AND THE GALLA INVASION. 429 



Mahomed Gralmo, before whose time Chris- 

 tianity was here at least tolerated and professed 

 by numbers of its inhabitants. Within the last 

 century another lingering remnant of this popu- 

 lation of Adal has been entirely driven out. 

 Owssa, now exclusively Mahomedan Dankalli, 

 was formerly the capital of Amhara kings of 

 Adal, and the traditions of the present occupiers 

 record the late residence in that country of a Chris- 

 tian population. After the death of Mahomed 

 Grahne and the expulsion of the Jesuits from 

 Abyssinia, the attention of its princes was 

 first directed to the increasing evil of Galla 

 intrusion, and they then endeavoured unsuc- 

 cessfully, to recover those portions of the table- 

 land upon which they had established themselves. 



It is admitted that the Gallas entered Abys- 

 sinia, through the natural breach in its surround- 

 ing rampart on the east, where the denuding 

 operation of the Hawash has constructed a favour- 

 able high road for the journeyings of a nation. 

 Had a similar facility existed to the south, such as 

 would be afforded, for example, by the debouche, 

 of a river from the table land in that situation, we 

 may be assured that the national integrity of the 

 Gonga people, who, in the north, were unable to 

 contend against the intruding Amhara, would have 

 found it very difficult to contend with the more 

 warlike Galla ; yet who, it will be found, have made 

 less impression there than in any other situation 

 upon the whole table land. 



