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THE SOURCE OF THE NILE 129 
have buildings of great firength, magnitude, and expence, 
efpecially at Azab, worthy the magnificence and riches of 
a ftate, which was from the firft ages the emporium of the 
Indian and African trade, whofe fovereign, though a Pagan, 
was thought an example of reproof to the nations, and 
chofen as an inftrument to contribute materially to the 
building of the firft temple which man erected to the true 
God, 
Tue ruins of Axum are very extenfive; but, ke the ci- 
ties of ancient times, confift altogether of public buildings. 
In one fquare, which | apprehend to have been the center 
of the town, there are forty obelifks, none of which have 
any hieroglyphics upon them”™. There is one larger than 
the reft ftill tanding, but there are two ftill larger than this 
fallen. They are ail of one piece of granite; and on the top 
of that which is ftanding there is a patera exceedingly well 
‘carved in the Greek tafte. Below, there is the door-bolt and 
lock, which Poncet {peaks of, carved on the obelifk, as if to 
reprefent an entrance through it to fome building be- 
hind. The lock and bolt are precifely the fame as thofe 
ufed at this day in Egypt and Paleftine, but were never feen, 
as far as I know, in Ethiopia, or at any time in ufe there. 
I apprewEND this obelifk, and the two larger that are 
fallen, to be the works of Ptolemy Evergetes. ‘There is a 
great deal of carving upon the face of the obelifk in a Go- 
Vou. Il. R thic 
* Poncet fays that thefe obelifks are covered with hieroglyphics ; but in this he is wrong; 
“he has miftaken the carving, I fhall directly mention, for hieroglyphics. London edit. 1zme, 
1709, p. 106. 
