398 PASS OF ATBARA. 
Having made a soiall present to the new-married conple, we 
proceeded on our journey, and at nine o'clock arrived at the 
church of St. Michael, (mentioned in my former journal,) situated 
on a lofty hill, commanding an extensive view of the adjoining 
country. Here we found a chieftain of some consequence, with 
about fifty followers, who had waited two days on this spot with 
the expectation of falling in with our party. They had been 
sent by Shum Temben Toelu, chief of the district, an old man 
of considerable authority in the country, to solicit us to go a few 
miles out of our way, and partake of a repast that he had pre- 
pared for us. As this extraordinary attention was evidently 
intended to make up for the incivility shewn us at Mugga, on 
our entrance into Abyssinia, I thought it right to accept the 
invitation, and, in consequence, we rode across the country to 
his mansion. On our arrival, we found the old man sitting on 
his couch, and assuming an almost equal state with the Has. He 
nevertheless paid us great attention, and ordered two cows to be 
killed for our entertainment. In the course of the conversation 
which ensued, I found him extremely sensible and well-inform- 
ed, though neither he, nor his followers, bore any very high 
character for courage, as in the great battle with the Galla they 
were the only troops which shrunk from the combat. This chief, 
' however, had evinced, during a long time, so strong an attach- 
ment to the Has, that his weakness on that occasion was over- 
looked. 
From the high province of Giralta, we descended the steep 
pass of Atbara, and about half way down arrived at a beautiful 
spot, whence a spring of water rises, which successively falls into 
