ABYSSINIA. 



ABYSSINIA. 



38 



which borders on the banks of the AMi below its efflux from Lake 

 Zana, and which terminates at Mount Yekandach, has a somewhat 

 different character. Its general level is much higher than the low 

 part of the plain before-mentioned, but it is tolerably even, except that 

 it is furrowed by numerous deep valleys, in which the watercourses 

 lie ; towards the AMi its descent is generally steep and difficult. The 

 soil of the level grounds is of moderate fertility, and partly cultivated 

 and partly used as pasture-ground. 



The Plain of Gojam is surrounded by the Abai in the form of a 

 semicircle, which on the east begins at Mount Ye'kandach, and termi- 

 nates on the west at the mouth of the river Zingini. The middle 

 region is a table-land from 2000 to 3000 feet above the level of the 

 river. This table-land is about 20 miles wide. About the same space 

 is occupied by the broken country which lies between the plain and 

 the river. Between the plain and -the highest part of the Talba Waha 

 mountains is a mountainous tract somewhat less than 20 miles in 

 width. Thus the average width of the whole region is about 60 miles. 

 The ascent from the river from the Ford of Mietta (some miles north 

 of the mouth of the Jamma) U formed by a succession of bluffs which 

 rise iu terraces. Near the river the whole is thickly clothed with 

 jungle, and no part of it is cultivated ; but higher up the jungle is 

 ! use and occasionally intermixed with cultivation. Towards the 

 level country the ascent is more regular, the country rising with a 

 slight and continual slope. Here the jungle alternates with grassy 

 tracts, but even here cultivation is rare. The watercourses run in 

 beds deeply depressed below the surface, and with great rapidity. 

 The ascent from the south from the fords called Melka Kuki and 

 Melka Furi is much more irregular and steep. About 7 or 8 miles 

 from the banks of the river there runs a steep and almost perpen- 

 dicular wall, which in the lowest parts is from SCO to 600 feet high, 

 but in some places crowned with peaks that rise several hundred feet 

 higher. Between this wall and the river, but nearer the river, is 

 another terrace, whose descent is not so steep nor so high. Offsets 

 from the higher terrace occasionally advance nearer to the river, 

 where they appear like hills. The bonks of the river are rocky and 

 precipitous. Above the highest of the terraces is a level tract several 

 miles in extent, which rises regularly but slowly to the north. This 

 tract contains the large towns of Yejubbi and Yaush, and the market- 

 town of Biiso ; and the country is almost entirely under tillage, except 

 towards the north, where it approaches the last steppe or terrace, and 

 is there used as pasture-ground. The last steppe, which is more than 

 20 miles from the river, is formed by a slope of moderate declivity, 

 and rises only about 200 feet. Near the western extremity of this 

 region ia the ford called Melka Abro, and here the ascent occupies 

 only about 12 miles in width, and is much more regular, as it rises 

 gradually from the rocky banks of the river, and is only occasionally 

 interrupted by solitary hills. On this slope the country is cultivated, 

 but only to a small extent. All the watercourses that traverse these 

 ascents run in very deep beds, and the sides of the heights which bor- 

 der them are clothed with jungle or trees. 



The table-land itself differs considerably in its eastern and western 



districts. The eastern district is the Plain of Gojam, and the western 



that of Damot. The Plain of Oojam extends westward to the banks 



of the river Godieb, an affluent of the 15ir, and comprehends somewhat 



Me-half of the table-land. Towards the mountains of Talba 



Waha it ia almost a perfect level, through which the rivers run with 



a sluggish current ; but where it approaches the descent to the AMi 



the rivers sink much deeper below the general level of the country, 



the current is quick, and at some places interrupted by rapids and 



cataracts. In these parts also there are a few hills on the high grounds 



n the watercourses. No trees are found iu this plain, except 



the plantation! round the churches. Those districts which are quite 



level are covered with grass, and are very little cultivated and 



inhabited ; but where the ground is somewhat broken, cultivation is 



I on to a greater extent. The plain of Damot, between the river 



' the Zingini, rises and niuks alternately with gentle slopes. 



The curivnt of the rivers which traverse it is rapid. Hills are more 



numerous than in Oojam, and rise to a greater elevation. Where the 



i y H not cultivated, it is covered with forests : grassy plains are 



ly rare. A great part of the plain is well cultivated, and 



1 with villages. The gradual fall of the country from the 



mountain* to the AMi often allows the fields to be irrigated by merely 



diverting to them a portion of the waters of the numerous streams. 



The south-western portion of tlr- plain, or that which lies contiguous 



nt of the Melka Abro (Ford of Abro) is a perfect level, 



overgrown with gigantic grass: as we approach the descent to the 



Abai, it anlbita some signs of cultivation. In some places the grassy 



''rspcrsed with swamps. It is stated that this part of the 



l* cultivated with advantage, but for the frequent inroads 



of the ( : which inhabit the southern bank of tin 



The country which extends from the l.imk of the Zingiui to the 

 western boundary of Abyssinia may Ix; called the Volcanic HI-;- 



'i'lrr. Tl,< rived from a nation, the 



o differ froi I .itants of the country. The 



ii runs in a !/ 1 of v<,l<;ani- r.)i:k.-, .uid the adjacent country 

 .';il signs of volcanic origin. Tlir xoil is vrry fertile, 



krt, which ii. 

 place* protrude through it. Tlio surface in much broken. Such is 



the country between the river Zingini and a continuous ridge of high 

 hills which, on the north, is connected with the western and lower 

 continuation of the Talba Waha mountains at Mount Barf, and thenco 

 runs in a south-west direction toward? the banks of the Abai. This 

 ridge consists of a mass of volcanic cones or high-pointed domes ; the 

 Peak of Fudi, which stands nearly in the middle of them, rises to a 

 considerable elevation above its base. From the west of this elevated 

 mass several lower ridges run off to the westward to the distance of 

 several miles, when they terminate with bluffs in the adjacent plain. 

