AMHARA PEOPLE. 39 



expression so generally ascribed to Abyssinian 

 beanties by all orientals is owing to the idea of 

 innocence and simplicity, that inseparably connects 

 itself with this infantile character of face. The hair 

 is soft and long ; it is neither woolly, like the negro, 

 nor is it the strong, coarse, straight hair of the Gon- 

 gas, or yellow inhabitants of the right bank of the 

 Abi and Abiah branches of the Azzabi, or red Nile. 



I saw few or no cases of distortion among 

 the families I met with in Efat, and my im- 

 pression is that they bnt rarely occnr, the natural 

 and simple lives of the people conducing to easy 

 parturition and a healthy offspring. The Amhara, 

 however, in their most unchanged condition in 

 Gurague, and the neighbouring Christian states, 

 have yet to be visited. The inhabitants of these 

 countries may exhibit characteristic traits that I 

 have had no opportunities of observing, for those I 

 met with w T ere the most favourable specimens of 

 the imported slaves, or their immediate descendants, 

 who were married to Mahomedans of Efat. 



Individuals possessing what I believe to have 

 been the characteristic features of the genuine 

 Amharic countenance are but seldom seen on the 

 high land of Shoa, although it might naturally be 

 expected that their situation would favour a lighter 

 complexion than the dark-brown Shoans exhibit. 

 This is to be attributed to the very recent period 

 that their Galla ancestorial relations intruded them- 

 selves into this former Amhara district, as Abyssinian 

 history records that the first appearance of these 



