It will naturally occur, that, in a long carriage, such as that of a hundred miles in such a climate, butter must melt, and be in a state of fusion, consequently very near putrefaction; this is prevented by the root of an herb, called Moc-moco, yellow in colour, and in shape nearly resembling a carrot; this they bruise and mix with their butter, and a very small quantity preserves it fresh for a considerable time; and this is a great saving and convenience, for, supposing salt was employed, it is very doubtful if it would answer the intention; besides, salt is a money in this country, being circulated in the form of wedges, or bricks; it serves the purpose of silver coin, and is the change of gold; so that this herb is of the utmost use in preventing the increase in price of this necessary article, which is the principal food of all ranks of people in this country. Brides paint their feet likewise from the ancle downwards, as also their nails and palms of their hands, with this drug. I brought with me into Europe a large quantity of the seed resembling that of coriander, and dispersed it plentifully through all the royal gardens: whether it has succeeded or not I cannot say.

Besides the market of Gondar, the neighbouring black savages, the woolly-headed Shangalla, purchase the greatest part of these commodities from them, and many others, which they bring from the capital when they return thence; they receive in exchange elephants teeth, rhinoceros horns, gold in small pellets, and a quantity of very fine cotton; of which goods they might receive a much greater quantity were they content to cultivate trade in a fair way, without making inroads upon these savages for the sake of slaves, and thereby disturbing them in their occupations of seeking for gold and hunting the elephant.

The way this trade, though very much limited, is established, is by two nations sending their children mutually to each other; there is then peace between those two families which have such hostages; these children often intermarry; after which that family is understood to be protected, and at peace, perhaps, for a generation: but such instances are rare, the natural propensity of both nations being to theft and plunder; into these they always relapse; mutual enmity follows in consequence.

The country of the Agows, called Agow Midrè, from its elevation, must be of course temperate and wholesome; the days, indeed, are hot, even at Sacala, and, when exposed to the sun, we are sensible of a scorching heat; but whenever you are seated in the shade, or in a house, the temperature is cool, as there is a constant breeze which makes the sun tolerable even at mid-day, though we are here but 10° from the Line, or a few minutes more.

Though these Agows are so fortunate in their climate, they are not said to be long-livers; but their precise age is very difficult to ascertain to any degree of exactness, as they have no fixed or known epoch to refer to; and, though their country abounds with all the necessaries of life, their taxes, tributes, and services, especially at present, are so multiplied upon them, whilst their distresses of late have been so great and frequent, that they are only the manufacturers of the commodities they sell, to satisfy these constant exorbitant demands, and cannot enjoy any part of their own produce themselves, but live in misery and penury scarce to be conceived. We saw a number of women, wrinkled and sun-burnt so as scarce to appear human, wandering about under a burning sun, with one and sometimes two children upon their back, gathering the seeds of bent grass to make a kind of bread.

The cloathing of the Agows is all of hides, which they soften and manufacture in a method peculiar to themselves, and this they wear in the rainy season, when the weather is cold, for here the rainy seasons are of long duration, and violent, which still increases the nearer you approach the Line, for the reasons I have already assigned. The younger sort are chiefly naked, the married women carrying their children about with them upon their backs; their cloathing is like a shirt down to their feet, and girded with a belt or girdle about their middle; the lower part of it resembles a large double petticoat, one ply of which they turn back over their shoulders, fastening it with a broach, or skewer, across their breast before, and carry their children in it behind. The women are generally thin, and, like the men, below the middle size. There is no such thing as barrenness known among them. They begin to bear children before eleven; they marry generally about that age, and are marriageable two years before: they close child-bearing before they are thirty, though there are several instances to the contrary.

Dengui, Sacala, Dengla, and Geesh, are all called by the name of Ancasha, and their tribute is paid in honey. Quaquera and Azena pay honey likewise; Banja, honey and gold; Metakel, gold; Zeegam, gold. There comes from Dengla a particular kind of sheep, called Macoot, which are said to be of a breed brought from the southward of the Line; but neither sheep, butter, nor slaves make part of their tribute, being reserved for presents to the king and great men.

