6b TRAVELS TO DISCOVER | 
river, are covered with black, dark, and thick groves, witli 
craggy-pointed rocks, and overfhaded with fome old, tall; 
timber trees going to decay with age; a veryrude and aw- 
ful face of nature, a cover from which our fancy fuggefted — 
a lion fhould iffue, or fome animal or monfter-yet more Fiat 
vage and ferocious. : Ee 
: Ay tt 
Tue veneration ftill paid in this country for the Nile, fuch | 
as obtained in antiquity, extends to che territory of Goutto, 
and I-believe very little farther; the reafon is, | apprehend;, ~ 
that to.this, and no lower, the country has remained under 
its ancient inhabitants. Below, we know Maitfha has been 
occupied within thefe few ages by Pagan:Galla, tranfplants 
ed here for political purpofes; at Goutto, however, and in. 
the provinces of the Agows, tle genuine indigene have not 
emigrated, and with thefe the old fuperftition is more firm=- 
ly rooted in their hearts thanis the more recent doétrine of 
Chriftianity; they crowded to us atthe ford, and they were, 
after fome ftruggle, of great ufe in pafling us, but they pro-- 
tefted immediately with great vehemence againft any man’s in 
riding acrofs the ftream, mounted either upon horfe or 
mule: they,- without any fort of ceremony, unloaded our 
mules, and-laid our baggage upon the grafs, infifting that 
we fhould take off our thoes, and making an appearance of 
Roning thofe who attempted to wath the dirt off their cloaks: 
and trowfers.in the flream; My fervants were by this pro-- 
voked.to return rudenefs for rudenefs, and Woldo gave 
them two or three fignificant threats, while I fat by exceeds — 
ingly happy.at having fo unexpectedly found the remnants. 
of veneration for that ancient deity fall fubifting in fuch: 
full vigour.. They after this allowed us, as well.as ourhorm 
fes and mules, todrink, and conducted me acrofs the river® 
I. _ holding; 
