THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 259 



been occupied entirely by the lake, and we fee all over it 

 marks that cannot be miftaken, fo that this large extent of 

 water is vifibly upon the decreafe ; and this agrees with 

 what is obferved of ftagnant pools in general throughout the 

 world. Dembea is called Atte-Kolla, the kings food, or main- 

 tenance, its produce being affigned for the fupplying of 

 the king's houfehold. It is governed by an officer called 

 Cantiba ; it is a lucrative port ; but he is not reckoned one 

 of the great officers of the empire, and has no place in 

 council. 



South from Dembea is Kuara, a very mountainous pro- 

 vince confining upon the Pagan blacks, or Shangalla, called 

 Gongas and Guba, the Macrobii of the ancients. It is a 

 very unwholefome province, but abounding in gold, not of 

 its own produce, but that of its neighbourhood, thefe Pa- 

 gans — Guba, Nuba, and Shangalla. Kuara fignifies the 

 fun, and Beja (that is Atbara, and the low parts of Sennaar, 

 the country of the Shepherds, adjoining) fignifies the moon, 

 in the language of thefe Shangalla. Thefe names are fome 

 remains of their ancient fuperftitions. Kuara was the 

 native country of the Iteghe, or queen-regent, of Kafmati 

 Efhte, Welled de l'Oul, Gueta, Eufebius, and Palambaras 

 Mamma 



In the low country of Kuara, near to Sennaar, there is a 

 fettlementof Pagan blacks called Ganjar. They are moflly 

 cavalry, and live entirely by hunting and plundering the 

 Arabs of Atbara and Fazuclo. Their origin is this : Upon 

 the invafion of the Arabs after the coming of Mahomet, the 

 black flaves defertedfrom their mailers, the Shepherds, anjd 

 took up their habitation, where they have not confiderably 



K k 2 multiplied, 



