THE SOURCE GF THE NILE. ^43- 



liunger and with thirfl unlefs they were thus copioufly fup- 

 pUed both with food and water. 



This country, flat as the deferts on which it borders, 

 has fat black earth for its foil It is generally about 40 

 miles broad, though in many places broader and narrower. 

 Jt reaches from the mountains of the Habab, or Bagla, 

 which run in a ridge, as I have already faid, from the fouth 

 of Abyllinia* north down into Egypt, parallel to the Red Sea, 

 dividing the rainy feafons, and it flretches like a belt frona 

 eaft to weft to the banks of the Nile, encircling all the 

 mountainous, or high land part of AbyiTinia ; which latter 

 country is, at all times, temperate, and often cold, while the 

 ^ther is unwholefome, hazy, clofe, and intolerably hot. 



Many nations of perfetSt blacks inhabit this low country, 

 all Pagans, and mortal enemies to the Abyllmian govern^ 

 ment. Hunting thefe miferable wretches is the next expe- 

 dition undertaken by a new king. The feafon of this is 

 juft before the rains, while the poor favage is yet lodged 

 under the trees preparing his food for the approaching 

 winter, before he retires into his caves in the mountain, 

 where he pafles that inclement feafon in conllant confine- 

 ment, but as conftant fecurity; for thefe nations are all 

 Troglodytes, and by the Abyllinians are called Shangal- 

 la. 



However Ouftas fucceeded in attaching to him thofe of 



the nobility tliat partook of his fports, his good fortune in 



Vol. IL 3 Z the 



Vid genera! map. 



\ 