Besides what they sell, and what they pay to the governor of Damot, the Agows have a particular tribute which they present to the king, one thousand dabra of honey, each dabra containing about sixty pounds weight, being a large earthen vessel. They pay, moreover, fifteen hundred oxen and 1000 ounces of gold: formerly the number of jars of honey was four thousand, but several of these villages being daily given to private people by the king, the quantity is diminished by the quota so alienated. The butter is all sold; and, since the fatal battle of Banja, the king’s share comes only to about one thousand jars. The officer that keeps the accounts, and sees the rents paid, is called Agow Miziker182; his post is worth one thousand ounces of gold; and by this it may be judged with what œconomy this revenue is collected. This post is generally the next to the governor of Damot, but not of course; they are separate provinces, and united only by the special grant of the king.

Although I had with me two large tents sufficient for my people, I was advised to take possession of the houses to secure our mules and horses from thieves in the night, as also from the assaults of wild beasts, of which this country is full. Almost every small collection of houses has behind it a large cave, or subterraneous dwelling, dug in the rock, of a prodigious capacity, and which must have been the work of great labour. It is not possible, at this distance of time, to say whether these caverns were the ancient habitation of the Agows when they were Troglodytes, or whether they were intended for retreats upon any alarm of an irruption of the Galla into their country.

At the same time I must observe, that all the clans, or districts of the Agows, have the whole mountains of their country perforated in caves like these; even the clans of Zeegam and Quaquera, the first of which, from its power arising from the populous state of the country, and the number of horses it breeds, seems to have no reason to fear the irregular invasions of naked and ill-armed savages such as are the Galla. The country of Zeegam, however, which has but few mountains, hath many of these caverns, one range above another, in every mountain belonging to them. Quaquera, indeed, borders upon the Shangalla; as these are all foot, perfectly contiguous, and separated by the river, the caverns were probably intended as retreats for cattle and women against the attacks of those barbarians, which were every minute to be apprehended.

In the country of the Tcheratz Agow, the mountains are all excavated like these in Damot, although they have no Galla for their neighbours whole invasions they need be afraid of. Lalibala, indeed, their great king and saint, about the twelfth century, converted many of these caves into churches, as if he had considered them as formerly the receptacles of Pagan superstition. At the same time, it is not improbable that these caverns were made use of for religious purposes; that of Geesh, for instance, was probably, in former times, a place of secret worship paid to the river, because of that use it still is, not only to the inhabitants of the village, but to the assembly of the clans in general, who, after the ceremonies I have already spoken of, retire, and then perform their sacred ceremonies, to which none but the heads of families in the Agows country are ever admitted.

When I shewed our landlord, Kefla Abay, the dog-star, (Syrius) he knew it perfectly, saying it was Seir, it was the star of the river, the messenger or star of the convocation of the tribes, or of the feast; but I could not observe he ever prayed to it, or looked at it otherwise than one does to a dial, nor mentioned it with the respect he did the Abay; nor did he shew any sort of attention to the planets, or to any other star whatever.

On the 9th of November, having finished my memorandum relating to these remarkable places, I traced again on foot the whole course of this river from its source to the plain of Goutto. I was unattended by any one, having with me only two hunting dogs, and my gun in my hand. The quantity of game of all sorts, especially the deer kind, was, indeed, surprising; but though I was, as usual, a very successful sportsman, I was obliged, for want of help, to leave each deer where he fell. They sleep in the wild oats, and do not rise till you are about to tread upon them, and then stare at you for half a minute before they attempt to run off.

The only mention I shall make of the natural productions of this place comes the more properly in here, as it relates to my account of the religion of this people. In the writings of the Jesuits, the Agows are said to worship canes183; but of this I could find no traces among them. I saw no plant of this kind in their whole country, excepting some large bamboo-trees. This plant, in the Agows language, is called Krihaha. It grows in great quantity upon the sides of the precipice of Geesh, and helps to conceal the cavern we have already mentioned; but though we cut several pieces of these canes, they shewed no sort of emotion, nor to be the least interested in what we were doing.

