THE SOURCE OP THE NILE. ^^ 



ounces of gold, and is generally conferred upon the princi- 

 pal perlbn of Maitiha, to keep him firm in his allegiance, 

 as there is a very confiderable territory depends upon this 

 office. The country round Ibaba is the molt pleafant and 

 fertile, not of Maitiha only, but of all Abyffinia, efpecially 

 that part called ^Kollela, between Ibaba and Gojam, where 

 the principal Ozoros have all houfes and polTeffions, called 

 Goult or Fiefs, which they have received from their refpec- 

 tive anceflors when kings. 



Though Maitiha be peculiarly the appendage of Betwu- 

 det, and governed by him, yet it has a particular political 

 government of its own. The ninety-nine Shums, who are 

 each a diilin(5l family of Galla, chufe a king, like the Pa- 

 gan Galla, every feventh year, with all the ceremonies an- 

 ciently obferved while they were Pagans ; and thefe gover- 

 nors have much more influence over them than the King 

 or Betwudet ; fo have they (in my time at leaft) been in a 

 conftant rebellion, and that has much leffened their num- 

 bers, which will not now amount to above 10,000 men, 

 ^as Michael having every where dedroyed their houfes, 

 and carried into llavery their v/ives and children, who 

 have been fold to- the Mahometan merchants, and tranf- 

 ported to Mafuah, and from thence to Arabia. 



At twelve o'clock, Guefgi^ie was to the right, three or 

 ■four, perhaps more miles ; and the very rugged mountain 

 Cafercla, broken and full of precipices, on our right, at a- 

 bout 1 2 miles dillance ; they rife from KoUa. Guefgiie, 

 which, though the language and race be Agow, is not com- 

 prehended in the government of that country, but generally 

 goes with Kuara. At a quarter pall one we arrived at the 

 Vol. IV. D houfe 



