CHANGE IN THE COURSE OF THE NILE. 59 



flowing into the Hawash, the stream of which 

 by its denudation has cut from the table-land of 

 Tchakkah, the long narrow ridge which we passed 

 along during the ride to Aliu Amba. 



Formerly the Airahra flowed into the Barissa, and 

 was a tributary therefore of the mighty Nile ; bnt a 

 singular natural operation has effected an alteration 

 in its course, and it now flows in an opposite 

 direction. Physical geography, I think, does not 

 describe a similar character of country as the surface 

 of the table land of Abyssinia presents, or the 

 relative position it occupies in consequence with 

 surrounding countries. These must both be treated 

 of before I can give the reader the manner in 

 which nature is gradually effecting what former 

 Abyssinian monarchs threatened to do, the turning 

 of the waters of the Nile from the direction of 

 Egypt and the north, to the Indian Ocean and 

 the East. A mighty operation which is most 

 certainly going on, and which can be demonstrated, 

 will in the end drain the northern portion of 

 Abyssinia, by a communication being opened 

 between the river Hawash and the Abi, or Bruce's 

 Nile. In this place, however, any description 

 would fail in the effect of conveying a clear idea 

 to the mind of the reader ; but in a future page, 

 when more familiar with the country he is now 

 travelling over with me, I will endeavour fully to 

 explain the manner in which this curious process 

 of natural engineering is being carried out. 