Our business being now done, nothing remained but to depart. We had passed our time in perfect harmony; the address of Woldo, and the great attachment of our friend Irepone, had kept our house in a chearful abundance. We had lived, it is true, too magnificently for philosophers, but neither idly nor riotously; and I believe never will any sovereign of Geesh be again so popular, or reign over his subjects with greater mildness. I had practised medicine gratis, and killed, for three days successively, a cow each day for the poor and the neighbours. I had cloathed the high priest of the Nile from head to foot, as also his two sons, and had decorated two of his daughters with beads of all the colours of the rainbow, adding every other little present they seemed fond of, or that we thought would be agreeable. As for our amiable Irepone, we had reserved for her the choicest of our presents, the most valuable of every article we had with us, and a large proportion of every one of them; we gave her, besides, some gold; but she, more generous and nobler in her sentiments than us, seemed to pay little attention to these that announced to her the separation from her friend; she tore her fine hair, which she had every day before braided in a newer and more graceful manner; she threw herself upon the ground in the house, and refused to see us mount on horseback, or take our leave, and came not to the door till we were already set out, then followed us with her good wishes and her eyes as far as she could see or be heard.

I took my leave of Kefla Abay, the venerable priest of the most famous river in the world, who recommended me with great earnestness to the care of his god, which, as Strates humorously enough observed, meant nothing less than he hoped the devil would take me. All the young men in the village, with lances and shields, attended us to Saint Michael Sacala, that is, to the borders of their country, and end of my little sovereignty.

REGISTER
OF THE
QUANTITY OF RAIN-WATER,
IN INCHES AND DECIMALS,
WHICH FELL AT GONDAR, IN ABYSSINIA, IN THE YEAR 1770,
THROUGH A FUNNEL OF ONE FOOT ENGLISH IN DIAMETER.

