THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. rj 



appointed by the king; and they had eilabhflied a variety 

 of marts or fairs from Ifat, all the way as far as Adel. 



Adel and Mara were two of the moil powerful king- 

 doms which lie on the Indian Ocean ; and, being conftant- 

 ly fupported by foldiers from Arabia, were the firft to with- 

 draw themfelves from obedience to the king of Abyflinia, 

 and feldom paid their tribute unlefs when the prince came 

 to raifc it there with an army. Ifat, Fatigar, and Dawaro, 

 were indeed originally Chriflian provinces ; but, in weak 

 reigns, having been ceded to Mooriih governors for fums 

 of money, they, by degrees, renounced both their religion 

 and allegiance. 



From what has been obferved, the reader will conceive,, 

 that where it is faid the king, from his capital in Shoa; 

 marched down into Dawaro, Hadea, or Adel, that he then 

 defccnded from the higheft mountains down to the flat 

 country on the level with the fca. That this country, from 

 Hadea to Dawaro, having been the feat of war for ages, 

 was, partly by the foldier for the ufe of the camp, partly by 

 the hufbandman for the necefTaries of life, cleared of wood, 

 where the water flood conflantly in pools throughout the 

 year ; and, being all compofed of fat black earth, which 

 the torrents bring down from the rainy country of Abyf- 

 flnia, was fown with millet and difl'erent kinds of grain in 

 the drieft ground, while, nearer the mountains, they paftured 

 numerous herds of cattle. Notwithftanding, however, the 

 country was poflefltd of thefc advantages, the climate was 

 intenfely hot, fevcrilh, and unhealthy, and, for the moft 

 part, from thefe circum (lances, fatal to flrangcrs, and hated 

 by the Ab^-fllnians. 



Again,. 



