to the Takkazzie, from E. by N. to W. by S., 

 more than 60 miles, and continues along the northern banks or the 

 river for at least 30 miles farther, so that the whole length is about 100 

 It is narrower at the base of the mountains, and grows wider 

 Id the river. Its average width may be 30 miles ; so that it may 

 cover a surface of 3000 square miles. It occupies the whole space 

 between the Pass of Atbara and the towns of Axum and Adowa. This 

 Urge plain is in general not fertile. At the base of the Haramat 

 Mountains is a tract whoso soil rests on basalt, and consists of a black 

 inoiiM, u;i'l n> rly the whole of it is under cultivation. There is another 

 rich agricultural tract near the heights over which the Pass of Atbara 

 pnnflffi. where wheat and barley are extensively cultivated ; and two 

 are annually obtained from those fields which can be irrigated ; 

 but these tracts are not extensive. The greater part of the plain 

 consists of low sandstone hills, and the soil is sandy and unfit for 

 cultivation. In other places there is clay-slate, usually in perpendi- 

 cular strata, and these tracts are still less fertile, as the water sinks 

 down between the strata. Trees do not occur, and in most places only 

 shrubs and bushes of stunted growth are found, among which the 

 'i-bia CanarienttJi is common. In the middle of the plain there 

 i.i an extensive tract which constitutes a fine pastoral country, and is 

 interspersed with trees. Here and in some lower depressions culti- 

 vation is also carried on to some extent. The beds of the rivers, 

 which generally contain water even in the dry season, are considerably 

 depressed below the general surface of the country ; their bottoms are 

 wooded, but these bottoms are very narrow. In approaching the river 

 Takkazzie the level of the plain lowers by steep and long descents, 

 which constitute several terraces. This lower tract is a very poor 

 country. At Ber Agowe, situated nearly at the southern extremity 

 tit' the plain, Hiippel found the level of tie Takkazzie 3084 feet above 

 the sea-level. 



North of the Plain of Tembien are those of Shird and Serawd They 

 are more elevated than the first-mentioned plain, and at the base of 

 the ascent by which they are reached are situated the towns of Axum 

 nd Adowa. The flmt place is 7092 feet and the second 6216 feet 

 above the sea-level. Hence we may conclude that these plains are at 

 least 7000 feet above the sea. The south-western portion is called the 

 Plain of Hhird, and the north-eastern that of Scrawd ; but we are not 

 it.h the line which separates them from one another, nor 

 with their extent to the north and west. The first appears to extend 

 to the country of the Shaugalla, and the last to the swampy region of 



Maleb. The Plain of Serawd is celebrated in Tigr<5 for its flowery 

 meadows, shady groves, and rich valleys. That portion of it however 

 which was traversed by Riippel, and which extends along the banks 

 of the Takkazzie, does not answer this description. From the banks 

 of the river, which is at Haita 2775 feet above the sea-level, one long 

 and steep ascent brings the traveller to the plain, whose surface is 

 composed of sandstone, and on which a great number of volcanic 

 cones rise to some height. The soil, consisting of the decomposed 

 volcanic matter, is partly covered with low bushes, between which 

 there is a fine turf that yields excellent pasture. In some glens there 

 are trees, and among them date-trees. One of the volcanic hills, called 

 Alequa, rises 800 feet above its base. The western portion of the Plain 

 of Serawd, or that which is contiguous to the Plain of Shird, does not 

 differ much from it in aspect. On the plain, which is generally level, 

 and consists of sandstone, several ridges of basaltic hills, and a few 

 isolated ones composed of volcanic matter, rise to a small elevation 

 above the general level of the country. The greatest part of the plain 

 is covered with bushes, between which there are excellent pasture- 

 grounds. The herds of cattle met with on this plain are large and 

 numerous ; but agriculture is limited to a few places. The hilly 

 ground along the southern edge of the table-land is covered with 

 bushes and the Euphorbia Canarirnti*. The eastern part of the Plain 

 of Serawd, or that which approaches the mountains on the edge of the 

 table-land of Tigrd, is somewhat different. Its upper surface consistn 

 of small table-lands whose surface is either bare sandstone or a thin 

 layer of poor soil. Between the table-lands are some valleys, from 

 half a mile to a mile in width, which are partly used as pasture- 

 grounds and partly cultivated. 



