404 
AXUM. 
he became a great favourite, and was called Balomaal." He 
added, that on a particular occasion, the Emperor took a fancy to 
Mr. Bruce's watch, and asked him for it, but that that gentleman 
refused, and said abruptly : " is it the custom in this kingdom for a 
king to beg?" which answer made a great noise throughout 
the country. Sydee Paulus had been fifty years in Abyssinia. 
Apostoli had never seen Mr. Bruce, but said he had often con- 
versed with Janni respecting his visit to the country, who had 
always spoken of him with great respect. 
On the 9th of May we left Adowa on an excursion to Axum, 
probably about twelve miles distant, in a due west direction. The 
road to this place passes through some fine valleys which inter- 
sect several lofty ranges of hills, on one of which to the right 
stands the celebrated church of Hannes, and, within a few miles 
of Axum, lies an extensive and highly cultivated plain, on the 
surface of which numerous specimens of different coloured spars 
and agates were found. The town of Axum itself, is very 
agreeably situated in a corner of the plain sheltered by the ad- 
jacent hills. On approaching it, the first object which excites 
attention is a small plain obelisk at the foot of a hill on the right 
hand, at the top of which stands the monastery of Abba Panta- 
leon, and immediately opposite is found the large square stone 
with the inscription in Greek which I had before deciphered. 
After passing between these, the town and church begin to make 
their appearance, and, upon inclining a little to the northward, 
leaving a number of broken pedestals on the left hand, a full view 
of the large obelisk is presented, standing close to an immense 
darotree, of which two different views have been given in former 
