THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 545 



liunger and with thirft unlefs they were thus copioufly f up- 

 plied both with food and water. 



This country, flat as the deferts on which it borders, 

 has fat black earth for its foil. It is generally about 40 

 miles broad, though in many places broader and narrower. 

 It reaches from the mountains of the Habab, or Bagla, 

 which run in a ridge, as I have already faid, from the fouth 

 of Abymnia * north down into Egypt, parallel to the Red Sea, 

 dividing the rainy feafons, and it ftretches like a belt from 

 eaft to weft to the banks of the Nile, encircling all the 

 mountainous, or high land part of Abymnia ; which latter 

 . country is, at all times, temperate, and often cold, while the 

 -other is unwholefome, hazy, clofe, and intolerably hot. 



Many nations of perfect blacks inhabit this low country, 

 all Pagans, and mortal enemies to the Abyilinian govern- 

 ment. Hunting thefe miferable wretches is the next expe- 

 dition undertaken by a new king. The feafon of this is 

 juft before the rains, while, the poor ravage is yet lodged 

 under the trees preparing his food for the approaching 

 winter, before he retires into his caves in the mountain, 

 where he panes that inclement feafon in conltant confine- 

 ment, but as conftant fecurity; for thefe nations are all 

 Troglodytes, and by the Abyliimans are called Shangal- 

 la. 



However Ouftas fucceeded in attaching to him thofe of 



the nobility that partook of his fports, his good fortune in 



Vol. II. 3 Z the 



Vid general map, 



