THE BOGOS. 147 



are mostly artisans, smiths, masons, carpenters, potters, and weavers ; some also 

 are farmers and cattle-breeders, but all unanimously reject the mercantile profes- 

 sion as contrary to the laws of Moses. Their interpretation of the holy books 

 does not correspond to that of the rabbis of Europe and Asia ; besides, however 

 zealous they are to obey the precepts of the " law," many of their practices are 

 interming-led with numerous ceremonies borrowed from the native Christians. 

 They are zealous in the strict observance of the Sabbath, in the sacrificial offerings 

 on the holy stone of the temple, and adhering to the traditional rites in purifying 

 themselves by frequent ablutions. Each family possesses a hut outside the village, 

 where all sick persons must be removed for a stated term, a practice often causing 

 the death of the aged, who are thus deprived of the services of their relations. 

 But these religious customs will soon probably be but a memory of the past, as the 

 Abyssinian Government considers that the subject should profess the same religion 

 as the king. According to the reports of late travellers, a royal manifesto com- 

 pelling the Felashas to become Christians was about to be issued. 



The caste of the Kamants, believed to be of Agau origin, are found in small 

 communities in the mountains surrounding Gondar, in the kwallas of the north- 

 western slope of Abyssinia, as well as in Shoa. They speak the same language as 

 the Felashas, w^hom they resemble in physical appearance ; their traditions are 

 the same, and like them they claim descent from the prophet Moses. If they do 

 not celebrate the Sabbath, they at least abstain from work upon that day ; some are 

 also said to do no work on Christian feast-days. However, they are considered as 

 pagans by Jews and Christians alike, and are said to practise certain ceremonies in 

 the recesses of the mountains. At the beginning of his reign Theodore intended 

 to forcibly convert them to Christianity ; but he was advised that it would not be 

 proper to treat as equals before God these despised people, the hewers of wood and 

 drawers of water to the families of Gondar. The Kamants are far more indus- 

 trious than the Abyssinians, who consider themselves their superiors, and Gondar 

 and the surrounding towns are dependent for their daily supplies on the labour of 

 this tribe. Like the Ore j ones of the New World, and like the Wa-Kwafi of the 

 Kilima N'jaro district and many other Bantu tribes, the Kamant women distend 

 the lobe of the ears with wooden discs, causing the outer cartilage to reach the 

 shoulders. 



The Woito, on the banks of Lake Tana, hippopotamus hunters and fishermen, 

 who till recently still spoke the Agau dialect, belong also to the aboriginal 

 populations. They do not circumcise their children, and eat the flesh of animals 

 clean or unclean. The Tsellans, in the same region, are wandering shepherds. 



The Bogos. 



The Mensa, and Bogos, or Bilens, who occupy the northern slope of the 

 Abyssinian mountains in the Senhit (Sennaheit or "beautiful") country, which 

 separates the Sahel from the Barka Valley, are also said to be of Agau origin, 

 although d'Abbadie connects them with the ancient Blemmyes. The Bogos, or 



