ADOWA. 419 
could be ascertained. Still, however, I conceive, that if a person 
could reside at Axum for any time, and find leisure to visit the 
stone at different hours of the day, he might, with great attention 
and perseverance, be able to make out a very considerable por- 
tion of the inscription. 
Having attained our object, we proceeded on the road to 
Adowa, across the extensive plain surrounding Axum, which, at 
this time, the inhabitants were busily engaged in ploughing: 
the air of the morning was moist and chilly, and a thick vapour 
hung over the mountains of Samen, which, nevertheless, could 
be plainly distinguished in the distance. In the course of this 
day's journey, we met with several large droves of cattle, which, 
on enquiry, I found were proceeding to Walkayt, where they are 
said to be very advantageously exchanged for a coarse kind of 
cloth, manufactured in that province. At a few miles from 
Adowa, we discovered a new and beautiful species of amaryllis, 
which bore from ten to twelve spikes of bloom on each stem, as 
large as those of the bella donna," springing from one com- 
mon receptacle. The general colour of the corolla was white, 
and every petal was marked with a single streak of bright purples 
down the middle. The flower was sweet-scented, and its smell, 
though much more powerful, resembled that of the lilv of the 
valley. This superb plant excited the admiration of the whole 
party, and it brought immediately to my recollection the beau-^ 
tiful comparison used, on a particular occasion, by Our Saviour ; 
''yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not 
arrayed like one of these/' We subsequently, with considera- 
ble trouble, dug up a few of the bulbs, which were rooted full 
3 H 
