THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 551 



iii chafms; the grafs,ftruck at the roots by the rays, fupporrs 

 itfelf no more, but droops and becomes parched. To clear 

 this away, the Shangalla fet fire to it, which runs with in- 

 credible violence the whole breadth of Africa, paffing under 

 the trees, and following the dry grafs among the branches 

 with fuch velocity as not to hurt the trees, but to occafion 

 every leaf to fall. 



A PROPER diftance is preferved between each habitation, 

 and round the principal watering - places ; and here the 

 Shangalla again fix their tents in the manner before de- 

 fcribed. Nothing can be more beautiful than thcfe fliady 

 habitations ; but they have this fatal effect, that they are dif- 

 cernible from the high grounds, and guide their enemies to 

 the places inhabited. 



The country now cleared, the hunting begins, and, with 

 the hunting, the danger of the Shangalla. All the gover- 

 nors bordering upon the country, from the Baharnagalh to 

 the Nile on the weft, are obliged to pay a certain number of 

 flaves. Ras el Feel (my government) was alone excepted, for 

 a reafon which, had I ilaid much longer in the country, 

 would probably have been found more advantageous to A- 

 byilinia than all the flaves they procure by the barbarous 

 and prodigal efFufion of the blood of thefe unhappy favages ; 

 for, when a fettlement of thefe is furprifed, the men are all 

 flaughtered ; tlie women, alfo, are many of them flain, many 

 throw themfelves down precipices, run mad, hang them- 

 felves, or flarve, obflinately refufmg food. 



The boys and girls under 17 and 18 years of age, (the 

 younger the better) are taken and educated by the king, 



and 



