BEGGING MONKS. 97 



of the ridge to the other, I would sit looking upon 

 the narrow but fertile valley in front, formed by the 

 junction of the two flanking streams that nearly 

 encircled the hill. Numerous little tributaries on 

 each side had formed small pyramidal knolls, care- 

 fully cultivated to the very tops. One in particular, 

 higher than the rest, was crowned with a snug- 

 looking village, the conical roof of the largest house 

 in which, pointed into an exact cone the figure of 

 the hill. The name of this village was Sar-amba ; 

 the road to Ankobar skirts along its base, leaving 

 on the right hand the town and hill of Aliu Amba. 

 To the left of my position, the peak of the state- 

 prison hill of Gauncho, and the seat of the Wallas- 

 mah Mahomed, was just visible over a continuous 

 range of hills, that diminished in elevation as they 

 approached nearer to the town of Farree, and 

 which marked very well the original level of the 

 once sloping talus, or scarp, which connected the 

 high table land of Abyssinia with the low plains 

 around the Hawash. 



Whilst sitting one evening upon my usual stone, 

 the loud whining appeal of two turbaned dirty 

 figures announced the presence of begging monks, 

 an order very numerous in Shoa. Their long 

 prayer to the Almighty was still going on, and I 

 in utter ignorance for what purpose two robust and 

 healthy men could be addressing me in such a 

 monotonous duet. Walclerheros pretended to know 

 nothing about them, and had it not been for some 



VOL. II. H 



