THE SOURCE OF THE NIXE. t$t 



There are likewife pedeflals, whereon the figures pf the 

 Sphinx have been placed. Two magnificent flights of fleps, 

 feveral hundred feet long, all of granite, exceedingly well- 

 fafhioned, and Mill in their places, are the only remains of 

 a magnificent temple. In the angle of this platform where 

 that temple flood, is the prefent fmall church of Axum, in 

 the place of a former one deflroyed by Mahomet Gragne, 

 in the reign of king David III. ; and which was probably 

 remains of a temple built by Ptolemy Evergetes, if not the 

 work of times more remote. 



The church is a mean, fmall building, very ill kept, and 

 full of pigeons dung. In it are fuppofed to be preferved the 

 ark of the covenant, and copy of the law which Menilek fon 

 of Solomon is faid, in their fabulous legends, to have ftolen 

 from his father Solomon in his return to Ethiopia, and thefe 

 were reckoned as it were the palladia of this country. 

 Some ancient copy of the Old Teflament, I do believe, was 

 depofited here, probably that from which the firfl verfion 

 was made. But whatever this might be, it was deflroyed, 

 with the church itfelf, by Mahomet Gragne, though pre- 

 tended falfely to fubfift there Mill. This I had from the 

 king himfelf. 



There was another relique of great importance that hap- 

 pened to cfcape from being burnt, by having, in time, been 

 transferred to a church in one of the iflands in the lake 

 Tzana, called Sele Qiiarat Rafou. It is a picture of Chrifl's 

 head crowned with thorns, faid to be painted by St Luke, 

 which, upon occafions of the utmofl importance, is brought 

 out and carried with the army, efpecially in a war with 

 Mahometans and Pagans. We have juft feen, it was taken, 



R 2 upon 



