THE SOURCE OF THE NILE 189 
ted from the plain of St Michael by a very deep gully. Nei- 
ther Lamalmon nor Gingerohha, though higher than the 
mountains of Tigré, are equal in height to fome of thofe 
of Samen. I take thofe to the S. E. to be much’ higher, and, 
above all, that fharp-pointed hill Amba Gideon, the prefent 
refidence of the governor of Samen, Ayto Tesfos. This is 
\ otherwife called the ews-Rock, famous in the hiftory of this 
country for the many revolts of the Jews againft the Abyf- 
finian kings. © 
THE mountain is everywhere fo fteep and high, that 
it is not enough to fay againft the will, but without the af- 
fifttance of thofe above, no one from below can venture to 
afcend. On the top is a large plain, affording plenty of paf- 
ture, as well as room for plowing and fowing for the main- 
tenance of the army; and there is water, at all feafons, in 
great plenty, and even fifh in the ftreams upon it; fo that, 
although the inhabitants of the mountain had been often 
befieged for a confiderable time together, they fuffered little 
inconvenience from it, nor ever were taken unlefs by trea- 
fon; except by Chriftopher de Gama and his Portuguefe, 
who are faid, by their own hiftorians, to have ftormed this 
rock, and put the Mahometan garrifon to the fword. No 
mention of this honourable conqueft is made in the annals 
of Abyffinia, though they give the hiftory of this campaign 
of Don Chriftopher in the life of Claudius, or Atzenaf Se- 
gued. ! 
On the top of the cliff where we now were, on the left hand 
of the road to Gondar, we filled a tube with quick-filver, and 
purged it perfectly of outward air; it ftood this day at 203 
Englifh inches. Dagafhaha bears N.E. by E. from our prefent 
SWwiliaa ftation 
