\\i) LAKE ZUI. 361 



several times, that there was no outlet for its water- 

 but that it was entirely distinct from the river 

 1 la wash. Karissa, a Galla, from Cambat, who 

 when enslaved was first taken to Gurague, and lived 

 near Zui several years, also told me that a number 

 of small streams fell into the lake from all sides 

 and that there was a tradition that a long time ago, 

 the length of which he had no idea of, all the 

 country now occupied by the lake which is about 

 fifteen miles in diameter, was possessed by seven 

 chiefs, whose lands, for their sins, of course, or it 

 would not be an Abyssinian legend, were swallowed 

 up in one night, with loud subterranean noises, and 

 stars shooting out of the earth, and that the next 

 day nothing could be seen but the present lakes, 

 and the islands it contains. Considering the cha- 

 racter of the country, and the phenomena still wit- 

 nessed in Adal, whilst the country around Zui 

 appears to be situated upon the same elevation 

 above the sea ; I have no doubt that this tradition is 

 partly founded upon fact, and contains the national 

 remembrance of an extensive and appalling inci- 

 dent connected with some volcanic convulsion, that 

 at a former period occurred in this situation. 



My morning's lesson in geography terminated with 

 a promise that Ibrahim should get me the title of 

 a Geez book upon the subject, which he asserted 

 he had seen in Hurrah, for I must observe he ridi- 

 culed the idea of anything having been preserved 

 during the invasion of Grahne into Abyssinia, by 



