\6d TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



ever lofe their leaves, but are either covered with fruic, 

 flower, or foliage the whole year ; indeed, abundantly with 

 all three during the fix months fair weather. The Boha- 

 bab, indeed, called, in the Amharic language, Dooma, lofes 

 ts leaf ; it is the largeft tree in Abyffmia ; the trunk is ne- 

 ver high ; it diminifhes very regularly from the top to the 

 bottom, but not beautifully ; it has the appearance of a 

 large cannon, and puts out a multitude of ftrong branches, 

 which do not fall low, or nearly horizontal, but follow a di- 

 rection, making all of them fmaller angles than that of 45 . 

 The fruit is of the fhape of a melon, rather longer for its 

 thicknefs ; within are black feeds in each of the cells, in- 

 to which it is divided, and round them a white fubftance, 

 very like fine fugar, which is fweet, with a fmall degree of 

 very pleafant acid. I never faw it either in leaf or flower ; the 

 fruit hang dry upon the branches when they are deprived 

 of both. The wood of this tree is foft and fpungy, and of 

 no ufe. The wild bees perforate the trunk, and lodge their 

 honey in the holes made in it ; and this honey is preferred 

 to any other in Abyffmia. 



Beautiful and pleafant, however, as this river is, like 

 every thing created, it has its difadvantages. From the 

 falling of the nrft rains in March till November it is death 

 to fleep in the country adjoining to it, both within and 

 without its banks ; the whole inhabitants retire and live in 

 villages on the top of the neighbouring mountains ; and 

 thefe are all robbers and aflaffins, who defcend from their 

 habitations on the heights to lie in wait for, and plunder 

 the travellers that pafs. Notwithftanding great pains have 

 been taken by Michael, his fon, and grandibn, governors of 



Tigre 