INCHES.
The rain began this year on the first of March: there fell in showers, that lasted only a Few minutes, between the 1st of March and the last of April, .039
MAY.
1. From the 1st to the 6th, .039
From the 6th to the 8th, .120
From the 10th to the 12th it rained chiefly in the night, .711
From the 12th to the 14th, .123
19. At four in the afternoon a small shower, but heavy rain in the night, .526
21. At 7 o’clock in the evening a small shower, which continued moderately through the night, .171
27. At 6 in the evening heavy rain for an hour, .540
29. At 3 in the afternoon frequent showers of light rain. It continued one hour 30 minutes, .487
Total rain in May, 2.717
JUNE.
1. At 12 noon, light rain for 15 minutes, .028
2. Between 12 o’clock night it has rained 30 minutes, in small showers, which lasted 5 or 6 minutes at a time, .049
4. At 8 in the morning slight showers for 30 minutes, .014
5. Between 6 and 10 in the morning four small showers, that lasted 32 minutes, and at 12 a very gentle rain that lasted 15 minutes, .031
10. It has rained very violently for 6 hours 30 minutes, .342
11. Between 2 and 6 in the afternoon, at three several times, it has rained 20 minutes, .014
12. At noon a violent rain for one hour 30 minutes. At half past 1 in the afternoon light rain for an hour. At 4 afternoon, light rain for 30 minutes. At half past six same afternoon, a very gentle rain for 3 hours, .421
13. Between 4 and 5 afternoon it rained twice for 15 minutes, but not perceptible in the recipient, ——
16. Between 2 and 6 afternoon it has rained three times smart showers, in all about 20 minutes, .033
17. There fell in the night small rain for an hour, .002
18. At 1 afternoon there was a strong shower for 15 minutes. At half past 1 another for 45 minutes. Same day at 6 afternoon, it rained at intervals for 2 hours, .750
19. At half after 2 afternoon it began to rain violently with intervals. At night a slight shower for 20 minutes, .118
20. At twelve noon there was a very slight shower for 6 minutes. At half past 5, same day, a small shower that lasted 30 minutes. At 8 o’clock evening it began to rain smartly at intervals for 4 hours, .171
21. At a quarter past 11 it rained violently with thunder and lightning for about 2 hours. At half past 4 in the evening it rained, with intervals, in all about 45 minutes, .330
22. At half past 12 noon, it rained an hour, .175
23. At one o’clock afternoon slight showers for 2 hours. Heavy rain in the night for 4 hours, .358
25. At a quarter past one afternoon, a small shower, which lasted one hour 35 minutes. At night it rained one hour 30 minutes; heavy rain with thunder and lightning, .552
26. At two in the afternoon, violent rain with intervals for 30 minutes. At half past five it rained for 30 minutes; and the beginning of the night for three hours, .233
27. At a quarter past twelve, a small shower for one hour 45 minutes, and at night a moderate shower, .302
28. At half past twelve, a gentle rain. At 50 minutes after twelve, violent. At two in the afternoon very gentle rain for 15 minutes; and at 7, moderate rain for one hour and 30 minutes, .290
29. At 1 in the afternoon, light rain, but a heavy rain must have fallen somewhere else, as the river Kahha is overflowed, .092
30. At noon a very gentle rain for 15 minutes, .002
Total rain in June, 4.307
JULY.
1. At 20 minutes past eleven, strong rain for 30 minutes, with some showers through the night, .306
2. At half past eleven, a small shower for 30 minutes, and then, at twelve, a violent shower, wind south-west, for 45 minutes, .792
3. It rained at four in the afternoon, and in the night, .311
4. It rained from twelve to two, and in the night likewise, .390
5. It rained at noon, and some in the night, .029
7. It rained and hailed violently. It rained in the night likewise, 1.686
8. Light rain in the night, .038
9. Light rain for a few minutes, and no more all day; but the river Kahha has suddenly overflowed, and there is appearance of rain on the Mountain of the Sun, .017
10. No rain, ——
11. Ditto, ——
12. At half an hour past noon it rained violently, .422
13. Violent rain at mid-day, and also in the night, 1.185
14. A few light showers night and day, .054
15. A small shower in the evening, and another in the night, .251
16. No rain, ——
17. A small shower at one in the afternoon, and flying showers throughout the day. It rained at ten at night violently, .658
18. A gentle shower at noon, but continued raining in the night, .463
19. Light showers all the night, .237
20. It rained all night till eight o’clock next morning, .714
21. Light showers in the afternoon, but violent rain in the night, 1.329
22. Light showers in the evening, .174
23. It rained one shower at half past ten in the morning, .107
24. Light showers night and day, .226
25. Light rains and frequent, .015
26. Light showers throughout the evening, .081
27. Light rains, .148
28. Flying showers, .070
29. Ditto, .081
30. Light showers, .013
31. Flying light showers night and day, .292
Total rain in July, 10.089
AUGUST.
1. Light rain in the afternoon, .056
2. It rained in the night smartly, .329
3. It rained at noon violently, 1.318
4. It rained from mid-day to evening, and some showers in the night, 1.723
5. At 2 in the afternoon it began to rain violently for 2 hours, 1.042
6. Smart showers at different times in the evening and night, .490
7. It rained in the night, .580
8. Light rain in the night, .053
9. Flying showers through the day, but for 6 minutes. Evening very violent, .186
10. Smart showers in the evening and night, .342
11. & 12. Frequent showers, with a high wind, 1.184
13. & 14. Light rain the first day, but violent on the second, 1.423
15. Fair all day, but rained at night, .475
16. Flying showers night and day, .144
17. A very violent shower of short duration, .371
18. & 19. Several small showers, .609
20. & 21. Frequent light showers, .236
22. & 23. Constant rain, 1.502
24. Frequent showers in the evening, .306
25. & 26. Constant rain, 1.763
27. Frequent showers, .289
28. Ditto, .280
29. It rained in the night, .355
30. Ditto, .302
31. Ditto, .211
Total rain in August, 15.569
SEPTEMBER.
1. It rained in the night, .079
2. Ditto, .107
3. & 4. Frequent showers night and day, .358
5. & 6. Ditto, .568
7. It rained in the night only, .213
8. No rain, ——
9. It rained violently for a few minutes at 8 in the Evening, .055
10. No rain, ——
11. It rained in the night only, .227
12. It rained smartly in the night, .566
13. No rain, ——
14. Light showers in the day, .042
15. Frequent showers night and day, .159
16. It rained a little in the night, .132
18. No rain, ——
19. Ditto, ——
20. Flying showers night and day, .263
21. No rain, ——
22. Ditto, ——
23. Some rain in the night, .039
24. Ditto, .026
25. The rain ceased, ——
Total rain in September, 2.834

