-IMA. 



Ihet hk< toe* U not eo high 

 to H on the we* 



from 



country ha* the 

 Dr. Beke think* that the 

 and 7000 feet above the 

 da very 

 i .. 



, though rarely, covered with tree. ; 

 . bu*vr. are graesy and hare excellent pa.tares; a few 

 are qirit. hamo. The deeceot into the vaUey. i. often so steep 

 T*es from growing. Some of the valleys 

 i region i* in general well watered, 

 ad the HT bave'water all the rear round. Between the basin of 

 Ih. TakkaoW Mri of the Tlari u a range of mountains, which rue. 

 hare the ridge, that All up the ulterior of the two basins, and some 



of feiimmiuarvrvhigh. Thattimotof country which lie. between 

 the rinr TUri and the outhern border of the Plain of Antolo u 

 hama; it to afancet uninhabited, and ooMthutee, the natural boundary 



Th* Tehkaarfe to the taoood rhrer in Abyadnia in awe, the Abai, or 

 N .lo. being the 6r-t It originate, near 1.* N. lat and Sir E. long., 

 4 opper OMine in Abyssinia i* to the north, until having received 



of the Tnlari from the**, and thoee of the Bellegas from 

 Ihe weet, it turns by degree, westward, and continues in that direction 

 bouwVary of Abyatiuia, Before it leave, the country it is 

 I by the Angrab from the nth. The. two last-mentioned 

 drain the whole of the volcanic region, which extei i 

 i of the Takkaode to the i Lake Zana, and all the 



r brought down by their rapid current. U thus carried 

 tu Ihe Xila Kupoei, who ha* eeen the greatest part of the course of 

 the Xile. U decitledly of opinion that to thi. volcanic matter mainly, 

 U not entirely, the great fertility of the soil is to be ascribed, w hich 

 the Xile dtyueit* hi iU lower conne during the inundations. I f we 

 me*xW **"* the eountrie. lower down on both sides of the river 

 hare either a candy or rocky .oil of very moderate fertility, and are 

 frauueoUy desert owing to their sterility, hi* opinion appears to be 

 well f*m-frl The vaUey of the Takkauie is very narrow compared 

 with the -ue of the river, and there i. frequently no valley at all, the 

 rook. rbmg immediately from the water*, edge to a considerable 

 (Might, aad Trtt-H(*n at a 'itM of a few mile, an elevation of 

 from fOuO to 4000 feet above the river. 



The wnrtcrn and southern part of the table-land of Abvssinia is 

 railed Amhara, from a province of that name situated nearly in the 

 iMdll ef it The south eaeltini portion of thi. huge country bears 

 the name of Shoe. Under the name of Amhara we shall describe 

 i* divided by tho Takkauue from Tigro, and 

 i otdhwiH on both side, of Lake Tzana or Zana to the most 

 i bead of the Xile or Abai. It i* dividl from Shoa by the 

 I river awl a line beginning on it* banks at a place called 

 i Biiihm awl terminating at the eource of the most southern 

 mmmt of the Takkanie. 



i n- TkUfLfmlj/ Amluur* contain, the highest mountain- 

 n*e) ia Abvuua, Thi* range in the moat eastern portion of the 

 itmtff to eioa* to the bank, of the river Takkauie in the province 

 of K*JD*B or B *. whence it U aUo called the Mountain* of Samen 

 Thk range begin* in the south with Mount Zozamba, a 

 i.ich lie* near 12 'SO' N. lat, and runs nearly 

 '.to Mar U* W, *o that in length it extend, about 70 miles. 

 I stmleil ammiU arc toward* the northern extremity of 

 e. where the peak called Abba Yaret rise, to 16,000 feet, and 

 luck, bear, the Mm. of Buahat to 11,364 feet, above the sea- 

 Te two Ugh ecutoniu are only R few mile* distant from one 

 r, Abba Yaret to the eaet and Buahat to the west Their 

 lUelrrltU* are united by a ridge, over which run. a 

 ihvfNM* aUed Selki Ttu* paw to 12.0W5 feet above the sca- 

 >!* the two mmmlU to a deep depreeuon, in whicli a 

 on the ridge of the Helki Pas*, run* 





mahaMiL Aaother pae. run. along the eaetern declivity of the 

 MMXaW K. hklM* point to only about 450 feet below tho summit 

 July, the upper part of the summit, to a distance 

 mmmit, covered with snow. This portion of 

 of plotoaic roclu, lava, and basalt column* of 

 itry between the highe.1 portion of the range 

 to hoot SO mile* in width, and i* covered 

 as they approach the river. The 



of sandstone, but there arc some 



. I ef bra. Hear the river the atodstone to nearly bare, and 

 !; bet* awl there covered with 



MfMl bead to) July, the upper part < 

 -** ^* .1 



^ ^^* mvww ioe eummii^ oovereo 



theraagetoi .ijiiiof platook rock*, 





are either 



'"*". ** f*" rof* 

 diaMse, *Uch aU UM yaw round 



or flelds In which barley U 

 Agriculture i* f.vourcd by the 

 neembta. the spring In Europe, by 



abundance of rain in every month of the year, and by the absence of 

 locust*, which frequently lay waste the corn-field* in other part* of 

 Abyasinia. In the higher region the mountain*, up to the part, 

 which are covered with snow, are pasture-ground equal to the famous 

 Alpine pastures in Switxcrland, and the scenery is also very similar, 

 except that in thoee regions which are above the line of trees a plant 

 is found which resembles the palm : it i* the RhyndutpeiaUm 

 Mon/amim, and ite peculiar shape makes a very pleasant impression on 

 the observer, when it stand, near tract, covered with xnow. Here 

 are also found, almort mingled with the leopard and '< 

 inhabitant, of the European Alps, the mountain-goat (Caj.ro Jbejc) 

 and the bearded vulture, or lammergcier (Gypaflta barbaltu). 



