THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 7% 
times,no running water is to be found here, but it remains 
fRagnant in large pools, whilft its own depth, or the fhade 
of the mountains and trees, prevent it from being exhaled 
by the heat of the fun till they are again replenifhed with 
frefh fupplies, which are poured into them upon return of 
the rainy feafon. Hitherto we had conftantly afcended 
from our leaving Arkeeko, but it was very gradually, in- 
deed almoft imperceptibly. 
On the 2oth, at fix o’clock in the morning, we left our 
ftation at Lila, and about feven we began to afcend the hills, 
or eminences, which ferve as the roots or {kirts of the great 
mountain Taranta. The road was on each fide bordered 
with nabca, or jujeb trees of great beauty, and fycamores 
perfectly deprived of their verdure and branches. 
We faw to-day plenty of game. The country here is 
everywhere deprived of the fhade it would enjoy from thefe 
fine trees, by the barbarous axes of the Hazorta. We found 
everywhere immenfe flocks of antelopes; as alfo partridges 
of a {mall kind that willingly took refuge upon trees ; nei- 
ther of thefe feemed to confider us as enemies. The ante- 
lopes let us pafs through their flocks, only removing to the 
-right or to the left, or ftanding ftill and gazing upon us till 
we paffed. But, as we were then on the confines of Tigre, or 
rather on the territory of the Baharnagafh, and as the Ha- 
zorta were in motion everywhere removing towards the 
coait, far from the dominions of the Abyflinians to which 
we were going, a friend of their own:tribe, who had joined 
as for fafety, knowing how little truft was to be put in his 
countrymen when moving in this contrary direction, advi- 
fed us by no means to fire, or give any unneceflary indica- 
K 2 tion 
