THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 73., 



are not in proportion to the prefent confequence of the fe- 

 veral clans. Geelli has a principal flice, though the moft 

 inconfiderable territory of the whole ; Sacala has the next ; 

 and Zeegam, the moft confiderable of them all in power and 

 riches, has the leaft of the whole. I found it in vain to afk 

 upon what rules this diftribution was founded ; their g< 

 ral and conftant anfwer was, It was fo obferved in 

 times. 



After having ate this carcafe raw, according -o tl 

 cuftom, and drunk the Nile water to the excluiion of any 

 other liquor, thfey pile up the bones on the place where 

 they fit, and burn them to afhes. This ufed to be perform- 

 ed where the church now ftands ; but Ras Sela Chriftos, 

 fome time after, having beaten the Agows, and defirous, at 

 the Jefuits inftigation, to convert them to Chriftianity, he 

 demolifhed their altar where the bones were burnt, and 

 built a church upon the fite, the doors of which, I believe, 

 were never opened fince that reign, nor is there new, as far 

 as we could perceive, any Christian there who might wifli 

 to fee it frequented. After Sela Chriftos had demolifhed 

 their altar by building this church, they ate the carcafe, 

 and burnt the bones, on the top of the mountain of Geefh 

 out of the way of profanation, where the veftiges of this 

 ceremony may yet be feen ; but probably the fatigue at- 

 tending this, and the great indifference their late gover- 

 nors have had for Chriftianity, have brought them back to a 

 fmall hillock by the fide of the marfli, weft of faint Michael's 

 church, and a little to the fou th ward, where they perform 

 this folemnity every year, and they will probably refume 

 their firft altar when the church is fallen to ruins, which 

 they are every day privately haftening. 



4 ^ 2 After 



