THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. J17 



to give them a guard to the frontiers ; and who, after fome 

 delay, in order to fee what he could extort fi-om them, at 

 laft gave them a party of eighty foidiers to condudl them, 

 to the frontiers. 



After four long days journey through countries totally 

 laid wafte by the Galla, keeping fcouts conftantly before 

 them to give advice of the firft appearance of any enemy, 

 that they might hide thcmfelves in thickets and buflies ; at 

 mid-day they began to defcend a very fleep craggy ridge 

 of mountains, when the ambaiTador of Gingiro, now their 

 condu<5tor, warned them, that, before they got to the foot 

 of the mountain, they Ihould enter into a very thick wood 

 to hide thcmfelves till night, that they might not be difco- 

 vered by the Galla fhepherds feeding their flocks in the 

 plain below ; for only at night,when they had retired, coukl 

 tliofe plains be pafTed in fafety.. 



At four o'clock in the afternoon they began to enter the 

 wood, and were Lucky in getting a violent Ihower of rain,, 

 which dillodged the Galla fooner tlian ordinary,. and fent 

 them, and their cattle home to their huts. But it was, at 

 the fame time, very difagreeable to our travellers on account 

 of its excellive coldnefs. Next day, in the evening, defccnd- 

 ing another very rugged chain of mountains, they came to- 

 tlie banks, of the large river Zebee,as the Portuguefe call it;, 

 but its true name is Kibbee, a name given it by. the iMaho- 

 metan merchants, (the only travellers in this country) from, 

 its whitenefs, approaching to the colour of melted butter, 

 wliich that word fignifies.. 



Ths; 



