YEEHA. 
431 
speaking of a church in its neighbourhood, says, close to it is 
a very large and beautiful tower, as well for its finely proportioned 
height, as for its size and exquisite masonry ; but it has, at 
length, begun to fall into decay, in spite of its being very strongly 
built, and of &e-stone, covered and enriched with so much ex- 
cellent work, that it displays no less than a royal grandeur, of 
which I have never seen its equal."* 
The mention of this external ornament is valuable, from its 
referring in all probability, to a cincture or frieze which surrounded 
the upper part of the building, a few fragments of which I subse- 
quently discovered among some adjoining heaps of stone. Of 
these I have given a sketch, with the characters upon them, and 
I have remarked in my notes made on the spot, that they 
probably formed a part of the larger building.** 
Fragments of Inscriptions found at Yeeha, among the Ruins of the Monaster^/ 
of Abba AsfL 
Characters cut in the stone. 
* Tout aupres de cette ^glise est une tre grande et belle tour : tant par sa demesuree 
hauteur que aussi par sa grosseur et magonnerie exquise : mais elle commencoit ddija a 
tomber en ruine, combien qu'elle soit forte et de pierre vive couverte et enrichie de si ex- 
cellens ouvrages qu'elle ne demontre rien moins, que une grandeur Royale, telement que 
je n'ay encores veu sa seconde. 
