56 HILL OF ANKOBAR. 



turning my face, I could look into either valley on 

 my right or left hand. Along this path we pro- 

 ceeded cautiously in Indian file, passing in one 

 place the site of a devastated grove and ruined 

 church ; the scarping effects of constant land-slips 

 on either side the ridge having in this position 

 defeated all efforts of man to prevent the destruc- 

 tion of the sacred edifice, its site having been 

 gradually removed during the process of denuda- 

 tion which is so rapidly altering the physical 

 features of this country. The eastern face of the 

 hill of Ankobar was now before us, the head of a 

 subordinate valley scooped out of that side of the 

 ridge only intervening. Having doubled this by 

 continuing along our level road, we scrambled over 

 a rough precipitous ascent, fortunately only of a 

 few yards in extent, and entered a narrow lane or 

 street between high banks, on which stood a 

 number of straggling thatched round houses, each 

 in its own enclosure. The road appeared to have 

 been worn into a hollow way by the constant 

 passage of man and beast during the many reigns 

 since this hill became a royal residence. 



Tradition asserts, and I believe Abyssinian recorded 

 history affirms, that the first occupier of this command- 

 ing height was a Galla Queen called Anko, and by 

 the addition of "bar"(door) to her name, native philo- 

 logists (and they are very curious in these matters) 

 have determined the designation of this town to 

 be, significant of its having been the gate or door 



