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TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



fand, agrees peifeclly with all animals, and here are the 

 quarters where I faw Shekh Adelan the minifter's horle, (as 

 I fuppofe, for their numbers) by tar the fineft in tlte world, 

 where in fafety lie watched the motion of his fovereign, 

 who, lliut up in his capital of Sennaar, could not there niaux- 

 tain one horfe to oppofe him. 



But however unfavourable this foil may be for the pro- 

 pagation of animals, it contributes very abundantly both to 

 the nouriflimcnt of man and bealL It is pofitively faid to 

 render three himdred for one, which, however confidently 

 advanced,is,Ithink.,bothfrom reafon and appearance, a great 

 exaggeration. It is all fown with dora, or millet, the prin- 

 cipal food of the natives. It produces alfo wheat and rice, 

 but thefe at Sennaar are fold by the pound, even in years of 

 plenty. The fait made ufe of at Sennaar is all extracted 

 from the earth about it, efpecially at Halfaia, fo ilrongly is 

 the foil impregnated with this ufeful folhle. 



About twelve miles from Sennaar, nearly to the N. W. is 

 a collection of villages called Shaddiy, from a great faint, 

 who in his time dire^ed large pits to be dug, and plaftercd 

 clofely within with clay, into which a quantity of grain was 

 put when it was at the clieapell, and thefe were covered 

 up, and plaflered again at the top, wliich they call fealing, 

 and the hole itfelf matamore. Thefe matamores are in great 

 number all over the plain, and, on any profpec^ of corn 

 growing dearer, they are opened, and corn fo^d at a low 

 price both to the town and country. 



To the north of Shaddiy, about twenty-four miles, is a- 



nother foundation of this fort, called Wed Aboud, itill great- 



.2 er 



