THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 319 



to the fhore. Thefe trees were fo elaftic as to bend with 

 the weight of a fingle perfon. At a great diflancc below 

 ran the foaming current of the river, fo deep an abyfs that 

 it turned the heads of thofe who were pafling on the move- 

 able elaftic fupport or bridge above* 



Yet upon this feeming inconvenience the exiftence of 

 that country depended. The Galla that furrounded it would 

 have over-run it in a month, but for this river, always ra- 

 pid and always full, whofe ordinaiy communication by a 

 bridge could be deftroyed in a moment; and which, though 

 it had one ford, yet this was ufelefs, unlefs paflengers had af- 

 fiftance from both fides of the river, and confequently could 

 never be of fervice to an enemy. 



The terrible appearance of this tottering bridge for a; 

 time flopped the ambaflador and miflionary. They looked 

 upon the pafling upon thefe trembling beams as certainly in- 

 curring inevitable deftru(5tion. But the reflexion of dan- 

 gers that prefled them behind overcame thefe fears, and 

 they preferred the refolution to run the rifle of being drown- 

 ed in the river Zebee, rather than, by flaying on the other 

 fide all night, to fland the chance of being murdered by the 

 Galla. But, after all the men only could pafs the bridge, 

 they were obliged to leave the mules on the other fide till 

 the next morning, with inflrudtions to their people, that, 

 upon the firft appearance of the Galla, they fliould leave 

 them, and make their befl way over the bridge, throwing 

 down one of the trees after them. The next morning, two 

 peafants, fubjedls of Gin giro, fliewed them the ford, where 

 their beafts pafled over with great difliculty and danger, but 



without lofsK 



It, 



