THE SOURCE OF THE NILE* 483 



of building of ftone and lime, a certain proof that Axum 

 was then fallen, elfe he would have naturally gone thither 

 immediately upon forfaking his mother's capital of Azab. 



. That country, round by Cape Gardefan, and fouth to* 

 wards Sofala, along the Indian Ocean, was long governed by 

 an officer called Babamagafo, the meaning of which is, King 

 of the Sea, or Sea Coaft. Another officer of the fame title 

 was governor of Yemen, or Arabia Felix, which, from the 

 earlieft times, belonged to Abyflinia, down to the Mahome* 

 tan conqueft. The king himfelf was called Naga/h, or Na- 

 jafhi, fo were the governors of feveral provinces, efpecially 

 Gojam; and great confufion has rifen from the multitude 

 of thefe kings. We find, for example, fome times three up- 

 on the throne at one time, which is exceedingly improbable 

 in any country. We are, therefore, to fuppofe, that one of 

 thefe only is king, and two of them are the Najafhi, or Na- 

 gam, we have juft defcribed ; for, as the regulation of the 

 queen of Saba banifhed the heirs-male to the mountain, 

 we cannot conceive how three brothers could be upon the 

 throne at the fame time, as this law fubfifls to the prefent 

 day. This, although it is one, is not the only reafon of the 

 confufion, as I fhall mention another in the fequel. 



As we are about to take our leave of the Jewifh religion 

 and government in the line of Solomon, it is here the pro- 

 per place that I ihould add what we have to fay of the Fa* 

 lafha, of whom we have already had occafion to fpeak^ 

 when we gave a fpecimen of their language, among thofe 

 of the ftranger nations, whom we imagine to have come 

 originally from Paleftine. I did not fpare my utmoft pains 

 in inquiring into the hiflory of this curious people, and li* 



3P2 ved 