N. B. This is the festival of the Cross in Egypt, when the inundation begins to abate. It rains no more in Abyssinia till towards the beginning of November, and then only for a few days; but these are the rains Abyssinia cannot want for their latter crops, and it was for these the Agows prayed when we were at the fountains of the Nile the 5th of November 1770.

STATE
OF THE
QUANTITY OF RAIN-WATER,
WHICH FELL IN ABYSSINIA AT KOSCAM, THE QUEEN’S PALACE, IN 1771, DURING THE RAINY MONTHS,
THROUGH A FUNNEL OF ONE FOOT ENGLISH IN DIAMETER, AS IN THE PRECEDING YEAR 1770.

FEBRUARY.
INCHES.
23. This day it rained, for the first time, from a quarter before four o’clock afternoon to half past four ditto, .003
28. It rained in the night one hour and a quarter, .001
MARCH.
4. It rained in the night near two hours small rain, .042
7. It rained a small shower in the evening, .014
12. It rained three quarters of an hour this afternoon, .017
24. It rained and hailed violently for 18 minutes in the night, .017
29. It rained an hour and a half in the afternoon, .066
30. It rained hard in the night, .504
Total rain in February and March, .664
APRIL.
3. It rained, or rather hailed, nine minutes, ——
5. It rained an hour in the afternoon, .067
8. Small rain at intervals throughout the afternoon, .002
10. It rained an hour in the night, .003
30. It rained one hour and a quarter in the night, .013
Total rain in April, .085
MAY.
1. From the 31st ult. to this day, at different times, .330
3. It rained hard in the night, .355
6. It has rained violently since three in the afternoon, wind S. E. variable, .095
7. It has rained heavily in the night, wind varying from N. to S. and S. W. .368
8. It rained small rain in the afternoon, .042
11. It has rained small rain this afternoon, wind N. W. .002
14. It has rained since yesterday at three all night, and till noon to-day, .675
27. From yesterday at two P. M. it rained to half past six, and heavily most part of the night, wind varying from N. to S. .634
Total rain in May, 2.501
JUNE.
1. From yesterday at noon, in the night, and this day, wind W. S. W. .212
3. At night, south, .002
5. It rained in the night, S. W. .223
6. Ditto, .006
9. It rained in the night and afternoon, wind W. by S. .725
10. Ditto, .463
11. It rained in the night, .343
13. It rained from the 12th, at noon, to the 13th at ten, S. S. W. 1.265
14. It rained from three till seven, .120
15. It rained last night from sun-set till midnight, S. .160
N. B. The 16th at night, is the day the Egyptians say the Nile ferments, and is troubled, by falling of the nucta.
18. After three days fair, wind fresh, N. it began to rain yesterday, and rained three quarters of an hour, wind varying from north to west, .490
19. It rained with intervals from four to ten last night, wind north, varying by east to south, and south-west, where it fell calm, and rained violently, .530
20. It rained from a quarter before six, till ten at night, wind at north, fresh; changed to east, then to south, and there fell calm; violent thunder and lightning, .635
21. It began to rain yesterday at three, and rained till near five; wind changed from north to south, and fell calm; cleared with wind at north, .550
22. It began to rain at three, and rained till five; wind changed from north to east, then to south, and fell calm; cleared with wind at north; fair all night, .149
25. It has been fair till yesterday evening: at three it began raining, and rained till five this morning, a few drops; wind north, .067
26. It rained small rain at several times yesterday afternoon, and a few drops this morning, wind N. calm; at ten it came to south and then to west, .120
27. It rained yesterday afternoon from four to five; wind changed from north to west, but speedily returned to north, fresh, .054
28. & 29. It rained the 27th in the afternoon and in the night, wind at north. Yesterday it rained small rain all day till five, and cleared in the night, with wind at north, .268
Total rain in June, 6.388
JULY.
1. There fell small showers the night of the 29th and of the 30th, .093
3. There fell a small shower the second in the afternoon, and last night hard, .267
4. It rained small rain at noon. From two, and all night, heavy and constant rain. It thundered from noon till three, .373
5. It rained all yesterday afternoon, and by intervals, till nine at night. Small rain this morning; calm; W. S. W. and S. W. .423
6. It rained yesterday afternoon and in the night; S. W. .489
N. B. The 6th of July is the first of the month Hamlie, and of the Egyptian month Abib. It is this day they first begin to cry the Nile’s increase in the streets of Cairo. The night before, or 30th of Senne, is called at Cairo the Eide el Bishaara, or the eve of good news, because, after having measured at the Mikeas, they come and tell at Cairo that to-morrow they begin to count the Nile’s rising.
7. It rained from two in the afternoon till four, and from ten till midnight, .318
