THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 75 



times, no running water is to be found here, but it remains 

 ftagnant in large pools, whilft its own depth, or the fhade 

 of the mountains and trees, prevent it from being exhaled 

 by the heat of the fun till they are again repleniined with 

 frefh fupplies, which are poured into them upon return of 

 the rainy feafon. Hitherto we had conftantly afcended 

 from our leaving Arkecko, but it was very gradually, in- 

 deed almoft imperceptibly. 



On the 20th, at fix o'clock in the morning, we left our 

 ftation at Lila, and about feven we began to afcend the hills, 

 or eminences, which ferve as the roots or fkirts of the great 

 mountain Taranta. The road was on each fide bordered 

 with nabca, or jujeb trees of great beauty, and fycamores 

 perfectly deprived of their verdure and branches. 



We faw to-day plenty of game. The country here is 

 everywhere deprived of the made it would enjoy from thefe 

 fine trees, by the barbarous axes of the Hazorta. We found 

 everywhere immenfe flocks of antelopes ; as alfo partridges 

 of a fmall kind that willingly took refuge upon trees ; nei- 

 ther of thefe feemed to confider us as enemies. The ante- 

 lopes let us pafs through their flocks, only removing to the 

 right or to the left, or (landing {till and gazing upon us till 

 we palled. But, as we were then on the confines of Tigre, or 

 rather on the territory of the Baharnagafh, and as the Ha- 

 zorta were in motion everywhere removing towards the 

 coaft, far from the dominions of the Abyffinians to which 

 we were going, a friend of their own tribe, who had joined 

 us for fafety, knowing how little trufl was to be put in his 

 countrymen when moving in this contrary direction, advi- 

 fed us by no means to fire, or give any unneceffary indica- 



K. 2 tion 



