386 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



flat part of Africa between the northern tropic and the 

 mountains of Abyffinia. This is divided into various dif- 

 tricts; it reaches from Mafuah along the fea-coaft to Suakem, 

 then turns weftward, and continues in that direction, having 

 the Nile on the fouth, the tropic on the north, to the deferts 

 of Selima, and the confines of Libya on the weft. This 

 large extent of country is called Beja. The next is that 

 diftrict * in form of a fhield, as Meroe is faid to have been ; 

 this name was given it by Cambyfes. It is between the 

 Nile and Aflaboras, and is now called Atbara. Between the 

 river Mareb, the ancient Aftufafpes on the e aft, and Atbara 

 on the weft, is the fmall plain territory of Derkin, another 

 diftrivfl of the fhepherds. All that range of mountains 

 running eaft and weft, inclofing Derkin and Atbara on the 

 fouth, and which begins the mountainous country of Abyf- 

 finia, is inhabited by the negro woolly-headed Cufhite, or 

 Shangalla, living as formerly in caves, who, from having 

 been the moll cultivated and inftructed people in the 

 world, have, by a ftrange reverfe of fortune, relapfed into 

 brutal ignorance, and are hunted by their neighbours 

 like wild beafts in thofe forefts, where they ufed to reign in 

 the utmoft luxury, liberty, and fplendour. But the nobleft, 

 and moil warlike of all the ihepherds,were thofe that inhabi- 

 ted the mountains of the Habab, a confiderable ridge reach- 

 ing from the neighbourhood of Mafuah to Suakem, and who, 

 dill dwell there, 



In the ancient language of this country, So, or Sua/j,{ignlhcd 

 fhepherd, or fhepherds; though we do notknow any particu- 

 lar rank or degrees among them, yet we may fuppofe theie 

 called, {imply Jltfljen/s were the common fort that attended 



the 



D'od.Sic. lib. i. caj>. 



