32 OF THE ANCIENT ASMACH. 



Menilek descend from Solomon and the Queen of 

 Sheba, is as idle a story as ever monks invented to 

 abuse the reverent ignorance of their lay brethren." 

 Herodotus, and other ancient historians and 

 geographers, have recorded the migration of a vast 

 body of discontented native soldiers from Egypt, in 

 the time of Psammeticus. These, Ave are told, to 

 the number of 240,000, retired to the country of 

 Ethiopia, where they were kindly received by the 

 Emperor. They assisted him in his wars, and in 

 return were apportioned, as a residence, some 

 country on the confines of Ethiopia, from which 

 they were to drive a rebellious people to make 

 room for themselves. Herodotus places this country 

 " upon the Nile, at about the same distance beyond 

 Meroe as this last is from Elephantine, or fifty 

 days' journey;" and he also adds, that "the 

 Antomaii (deserters) are known by the name of 

 Asmach, which, being translated, signifies ' stand- 

 ing on the left hand' of the King." It is a most 

 remarkable circumstance that the reason or origin 

 of the name of the country of Gurague, literally 

 " on the left side," has long been a question of 

 interest with every Abyssinian traveller, but none 

 have given any satisfactory explanation for what 

 reason this particular, and evidently significant, 

 name was first applied. The situation of the 

 Amhara with respect to the Abi or Bruce's Nile 

 at once accounts for the designation, as they live 

 upon the left hand of the stream as it flows south 



