THE SOURCE OF THE NILE 155 
whofe top runs in an even ridge like a wall. At the bottom. 
of this cliff, where our tent was pitched, the fmall rivulet 
Maifbinni rifes, which, gentle and quiet as it then was, runs 
very violently in winter, firft north from its fource,and then 
winding to S, W. it falls in feveral cataracts, near a hundred 
feet high, into a narrow valley, through which it makes its 
way into the Tacazze. Maifbinni, for wild and rude beau- 
ties, May compare with any place we had ever feen. 
Tuis day was the firft cloudy one we had met with, or 
-obferved this year. The fun was covered for feveral hours, 
which announced our being near the large riverTacazzé. 
On the 25th, at feven in the morning, leaving Maifbinni, 
we continued on our road, fhaded with trees of many diffe- 
rent kinds. At half an hour after eight we pafled the river, 
which at this place runs weft; our road this day was thro’ 
the fame plain as yefterday, but broken and full of holes. 
At ten o’clock we refted in a large plain called Dagafhaha ; 
a hill in form of a cene ftood fingle about two miles north ~ 
from us; a thin ftraggling wood was to the S. E; and the 
water, rifing in fpungy, boggy, and dirty ground, was very 
indifferent; it lay to the weft of us. 
‘Dacasuaua is a bleak and difagreeable quarter; but the 
mountain itfelf, being feen far off, was of great ufe to us in 
adjufting our bearings; the rather that, taking our depar- 
ture from Dagafhaha, we came immediately in fight of the 
high mountain of Samen, where Lamalmon, one of that 
ridge, is by much the moft confpicuous; and over this lies 
the paflage, or high road, toGondar. We likewife fee the 
rugged, hilly country of Salent, adjoining to the foot of the 
U2 mountain 