10. It rained yesternight, and in the afternoon and night the day before, .289
11. It rained till yesterday afternoon: in the night a violent shower that lasted 39 minutes; wind south by west, 1.162
12. It rained a little from two to three in the afternoon, but in the night violently for a short time, .319
13. It rained yesterday from three quarters past twelve till midnight; W. S. W. calm, .912
14. It rained all yesterday afternoon till midnight, .739
15. It rained the 14th in the afternoon, and the 15th a few showers through the day, .816
16. It rained in the night, and small rain in the afternoon, .290
17. It rained in the afternoon two showers, and in the night a little; S. W. .212
19. It rained in the afternoon the 17th and 18th, and the 18th only in the night, .912
20. It rained yesterday from two till half past ten constant rain, and the hail lay all the afternoon on the hills S. E. of the town; very cold wind; S. by W. 1.371
21. & 22. It rained but one small shower the 20th, the 21st it rained little in the afternoon, but hard in the night, 1.185
24. It rained in the morning of yesterday only, fair in the afternoon; to-day, in the morning, fair in the night, .766
25. It rained all yesterday afternoon, and all this morning small rain, but none in the night, .452
28. From the 25th in the afternoon to this day at noon, 2.137
29. From the 28th at noon to the 29th it rained in the first part of the night, but was fair all afternoon and this morning, .267
From the 29th at noon, to the 31st at ditto, .568
Total rain in July, 14.360
AUGUST.
1. It rained yesterday afternoon, but in the night little. To day fair, .544
4. It rained only the third in the evening, and night and this morning, 1.188
5. It rained yesterday evening and in the night, till noon little, .544
6. It rained yesterday afternoon, and all night, and a little this morning, .250
8. It was fair these two days, and only rained one hard shower last night, .178
9. It rained last night only, was fair all day, and in this morning, .214
10. It rained yesterday all the afternoon, and the first of the night. To-day fair, .869
11. It rained in the night yesterday; all day and this morning fair, .188
12. It rained a small shower yesterday afternoon, and in the night a little, .268
13. It rained yesterday at three a hard shower, and a little in the night, .308
14. It rained a few drops in the day, and a hard shower at night, .360
15. It rained a hard shower near three, and at ten at night, .386
16. In the night, .027
17. It rained hard several times in the evening and night, .831
18. It rained hard yesterday afternoon, and in the night, .329
19. It rained all day, but not hard, .491
20. It rained in the afternoon only, .010
21. Ditto, .097
22. It was fair all yesterday, and rained only a hard shower at 9, .424
23. It rained hard at noon, and the evening, with little intervals, till 9 at night, and again this morning at sun-rise till 7, 1.148
24. It did not rain yesterday, ——
25. It rained an hour between two and three, .332
26. It rained a small shower yesterday, and none in the night, .005
27. It rained a hard shower at four, and this day at 12 morning, the night clear, .268
28. It rained hard yesterday at 2 for a few minutes, .201
29. It rained a hard shower for near an hour, after two, but clear all night and this morning, .450
30. & 31. It rained a small shower the 30th, and heavily for a quarter of an hour the 31st, at night, at ten, .109
Total rain in August, 10.019
SEPTEMBER.
2. It rained yesterday a hard shower in the evening, and at ten at night, .664
3. It rained only a few drops, which did not appear in the funnel, ——
4. It rained from noon till sun-set yesterday, with hard and violent thunder: night fair, 1.739
N. B. It is observed at Gondar, the Pagomen is always rainy. It begins this year the 4th, and consists of six days, being Leap Year.
5. It rained yesterday all afternoon, small rain, .399
6. It rained yesterday all afternoon, and small rain in the night till ten, .306
7. It rained from before noon till four, small rain; the night fair. Wind high at north, .846
8. It rained from noon for an hour, small rain, .214
9. It rained a small shower at noon; clouds drive from east to west; wind north, .107
10. Saint John’s day, no rain, ——
11. It rained from noon till five o’clock, wind W. cold; clouds drive from east and west, 1.135
12. It rained a smart shower a little before noon. Clouds drive from east and from west, .214
13. It rained a small shower a little after noon. Cold and calm. Clouds drive from east and west, .035
14. It rained small rain from noon to three, and hard from eleven till near midnight, .344
15. It was fair all yesterday, but rained hard for a few minutes at seven, and also a little before midnight, from the east, .186
16. No rain to-day, ——
18. It rained a small shower last night, and to-day at noon, .053
19. It rained and hailed violently in the afternoon, 1.096
Total rain in September, 7.338

