*5* 



TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



who is the moft powerful in Abyffinia, all thefe come from - 

 Arabia, and not one can be purchafed without his knowing 

 to whom it goes, and after his having had the firft refuful 

 of it.' 



Sire, a province about twenty-five miles broadband not 

 much more in length, is reckoned as part of Tigre alfo, but 

 this is not a new uiurpation. It loft the rank of a province, 

 and was united to Tigre for the mifbehaviour of its gover- 

 nor Kafmati Claudius, in an expedition againft the Shangalla 

 in the reign of Yafous the Great. In my time, it began* 

 again to get into reputation, and was by Ras Michael's own 

 confent disjoined from his province, and given firft to. his 

 fon Welled Hawaryat, together with Samen, and, after his- 

 death, to Ay to Tesfos, a very amiable man, gallant foldier,. 

 and good officer; who, fighting bravely in the king's fervice 

 at the battle of Serbraxos, was there wounded and taken, 

 prifoner, and died of his wounds afterwards. 



After palling the Tacazze, the boundary between Sire 



and Samen, we come to that mountainous provincec ailed 



by the lafl name. A large chain of rugged mountains, 



where is the Tews Rock, (which I mall often mention as 



the higheft), reaches from the fouth of Tigre down near to 



Waldubba, the low, hot country that bounds Abyffinia on 



the north; It is about 80 miles in length, in few places* 



30 broad, and in fome much lefs. It is in great pare 



pofleffed-by Jews, and there Gideon and Judith, king and 



queen of that nation, and, as they fay, of the houfe of Judafy 



maintain ftill their ancient fovereignty and religion fronv 



very early times. 



On 



