THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. aif 



As under the Line, to the fouth of Abyffinia, the land 

 is exceedingly high, and the fun feldom makes its ap- 

 pearance on account of the continual rains, the Galla arc 

 confequently of a brown complexion, with long black hair. 

 Some, indeed, who live in the valleys of the low country, are 

 perfectly black. Although the principal food of this people 

 at firft was milk and butter, yet, when they advanced into 

 drier climates, they learned of the Abyffinians to plow and 

 fow the fields, and to make bread. They feem to affect 

 the number feven, and have divided their immenfe multi- 

 tude threefold by that number. They all agree, that, 

 when the nation advanced to the Abyflinian frontiers, they 

 were then in the centre of the continent. The ground be- 

 ginning to rife before them, feven of their tribes or nations 

 filed off to the eaft towards the Indian Ocean ; and, after 

 making fettlements there, and multiplying exceedingly, 

 they marched forward due fouth into Bali and Dawaro, 

 which they firfl wailed by conflant incurfions, then conquer- 

 ed and fettled there in the reign of David III. in 1537. 



Another divifion of feven tribes went off to the weft a- 

 bout the fame time, and fpread themfelves in another femi- 

 circle round the fouth fide of the Nile, and all along its banks 

 round Gojam, and to the eaft behind the country of the 

 Agows, (which are on the eaft fide of the Nile) to that of 

 the Gongas and Gafats. The high woody banks of this ri- 

 ver have hitherto been their barrier to the fouthward ; not 

 but that they have often fought for, and often conquered, 

 and ftill oftener plundered, the countries on the Abyflinian 

 fide of that river; and, from this reign downwards, the fcene 

 of action with the Abyfliriians has conftantly been on the eaft 

 fide of the river. All I mean is, they have never made a fet- 



Vol. II. E e dement 



