THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. v$g 



from E. to W. is about 120 miles, and its breadth fometbing 

 more than 40. It is a very mountainous country, full 

 of nobility ; the men are reckoned the handfomeft in x\byf- 

 finia, as well as the braveft. With the ordinary arms, 

 the lance and fhield, they are thought to be fuperior to 

 double the number of any other foldiers in the kingdom. 

 What, befides, added to the dignity of this province, was the 

 high mountain of Gefhen, or the graffy mountain, where- 

 on the king's fons were formerly imprifoned, till furpriied 

 and murdered there in the Adelan war. 



Between the two rivers Gefhen and Samba, is a low, un- 

 wholefome, though fertile province, called Walaka ; and: 

 fouthward of that is Upper Shoa. This province, or king- 

 dom, was famous for the retreat it gave to the only remain- 

 ing prince of the houfe of Solomon, who fled from the 

 maffacre of his brethren by Judith, about the year 900, up- 

 on the rock of Damo. Here the royal family remained in 

 fecurity, and increafed in number, for near 400 years, till 

 thev were reftored. From thenceforward, as long as the 

 king refided in the fouth of his dominions, great tender- 

 nefs and diftinction was fhewn to the inhabitants of this pro- 

 vince ; and when the king returned again to Tigre, he a- 

 bandoned them tacitly to their own government. 



Amha Yasous, prince at this day, and lineal defcendant 

 of the governor who firft acknowledged the king, is now 

 by connivance fovereign of that province. In order to keep 

 himfelf as independent and feparate from the reft of Abyf- 

 finia as pofhble, he has facrificed the province of Walaka, 

 which belonged to him, to the Galla, who, by his own de- 

 fire, have furrounded Shoa on every fide. But it is full of 



the 



