ATBARA. 
175 
allowance to my attendants, for their immediate consumption. The 
bullock might indeed have been enough; but as the greater part 
of my bearers were Christians, they would not eat what the Mussul- 
mauns killed, nor would the rest, who were Mussulmauns, eat what 
the Christians had killed, which often put me to great inconve- 
nience in providing for them both. I had, in all, about thirty in 
number, besides my own party. The master of the house was 
named Ayto Rossie ; his son was the fiandsomest and fairest man 
whom we had seen in the country ; he married a daughter of Fit 
Aurari Yasous. 
" October 12.— -We left Neguida soon after sun rise, and passing 
through a country in great part covered with brushwood, came at 
length by a long though gradual descent, into a vale, through which 
runs the stream of Gibbe, on the banks of which we haUed about a 
mile and a half below the Ras's deserted mansion. Our road then lay 
over a hill to the east of the narrow valley, which brought us in a 
direct line to the church of St. Michael, on the top of the hill where 
I before parted from Shelika Welieta Raphael. Here we found a 
copious spring of water flowing from the summit through a small 
aqueduct, constructed with little art by the inhabitants. This spot 
is on all sides surrounded with trees and shrubs, so as to form 
altogether a beautiful retreat. Hence we travelled partly over the 
old road to Atbara, a wretched village belonging to Basha Toclu 
Shum, of the district ofGiralta. This chief had sent no orders 
from Antalowthat we should be supplied with provision, we there- 
fore got only two goats and one hundred loaves of bread, and were 
obHged to kill for our people one of our own bullocks. 
" October 13.-— We left the Basha's residence with much satis- 
