The Abyssinian Expedition. 231 



strange name (Koodou-felassy on tlie maps), where every 

 natural facility is afforded for a depot. From here also several 

 roads diverge, and this is the spot to which supplies from the 

 interior seem naturally to come. It may be regarded as an 

 admirable place for a first rendezvous, and might be reached in 

 nine days by an army from Moncooloo. 



Adowa is the next station, and is fifty miles beyond. It is 

 reached after crossing the vallev of the Mareb, one of the 

 smaller of the deep and wide gorges alluded to. Adowa is 

 upwards of 6000 feet above the sea, and is comparatively large, 

 being the capital of the province of Tigre ; and from this town 

 the communication beyond would have to be made under any 

 circumstances, as the various roads from the coast, of which 

 there are several, all converge to it. The information concern- 

 ing the roads np to this point has been obtained with a special 

 view to the expedition, and is quite definite. There is a much 

 shorter route from the head of Annesley Bay by Mahio and 

 Dixan, traversed hj Dr. Beke, and a third route, travelled by 

 M. Munziger, which also appears to be practicable. 



Up to this point it is not probable that any serious oppo- 

 sition could be made to an advancing army, but from here to 

 Magdala, whether by way of Gondar, following the track of 

 Ferrel and Clalinier, or by a route more to the east, followed by 

 Dr. Beke, to Debra Tabor, there seems as yet no settled plan 

 of route. The distance hence to Debra Tabor cannot be much 

 less than two hundred miles by any route, and may be more. 

 To reach it, either the Taccazy River must be reached and 

 ascended towards its source, or the eastern tributaries must be 

 crossed, and the towns, Abiyad (40 miles), Autolo (30 miles), 

 Samrie (15 miles), and Sokota (40 miles), made successive 

 stations. Under any circumstances, there remains a conside- 

 rable extent of little known and unknown country to be got 

 over before Debra Tabor is arrived at. It may be that, along 

 this line, the supply of water may fail, but this is not probable, 

 judging from what is actually known of the country. 



Debra Tabor would seem to be an important station, and 

 a healthy and convenient summer resort. It is a town, built 

 on an escarped hill, or fragment of table-land, not very acces- 

 sible. It has been the habitation of the king during many of 

 the discussions relating to the captives, and would probably 

 have to be reached and taken. At a place called Gaffal, three 

 miles from the town or mountain of Debra Tabor, Mr. Rassam 

 speaks of there being an " European quarter," but does not 

 describe it. Beyond the escarpment, to the west, there is a 

 vast depression in the plateau of nearly a thousand feet, to the 

 level of Lake Tsana, a little to the north of which is Gondar. 



Magdala, the place of actual imprisonment, is described as 



