THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 



74i 



they were intended for retreats upon any alarm of an irrup- 

 tion of the Galla into their country. 



At the fame time I mud obferve, that all the clans, or 

 diftricts of the Agows, have the whole mountains of their 

 country perforated in caves like thefe ; even the clans of 

 Zeegam and Quaquera, the firfl of which, from its power 

 ariiing from the populous Hate of the country, and the 

 number of horfes it breeds, feems to have no reafon to fear 

 the irregular invafions of naked and ill-armed ravages fuch 

 as are the Galla. The country of Zeegam, however, which 

 has bat few mountains, hath many of thefe caverns, one 

 range above another, in every mountain belonging to them. 

 Quaquera, indeed, borders upon the Shangalla; as thefe are 

 all toot, perfectly contiguous, and feparated by the river, 

 the caverns were probably intended as retreats for cattle 

 and women again!! the attacks of thofe barbarians, which 

 were every minute to be apprehended. 



In the country of the Tcheratz Agow, the mountains are 

 all excavated like thefe in Damot, although they have no 

 Galla for their neighbours whole invafions they need be 

 afraid of. Lalibala, indeed, their great king and (aint, about 

 the twelfth century, converted many of thefe caves into 

 churches, as if he had considered them as formerly the re- 

 ceptacles of Pagan fuperllition. At the lame time, it is not 

 improbable that thefe caverns were made life of for religi- 

 ous purpofes ; that of Geefli,. for inftance, was probably, in 

 former times, a place of fecret worfhip paid to the river, be- 

 caufe of that ufe it Hill is, not only to the inhabitants of the 

 village, but to the aiTembly of the clans in general, who, 

 after the ceremonies I have already fpoken of, retire, and 

 4 then 