The rain totally ceased the 19th, none having fallen from this day to the 25th.

Saint John’s day is the time observed for the rains beginning to abate.

N. B. At the 5th of October the people were all crying for rain; the ground all in cracks, and teff in the blade burnt up.

TOTAL of RAIN that fell in Abyssinia in the Years 1770 and 1771, in the Rainy Months.

GONDAR.
1770.
INCHES.
March & April, .039
May, 2.717
June, 4.307
July, 10.089
August, 15.569
September, 2.834
35.555
KOSCAM.
1771.
INCHES.
February, & March, .664
April, .085
May, 2.501
June, 6.388
July, 14.360
August, 10.019
September, 7.338
41.355

END OF THE THIRD VOLUME.

FOOTNOTES:

1 Supposed from its name to have been formerly the capital of the Dobas.

2 Levit. chap. xix, ver. 28. Jerem. chap. xvi, ver. 6.

3 See the article kol-quall in the appendix.

4 I apprehend this is the same instrument used by the ancients, and censured by the prophets, which, in our translation, is rendered crisping-pins. Isa. chap. iii. ver. 22.

5 See the article Erkoom in the Appendix.

6 A rebel governor of Samen, of which I shall after have occasion to speak.

7 Gol. p. 22. proem.

8 Poncet says that these obelisks are covered with hieroglyphics; but in this he is wrong; he has mistaken the carving, I shall directly mention, for hieroglyphics. London edit. 12mo. 1709, p. 106.

9 Shihor.

10 See Johnson’s translation of Jerome Lobo, p. 29.

11 See page 28.

12 Page 28.

13 Poncet’s voyage to Ethiopia, p. 99.

14 It signifies cold.

15 A man much attached to Michael, and had been preferred by him to many commands and consequently was the only Greek that could be called a good soldier.

16 The crooked manner in which they hold their neck when this ornament is on their forehead, for fear it should fall forward, perfectly shews the meaning of speaking with a stiff neck when you hold the horn on high, or erect like the horn of the unicorn.

