i 3 2 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



upon Yafous's defeat at Sennaar, and reflored afterwards up- 

 on an embafly fent thither on purpofe, no doubt, for a va- 

 luable confideration. 



Within the outer gate of the church, below the fteps, are 

 three fmall fquare inclofures, all of granite, with fmall o<5ta<- 

 gon pillars in the angles, apparently Egyptian ; on the top 

 of which formerly were fmall images of the dog-ftar, proba- 

 bly of metal. Upon a ftone, in the middle of one of thefe, 

 the king fits, and is crowned, and always has been fmce the 

 days of Paganifm ; and below it, where he naturally places 

 his feet, is a large oblong flab like a hearth, which is not 

 of granite, but of free ftone. The infcription, though much 

 defaced, may fafely be reflored. 



nTOAEMAIOT EVERTETOr 

 BA5,IAEa2 



Foncet has miftaken this lafl word for Bafilius; but he did 

 not pretend to be a fcholar, and was ignorant of the hiilory 

 of this country.. 



Axum is watered by a fmall ftream, which flows all the 

 year from a fountain in the narrow valley, where fland 

 the rows of obelifks. The fpring is received into a magni- 

 ficent bafon of 150 feet fquare, and thence it is carried, atf 

 pleafure, to water the neighbouring gardens, where there 

 is little fruit, excepting pomegranates, neither are thefe 

 very excellent. 



The prefent town of Axum flands at the foot of the hill, 

 and may have about fix hundred houfes. There are feveral 



manufactures, 