The Plain of Serawd is separated from the Haramat Mountains by 

 a hilly tract about 50 miles in length by 30 wide. As this tract con- 

 stitutes the principal part of the province of Tigrd which has given its 

 name to this great division of Abyssinia, it may be called the hilly 

 region of Tigrd. The rivers which originate in it run westward, and 

 form by their union the Mareb. This tract presents a great variety 

 of surface and productive powers. Hills and short ridges are numerous ; 

 but, except one or two, they are not of great height. Some of them 

 consist of volcanic matter or basalt, and the soil produces trees and 

 fine grass, and is partly cultivated ; but others are composed of sand- 

 stone or clay slate, and are nearly bare or only covered with low 

 stunted bushes. Some of the plains extend several miles in every 

 direction, are well watered, and in a state of high cultivation, whilst 

 others suffer from want of water, and are not inhabited except in the 

 rainy season. The valleys resemble the plains. 



The southern part of Tigrd, or that which is south of the Plain of 

 AnWlo, has a mountainous character. Our information respecting 

 these countries, however, is scanty, as they have only been traversed 

 by a few travellers in haste and under unfavourable circumstances. 

 This part of Tigrd comprehends the upper basin of the Takkazzie and 

 the whole basin of its affluent the Tzelari. Near the source of the 

 Tzelari is the watershed between the rivers which flow north and 

 south, and at some distance from it, probably on the watershed, are 

 two large lakes, of which the larger is called Tzado Bahari, or the 

 great lake of Ashanghi, and is three days' journey in circuit ; the 

 smaller is called Ouala Ashanghi or Machakh. The country sur- 

 rounding these lakes and the source of the Tzelari must have a great 

 elevation above the sea-level. Pearce saw here hoar-frost in the 

 beginning of October, and Krapf found this tract destitute of treec, 

 and covered with a coarse grass, which also occurs in Shoa, but only 

 at an elevation of from 8000 to 10,000 feet. Both travellers complain 

 of the cold that they experienced. The country is a complete wilder- 

 ness ; there is neither village, nor cultivation, nor cattle, nor wild beast 

 except the fox. It suffers extremely from want of water all the year 

 round, and produces only, at a few places, kolqual (Euphorbia Cana- 

 ritntit) and thorny acacias. The numerous hills which are dispersed 

 over it are composed of sand. To the east of this central table-land 

 of Abyssinia extends a mountainous country, of which we have no 

 information. It is inhabited by the Raia or Azabo Gallas, who are 

 described as the most savage of all the tribes of Africa. It is cer- 

 tainly remarkable that their neighbours to the south-west, the Yejju, 

 have not the least intercourse with them, and were unable to give the 

 least information about them and their country to Krapf. To the 

 east of the mountains inhabited by the Raia Gallaa lies a country 

 called Zobul ; it is said to be a fine country, well wooded, and pro- 

 ducing grapes, olives, limes, cedars, and other fruits and trees ; but, 

 in consequence of long wars, it is now uninhabited. It is said to have 

 remained in this state since the time of Mohammed Gragne. In the 

 middle of last century, when an Abyssinian army marched through 

 Zobul to attack Adrfl, the soldiers dropped a quantity of durrah, which 

 has since continued to grow without cultivation. Zobul is contiguous 

 to Adal. [ADAL.] 



The country surrounding the upper course of the Tzelari river and 

 its affluents is represented as resembling a sea agitated by a gale, rising 

 in numerous hillH like waves, with large spaces of lower ground between 

 them. The hills as well as the depressions are covered with sand and 

 almost without vegetation, except some kolqual trees and thorny 

 acacia-bushes. For the greater part of the year it is almost destitute 

 of water, which is only found in wadies, and these arc dry during the 

 summer. In these wadies there are only a few pasture-grounds and 