 This tract has a heavy argillaceous soil, which is cultivated, and by 

 means of irrigation yields abundant crops. In some places the volcanic 

 rocks peep through the soil. The plain, which extends farther west- 

 ward, is of indifferent quality, and chiefly covered with brushwood, 

 with occasional patches of cultivation. The rivers which originate at 

 the foot of the volcanic ridge run westward and fall into the Durra, 

 an affluent of the AMi, which constitutes the boundary-line between 

 Abyssinia and the country of the Shangallas, a tribe of negroes. Where 

 this volcanic region approaches the Talba Waha mountains, it is less 

 fertile, though there are some fine plains between the high hills and 

 mountains, which are largely cultivated, and covered with numerous 

 villages : there are other tracts which are only used as pasture-ground, 

 but they are covered with excellent grass, and filled with herds of 

 cattle. 



Dr. Beke, who in 1841 and 1842 passed a whole year in these re- 

 gions, has given an account of the seasons. The rains are more heavy 

 and continual in the peninsula of the Abai than in the Plain of 

 Gondar. It was only during the mouth of January that no rain fell. 

 In February slight rains only were experienced on ten days, and in 

 March on nine days. In April they were much heavier, and very 

 it from the middle of that month. In May rain fell only in 

 the night or in the evening on four days, except the last three days, 

 when every evening a heavy storm with thunder and lightning was 

 experienced. The regular rainy season commenced in June. Rain 

 fell more or less every day, with the exception of five days, and con- 

 tinued through July and August On the llth of July the AMi had 

 risen so much as to be no longer passable. The rains continued to be 

 heavy till the 16th of September, and till the end of this month it 

 rained every night and sometimes in the day. Heavy rains were 

 experienced up to the 7th of October, when for the first time none fell. 

 It was stated that the rainy season had commenced sooner and con- 

 tinued longer than usual. Still, notwithstanding this duration of the 

 rain, the rivers had fallen considerably, and in the middle of September 

 the AMi was crossed by the Gallas, who brought cloth and cotton to 

 Baso market. The rain kept falling for several days in October, but 

 in November it rained only on six days, and slightly. In the 

 beginning of December only showers were experienced, but after the 

 middle of that month heavy rains fell on several days. 



4. Shod, as a political division, extends only over the south-eastern 

 portion of Abyssinia, from the northern banks of the Hawitsh, 

 which divides it from the independent Galla tribes, to the Berkoua, 

 which falls into the Hawiish (near 12 N. lat.), and the Wanshit, an 

 affluent of the Jamma, which joins the Abai ; but we shall notice 

 under this head also the countries that lie farther north, and extend to 

 the upper basin of the Takkazzie and the central table-laud of Woffla, 

 though they are in possession of independent tribes. 



The Jamma is the largest tributary which the AMi receives on the 

 table-land of Abyssinia. It drains a great extent of country which 

 extends to the eastern edge of the table-land, and brings a great 

 volume of water to the AMi. Where it falls into that river its surface 

 is less than 3000 feet above the sea-level. From this place the country 

 rises to the south and to the cast until it attains an elevation of 

 between 9000 and 10,000 feet above the sea. On the south the table- 

 land slopes gradually down to the wide plain, which is drained by the 

 Hawash river. But on the east, at the upper branches of the Jamma, 

 it descends with a steep declivity, similar to that with which the 

 table-land of Tigrd terminates towards the Red Sea at the back of the 

 harbour of Massowa and Anuesley Bay. 



The valley of the Jamma appears to be inclosed on the north as 

 well as on the south by high mountains, which rise from 4000 to 5000 

 feet above its level. These heights however are only the bluffs with 

 which the table-laud of Shoa terminates on both sides. The ascent is 

 ut there is usually a wide terrace between two steep acclivities. 

 This terrace on the southern side of the river has a slight slope 

 towards the river, and is generally fertile, and studded with numerous 

 villages which contain a considerable population. Tlio number of 

 rivers which join the Jamma from the south is very great. Though 

 their course towards the interior of the table-land is not rapid, they 

 run with great velocity as they approach its northern edge, and most 

 of them fall precipitously several hundred feet into a ravine, iu which 

 they continue to flow to their receptacle. Thus the edge of the table- 

 land ia cut by narrow valleys into a great number of comparatively 

 naiTow ridges, which give it the appearance of a very mountainous 

 country. This is particularly the case in the western district, towards 

 the junction of the Jamma with the Abai, where the affluent* join the 



principal river at right angles. Towards the eastern edge of the table- 

 land they run nearly parallel to one another, and hero the ridges 

 ii the valleys are more extensive, at least wliun OOX&pared with 

 the still narrower ravines in which the rivers run. Tho.io ridges aro 



