THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 385 



and which was to be our diet (it is not an unpleafant one, at 

 leaft a part of it) till we reached Emfras. 



At eight in the morning I patted through Tangouri, a 

 confiderable village. About a hundred yards on the right 

 from this we have a finer profped of the lake than even 

 from Correva itfelf. This village is chiefly inhabited by 

 Mahometans, whofe occupation it is to go in caravans far to 

 the fouth, on the other fide of the Nile, through the feveral 

 diftrids of Galla, to whom they carry beads and large 

 needles, cohol, or Stibium, myrrh, coarfe cloths made in 

 Begemder, and pieces of blue cotton cloths from Surat, call- 

 ed Marowti. They are generally nearly a year abfent, and 

 bring in return flaves, civet, wax, hides, and cardomum in 

 large beautiful pods ; they bring likewife a great quantity 

 of ginger, but that is from farther fouth, nearer Narea. It 

 appears to me to be a poor trade, as far as I could compute 

 it, confidering the lofs of time employed in it, the many ac- 

 V cidents, extortions, and robberies thefe merchants meet witho 

 Whether it would be ever worth while to follow it on an- 

 other footing, and under another government, is what I am 

 vnot qualified enough to fay. 



On the left of Tangouri, divided from it by a plain of 

 -about a mile in breadth, Hands a high rock, called Amba 

 Mariam, with a church upon the very fummit of it. There 

 ■is no poffibility of climbing this rock but at one place, and 

 -there it is very difficult and rugged ; here the inhabitants 

 of the neighbouring villages retreat upon any fudden alarm 

 or inroad of an enemy. 



Vol. III. 3 C At 



