96 AXUM. 
or Abba Pantaleon, which is impossible, that place being on the 
very summit of an high eminence on the left hand side of the great 
road. After passing this obelisk on the right, there is a line of re- 
gular rock, in part resembling a rough wall, which is probably the 
same that Bruce has described as a wall of red marble surmounted 
by pedestals, (vide V in ground plan). We were not however able 
in any portion of it to trace the workmanship of art. It seemed to 
be a regular stratum of rock left by nature, as I have often before 
seen, forming the very base of the hill. It is of a loose, soft, chalky 
nature; but the influence of the air, and the mosses growing upon 
it, have formed a reddish coat on the surface. It is very irregular 
in its measurement, iu some places being twelve feet high, and in 
others not two, and is from ten to five feet across. There is no ap- 
pearance of pedestals upon it, but a little to the south are lying 
five pedestals or altars (C in ground plan) which are at present 
evidently removed from their proper situations. 
" The chief modern building is the church, which stands at the 
northern extremity of the present town, and seems in part to occupy 
the situation of an ancient temple. It has in front of it two flights 
of steps (O in ground plan); the lower flights consist of twelve 
steps, one hundred and eighty-feet in length, and the upper one of 
eight steps, thirty-six feet in length, with an interval of sixteen feet 
between the two flights : from the uppermost step to the church 
porch is thirty-eight feet. A row of broken pedestals still remain- 
ing before the church (C in ground plan), indicates the principal 
entrance. 
The situation of the monunlent called the King's seat, has been 
already described, and the only additional circumstances that I have 
