THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. S$t 



he himfelf had often vifkecl them, and was convinced the un- 

 dertaking was very poflible with fuch hands, and in the cir- 

 cumftanccs things then were. He told me likewife, that, in a 

 written account which he had feen in Shoa, it was faid that 

 this prince was not interrupted by death in his underta- 

 king, but perfuaded by the monks, that if a greater quan* 

 tity of water was let down into the dry kingdoms of Hadea, 

 Mara, and Adel, increafing in population every day, and, 

 even now, almoft equal in power to Abyffinia itfelf, thefe 

 barren kingdoms would become the garden of the world ; 

 and fuch a number of Saracens, diflodged from Egypt by 

 the firfl appearance of the Nile's failing, would fly thither ": 

 that they would not only withdraw thofe countries from 

 their obedience, but be flrong enough to over-run the whole 

 kingdom of Abyffinia. Upon this, as Amha Yafous informed 

 me, Lalibala gave over his firft fcheme, which was the fa- 

 miihing of Egypt ; and that his next was employing the 

 men in fubterraneous churches ; a ufelefs expence, but more 

 level to the understanding of common men than the for- 

 mer. 



Don Roderigo de Lima, ambaffador from the king of 

 Portugal, in 1522 faw the remains of thefe vail works, and 

 travelled in them feveral days, as we learn from Alvarez, 

 the chaplain and hiftorian of that embafly*, which we mail 

 take notice of in its proper place. 



Lalibala was dininguifhed both as a poet and an ora- 

 tor, The old fable, of a fwarm of bees hanging to his lips 



3X2 in 



'See Alvarez, his relation of this EmbaiTy, 



