546 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
and his fon David, asa defence for the rich countries of~ 
the Agows, Damot, Gojam, and’‘Dembea, againft the defo- 
lations and inroads of the wild Galla their countrymen, from 
whom they had revolted’; they confift of ninety-nine fami- 
lies ; and it is-a common faying among them, that the de- 
vil holds the hundreth part-for his,own: family, as there is | 
nowhere elfe to-be found a family of men.equal to any of - 
the ninety-nine, It has. been fometimes connected: with . 
Gojam, oftener with Damot and the Agows,.who were at: 
this time-under-the government of. Fafil.. 
Tue houfes in Maitfha are of ‘a very fingular conftruc- 
tion: the firft proprietor has a field, which he-divides into» 
three. or four, as he pleafes, (fuppofe four) by two. hedges. 
made ofthe thorny: branches: of‘the acacia-tree.. In the: 
corner, or interfection of the two hedges, he akc his low. 
hut, and-oceupies as much of-the angle as he pleafes.: Three : 
‘other brothers, perhaps,occupy each of the three other angles; ; 
behind thefe their children place-their houfe, and inclofe.the 
end of their father’s by another; which they make generally - 
fhorter thanthe firft, becaufe broader: Afterthey have raifed: _ 
as many houfes as they pieafe,they furround the whole with : 
a thick and ‘almoft impenetrable abbatis, or thorny hedge, , 
and all the family are under one:roof, ready to affift’' each : 
other on the firftalarm ;,for they have nothing to do but - 
every man to look out at his own door, and they are clofe in : 
a body together, facing every:point that danger can pofli-- 
bly come from.. They are, however, fpeedily deftroyed by - 
a ftronger enemy, as we eafily found, for we had only to fet * 
_ the dry hedge, and the canes that grew round it, on: fire, ,. 
which communicated at once to the houfes, chiefly confift-- 
ing of dry. ftraw.. Such is their terror. of the fmall-pox, , 
which: 
