THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 73% 
world, as he imagined. Indeed, if all his predeceffors had 
as numerous families as he, there was no probability of the 
fucceffion devolving to ftrangers. He had a long white 
beard, and very moderately thick; an ornament rare in 
Abyflinia, where they have feldom any hair upon their chin. 
He had round his body a fkin wrapt and tied with a broad 
belt: I fhould rather fay it was an ox’s hide; but it was fo 
fcraped, and rubbed, and manufactured, that it was of the 
confiftence and appearance of fhamoy, only browner in co- 
lour. Above this he wore a cloak with the’ hood up, 
and covering his head; he was, bare-legged, but had 
fandals, much like thofe upon ancient ftatues ; thefe, how- 
ever, he put off as foon as ever he approached the bog 
where the Nile rifes, which we were all likewife obliged to 
do. We were allowed to drink. the water, but make no 
other ufe of it. None of the inhabitants of Geeth wafh 
themfelves, or their cloaths, in the Nile, but in a ftream 
that falls from the mountain of Geefh down into the plain. 
of Affoa, which.runs fouth, and meets the Nile in its turn: 
northward, pafling the country of the Gafats and Gongas.. 
Tue Agows, in whofe country the Nile rifes, are, in: 
point of number, one of the moft confiderable nations in 
Abyffinia; when: their whole foree is raifed, which feldom 
happens, they can bring tothe field 4c00-horfe, and a great 
number of foot; they were, however, once much more 
powerful; feveral unfuccefsfulbattles, and the perpetual 
inroads of the Galla, have much diminifhed their ftrength. 
The country, indeed,.is ftill full of inhabitants, but from 
their hiftory we learn, that one clan, called Zeegam, tnain- 
tained fingly a war againft the king himfelf, from the time 
ef Socinios to that of Yafous the. Great, who, after all,. 
overcame. 
