196 STUDYING AMHARIC 



of oxen, admitted of its being so used. The 

 cimbyllal grass is cultivated in inferior soils, where 

 grain will not grow ; but this convenience, I should 

 suppose, is not a sufficient recommendation for its 

 introduction into England, as an economical sub- 

 stitute for straw for the purposes of thatching 

 cottages or littering cattle. 



For some days I continued closely at my studies, 

 having procured, through the kindness of Dr. 

 Roth, some Amharic school-books, published by 

 the Church Missionary Society, and which were 

 compiled by the industry and the very creditable 

 zeal of the Rev. Messrs. Isenberg and Krapf, in 

 the discharge of their duties as missionaries of the 

 Gospel, and as agents for the diffusion of Christian 

 civilization. A geography which had been written 

 by the former gentleman in the Amharic language, 

 was particularly useful to me in acquiring a know- 

 ledge of the meaning of many words, which would 

 otherwise have been a difficult business with a 

 native teacher, who knew nothing of English, and 

 but very little Arabic ; although much more, cer- 

 tainly, of the latter, than myself. The Amharic 

 signification of Arab words familiar to Sheik 

 Tigh, I soon learnt, and other names of visible 

 objects were as readily gained, but words expressive 

 of abstruse qualities I only acquired by reading 

 with him the geography ; descriptive terms of well- 

 known subjects, conveying by a little exercise of 

 mind, the required words for other purposes of 



