96 
TRAVELS IN ABYSSINIA. 
of Taranta, which Mr Salt did not find quite sq 
formidable as Mr Bruce's narrative had led him to 
expect. Dixan is a considerable town ; the houses 
are flat roofed, and without chimneys, having mere- 
ly two pots of earthen ware set up as vents. The 
people here are of a dark complexion ; they are 
idle, ignorant, and dirty. All the labours of agri- 
culture are devolved upon the females, who are ob- 
liged to go out to the fields with their children on 
their backs. Their music was found by Mr Salt 
to be quite intolerable. There are no schools for 
instruction in reading ; not one in twenty possesses 
that qualification ; so that the small number who 
do, consider themselves fully entitled to rank as 
priests. The commodities for which there was 
most demand in the market of Dixan, were white 
cloths, tobacco, pepper, looking-glasses, and spi- 
rits. 
Mr Salt was introduced to the Baharnagash, and 
tolerably received by him. He was a tall elderly 
man, with a mild countenance. He had a single 
garment round his body, and an ensign was borne 
before him, consisting of a peeled staff* six feet 
long. His jurisdiction extended only over six or 
seven villages. He was chief priest as well as first 
magistrate, and read prayers morning and evening 
to a numerous assembly. 
Passing through Abha, Agouma, and some other 
villages, Mr Salt arrived at Genater, where he was 
