THE GREAT CASTLE 



313 



of the city, entwined by the two rivers spoken of by 

 Bruce. Beyond its Hmits stretched a verdant plain, 

 along which the eye travelled till on the southern 

 horizon it caught a glimpse of the silver surface of 

 Lake Tana. 



Behind the " king's house " to the north-east is 

 another large building, 54 feet in length by 24 in 



YA3UUS THE GREAT:, CA;TlE. 



width ; it is attributed to Yasous the Great, who 

 built it for his wife, and presents several remarkable 

 features. The ceiling of the upper storey, instead of 

 being flat, as in all the other buildings, is vaulted 

 with brick ribs filled in with concrete ; this storey is 

 approached by an inclined plane of very shallow steps, 

 which winds up the outside of a circular tower ; a 

 platform, now fallen, led from this tower to another 

 at the north-west corner of the building, inside which 

 a staircase gave access to the roof. The upper floor 



