38 



THROUGH JUNGLE AND DESERT chap. 



an Arabic word for book. What this book was, it is, 

 of course, impossible to say ; but it is not altogether 

 improbable that it was a Bible ; for, since we know the 

 Abyssinians had accepted Christianity many years ago, 

 it is not unlikely that they had communicated some 

 knowledge of it to the Galla, who inhabited the country 

 adjacent to Abyssinia. 



Whatever this book was, they guarded it Avith most 

 jealous care ; but one day, while repelling an attack of 

 some hostile and marauding natives, the book disap- 

 peared. It was thought by the Galla that it had been 

 eaten by one of their cattle. From the disappearance of 

 the book evil fortune has followed them till now, and to 

 this day they continue search for it, as their talisman. 

 Whenever a cow is killed, they search within its stomach 

 in the hope of finding it. From this habit of searching 

 the intestines of a cow, they have adopted the old Roman 

 custom of foretelling the future by the appearance of the 

 entrails. At present there is not the least indication 

 displayed by these people that they possess Christianity. 

 On the neck of one, however, I saw a white shell, with a 

 cross rudely carved upon it. 



On September 23, we reached the Tana River at a 

 place called Merifano. At this point the Tana is quite 

 a respectable stream, being about 150 yards in width, 

 and flowing with rapidity between steep clay banks, 

 which are surmounted with tall sycamores, heavily laden 

 with festooning creepers. 



Here we fell in with the Pokomo. These people we 

 found to be a simple and kindly race, eager to please, 

 and delighted beyond expression when they discovered 

 that our intentions were peaceable. The day we 



