THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 105 



riers, or caravans ; Dengui, ajlone^ or rock ; Aiigueah, a tree of 

 that name ; Anzo, a crocodile ; and, at the fame time, all thefe 

 are names of Abyffinian rivers. 



It was at Benin, another Negro country, that the king- 

 again received a confirmation of the exiflence of a Chriftian 

 prince, who was faid to inhabit the heart of Africa to the 

 fouth-eaft of this ftate. The people of Benin reported him 

 to be a prince exceedingly powerful ; that his name was 

 Ogane, and his kingdom about 250 leagues to the eaflward. 

 They added, that the kings of Benin received from him a 

 brafs crofs and a flaff as their inveftiture. It fliould feeni 

 that this Oganc is but a corruption of Jan, or Janhoi, which 

 title the eaflern Chriftians had given to the king of Abyf- 

 fmia. But it is very difficult to account for the knowledge 

 of Abyflinia in the kingdom of Benin, not only on account 

 of the diflance, but likewife, becaufe feveral of the moft fa- 

 vage nations of the world, the Galla and Shangalla, occupy 

 the intervening fpace. 



The court of Abyflinia, as we fliall fee afterwards, did, 

 indeed, then refide in Shoa, the fouth-eaft extremity of the 

 kingdom, and, by its power and influence, probably might 

 have puflied its dominion through thefe barbarians, down 

 to the neighbourhood of Benin on the weftern ocean. But 

 all this I muft confefs to be a Ample conjecture of mine, 

 of which, in the country itfelf, I never found the fmallefl; 

 confirmation. 



Amha Yasous (prince of Shoa) being at court, on a vifit 

 to the king at Gondar, in the years 1770 and 1771, and the 

 ftridtell friendfliip fubfifting between us, every endeavour 



Vol. II. O pofllble 