The western declivity of the mountains of Svmien in leiu broken, 

 aud terminates about 10 mile* from Mount Buahat at the plain of 

 KnUhetquab, which is about 10,000 feet above the level of the sea. Thin 

 plain extends for 7 miles westward, when it i- int< mi]>U-d )>y :li.- 

 valley of Shoada, which is at least 4000 feet below its surface, and i* 

 traversed by a river called Bellegas. The plain has an undulating 

 surface, and is entirely destitute of wood, except those clump, of 

 tree, which surround every church in Abyssinia. The soil h> 

 is good, the pastures abundant, and the barley yields rich crops. The 

 whole plain is available for some of these purposes. Kiippel passed 

 the month, of July, August, and September, 1832, in Knt-h.'t.pml.. 

 and observed the thermometer four times ever}' d:.\ . The results of 

 his observations are : 



Julys 31 . . 

 Auir. 131 . . 

 Sept. 1 to Oct. 4 



Sh. 50m. 



46-44* 



45-S9 



43-85 



9h. 4m. 

 56.S3 1 

 50-52 

 47-74 



ISh.Mm. 

 9-00 

 60-Jff 

 62-07 



3h.om. Mem 



S7'40 44-sl' 



48-09 44-93 



60-04 54-93 



The temperature of Entflhetquab was therefore in July aud August 

 eight degrees lower than in London, but in September only a little 

 leas than two degrees. The weather was very foggy and rainy. The 

 wind blow in the evening and morning from K.N.K., or fr.nn the 

 mountains, and during tho day from \V.s.\V., or from the plains. 



The small table-land of Entahetquab U separated fi'-m the large 

 table-land of Wogghera by the vale of Shoada, which is at least 4000 

 feet, as already observed, lower than EnUhetquab. It is from three to 

 four miles wide at the top, and more than a mile wide at tho bottom. 

 The bottom is partly swampy, and only used as pasture-ground, but 

 on the gentle ascent much barley and some flax are cultivated. The 

 table-land of Wogghera extends more than 40 mile.s from E. to V. 

 nearly as much from N. to S. The greater part of it is about 8500 

 feet above the sea-level. Near the vale of Slioada its surface pre- 

 sent, low hills and depressions ; but farther on it is almost a dead 

 level, v.ith a few isolated hills dispersed over it They are all of 

 volcanic origin and of conical shape. The higheHt of th' in. 

 Waakcn, ban only an elevation of about 800 feet above its base. Tin iv 

 are many watercourses, but they are deeply depressed below the general 

 level, and in summer they are dry. As the rocks which constitute the 

 body of the table-hind are of volcanic origin, the soil U ratlu r f< i-tile, 

 and produces good crops of barley, which however is only cultivated 

 in a few places. The incessant civil wars from which this country 

 has suffered for nearly a century have driven away the husbandman, 

 and his place is supplied by wandering henUmen. v.lio K ., with tluir 

 herd. and flocks during the dry season to the low country on tl. 

 Zaua. The pasture-grounds are very good : the deacon 

 table-laud to Gondar and the country surrounding Lake Zana is 

 gradual, and posses through several valley:', whiwe ili-cliutios ore 

 generally wooded, and cultivated only to a small extent. Nearly all t !,. 

 waters that are collected on the plain of Wogghera run off eastward, 

 and fall into the Bellegas, which carrion its waters to tho Takkaz/.ie and 

 passes through the mountain-range of Si mi u neat lat. 



The northern boundary of tho plain of Wogghera is formed by a 

 rocky ridge, which at ouo place is not more than 40 feet above its 

 ud hits a flat top. Thix ridge U in some place, hardly 200 feet 

 wide, and at one place only 40 feet. It run. eastward for more than 

 60 miles, increasing in width aud in In 'ight until it joins the mountain- 

 range at the Pass of Selki. It is remarkable that this ridge, \\ hieh is 

 KO little elevated above tho plain "f Wogghera, descends northward 

 with a very steep declivity of more than SOOO feet to tho table-land 

 of Adarga. The place whore the caravan-road cuU the ridge is known 

 as the Pan of Lomalmon, which U of very difficult ascent, and 8802 

 feet above the sea-level. The table-land of Adarga is somewhat more 

 than 8000 feet above the sea. The rivers which drain it rixu partly 

 along the north -western derlivity of tho mountains of Semieu and 

 partly at tho foot of the ridge of tho Lamalmou Pass, and run in a 

 north-western din Takkuzio. Near tho base of the ridge 



the I'lain of Adarga is interspersed with numerous vulcanic cones, 

 most of which arc low, but they incrcaHo in elevation and size as they 

 approach the high mountains. They are coven d with ln-unlr 

 and no < ullivateo field* are found near them. In advancing I 

 north, the plain becomes more level, and in the valleys are sycai 

 and other large tree*. Though there are somo tracts of rocky hills 

 which in the dry season are destitute of vegetation, the greater pnrt 

 of the plain is covered with good grass, and at intervals with nm, 

 bushes. There are many volcanic hills here alto, but they are at greater 

 distances from one another. Near the banksof the Takkazzio the country 



