GRAND CAIRO. 97 
The Nile (which before its junction with the chap. 
Lake Tzana he called ^leaoui) he described as 
having but one source\ in a marshy spot, upon 
the top of a mountain, about five or six miles 
from the lake, and upon its south-eastern side. 
He had not been there himself, but had often 
visited that side of the lake. There are many 
villages in the neighbourhood of the place. The 
inhabitants are all Christians; but they entertain 
no veneration for the spot, neither are any 
honours whatsoever paid to the source of the 
river. There are, indeed, many springs which 
are medicinal, and said to be the gift of certain 
saints ; but he had never heard that the fountain 
of the Nile was one of these. 
(1) Bi-uce'5 account of the origin of this river will perhaps be found, 
after all, more correct than any we can obtain, even from the Ahys- 
sinians themselves, who do not reside near enough to the spot to have 
made personal observation. Mr. Salt mentions the little reliance he 
could place in the various accounts given to him upon this subject. 
" When I found," says he, "that I must give up all hopes of pene- 
trating beyond the Tacazza, I took every occasion to make inquiries, 
of such persons as were likely to give me any intelligence, respecting 
the. Nile. Their accounts generally agreed with each other; but it 
appeared to me that they spoke from what they had heard, and not 
from personal knowledge. Its situation near the village of Geesh: the 
marshiness of the plain ; the elevation of the spot whence it flows above 
the surrmmding countnt ,- its circuit from Gojam ; were points familiar 
to them all : hut they dij/'ered, considerably, as to the number of the foun- 
talns from which it spring t .- .wfte speaking of three, others of four, and 
one person of five." Lord J^alentia's Trav. vol, HI. p. 160. 
VOL. v. n 
