THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 255 
from E, to W..is about 120 miles, and its breadth fomething 
more than\4o. It is a very mountainous country, full 
of nobility ; the men are reckoned the handfomeft in Abyf- 
finia, as well as the braveft. With the ordinary arms,. 
the lance and thield, they are thought to be fuperior to 
double the number of any other foldiers in the kingdom.. 
What, befides, added to the dignity of this province, was the. 
high mountain of Gefhen, or the grafly mountain, where- 
on the king’s fons were formerly imprifoned, ull furprifed: 
and murdered there in the-Adelan war. : 
Berwaah the two rivers Gefhien at Samba; is a low, un-- 
wholefome, though fertile province, called Walaka; and. 
fouthward of that is Upper Shoa. This province, or king- 
dom, was famous for the retreat it gave to the only remain- 
ing prince of the houfe of Solomon, who fled from the 
mafilacre of his brethren by Judith, about the year goo, up- 
on the rock of Damo. Here the royal family remained in. 
fecurity, and increafed in number, for near 400 years, ull 
they were reftored:.. From thenceforward, as long as the 
king refided in the fouth of his dominions, great tender- 
nefs and diftinction was fhewn to the inhabitants of this pro- 
vince ; and when the king returned again to Tigré, he as. 
bandoned them. tacitly to their own government. 
Amua Yasous, prince at this day, and lineal defcendant: 
ef the governor who firft acknowledged the king, is now 
by connivance fovereign of that province. In order to keep 
himfelf as independent and feparate from the reft of Abyf- 
finia as poffible, he has facrificed the province of Walaka, 
which belonged to him, to the Galla, who, by his own de- 
fire, have furrounded Shoa on every fide, But it is full of 
: the 
