THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 106 
throughout i iia as Piha Sankraber; and fo 
forth. 3) 
Tuere are five of thefe Awides which, like turnpikes, are 
to be paid at pailing between Mafuah and Adowa ; one. at 
Samhar, the fecond at Dixan, the third at H vanslyy the 
fourth here at Balezat, and the fifth at Kella. The {mall 
village of Sebow was diftant from us two miles to the eaft; 
Zarow the fame diftance to the S. 5, E. and Noguet, a vil- 
lage before us, were the places of abode of thefe tax-gather- 
ers, who farm it for a {um from their fuperior, and divide 
the profit fro rata of the fums each has advanced. It is 
much of the fame nature as the caphar in the Levant, but le- 
vied in.a much more indifcreet, arbitrary manner. The 
farmer of this duty values as he thinks proper what each 
caravan is to pay; there is no tariff, or reftraint, upon him, 
Some have on this account been detained months ; and o- 
thers, in time of trouble or bad news, have been robbed of 
every thing: this is always the cafe upon the leaft refiftance; 
for then the villages around you rife in arms; you are 
not only ftript of your property, but fure to be ill-treated 
in your perfon. 
As I was fent for by. the pupa ab going to Ras Michael, 
in whofe province they were, I affected to laugh when they 
talked of detaining me; and declared peremptorily to them, 
that I would leave all my baggage to them with great “siete 
fure, rather than that the king’s life fhould be in danger 
by my ftay.. They. were now ftaggered, and feemed not 
prepared for an incident.of this kind. AsI kept up a high 
tone, we were quit with being detained a day, by paying 
five pieces of blue Surat cotton cloth, value 3 of a pataka 
‘Vou, III, , O | each, 