17 See Introduction.

18 See the article ensete in the appendix.

19 Vid. Le Grande’s Hist. of Abyssinia.

20 Baalomaal, which, literally translated, is, Master of his effects, or goods.

21 Hatzè Azazé.

22 Strabo, lib. xv. p. 783. Joseph. lib. xviii. cap. 3. Procop. lib. i. de Bel Pers.

23 Dan. chap. ii.

24 Procop. lib. i. cap. 11.

25 Arrian, lib. ii. cap. 14.

26 Plut in Artax. lib. xv. p. 730.

27 Lucretius, lib. v. Ovid. Metam. lib. i. Lucian, in Navig.

28 Arrian, lib. iv. cap. 11. Exod. chap. 4. Matth. chap. 2.

29 Justin, lib. vi. Omil. Prob.

30 Justin, lib. 2.

31 Herod. lib. iii.

32 Herod, lib. vi.

33 Suet. Vespas. cap. 23, Sex. Aurel. Victor, cap. 23.

34 Lucian. de Votis ceu in Navigio, Esdras, lib. iii.

35 Valer. Maxim. lib. vi. cap. 2.

36 Justin lib. xv.

37 Philostrat. lib. ii.

38 Val. Max. lib. v. cap. 16.—Q. Curt. lib. viii.

39 Procop. lib. i. cap. 11.

40 Justin. lib. i.

41 Herod. lib. i.

42 Dio. Chrysost. Orat. 3. pro regno.

43 Joseph. lib. xi. cap. 1.

44 Esdras, cap. 5.

45 Judith, cap. 2.

46 Ctesias in Persicis. Xenephon, lib. i.

47 Plutarch, in Apothegmat.

48 De Mundo.

49 Herod lib. vii.

50 Xenoph. lib. iv.

51 Strabo lib. xv.

52 Esther, chap. ii.

53 Joseph. lib. xi. cap. 6.

54 If I remember right, it is D. Prideaux that says Esther is a Persian word, of no signification. I rather think it is Abyssinian, because it has a signification in that language. Eshté, the masculine, signifies an agreeable present, and is a proper name, of which Esther is the feminine.

55 Athen, lib. xii. cap. 2.

56 Herod, lib. vii.

57 Herod. lib. iii.

58 Xenoph. lib. i. Xenoph. lib. viii.

59 Ammonios, Billetana Gueta to Ayto Confu.

60 Thucyd. lib. i. Strabo, lib. xiv. Theod. Sic. lib. xi.

61 Xenoph. lib. i.

62 Diod. lib. xii.

63 Vide annals of Abyssinia, life of Socinios.

64 Esther, chap vii, and viii.

65 Cicero, lib. v. de Finib.

66 Ecclesiast. Histor. chap. xxii.

67 Procop. lib. i. cap. 5. de Bell. Pers.

68 Agath. lib. iii.

69 See this history of Abyssinia in vit. David IV.

70 Vide Ctesiani Hockerii.

71 Xenoph. lib. i.

72 Amm. Mar. lib. vii.

73 Q. Curt. lib. iii. 2. 19.

74 Q. Curt. v. 12.

75 Plin. Hist. Nat. lib. xiii. cap. 11.

76 Plin. lib. xiii. cap. 11.

77 Diod. Sic. lib. ii.

78 Genesis, chap. xlvii. ver. 4.

79 Exod. chap. viii. ver. 26.

80 Herod. lib. ii. p. 104. sec. 40.

81 Herodot. p. 121. sect. 92.

82 Herodot. lib. ii. p. 101. sect. 35.

83 Herodot. lib. ii. p. 101. sect. 35.

84 Herodot. lib. ii. p. 104. sect. 41.

85 Gen. chap. i. ver. 29.

86 Gen. chap. i. ver. 30.

87 Gen. chap. ix. ver. 3.

88 Gen. chap. ix. v. 4.

89 Deut. chap. xii.

90 Levit. chap. xvii.

91 Maimon. more. Nebochim.

92 1 Sam. chap. xiv. ver. 32. 33.

93 Levit. chap. xvii. ver. 7.

94 Arnob. adv. Gent. Clem. Alexan. Sextus Impiricus, lib. iii. cap. 25. and Selden. de Jur. natur. and Gent. cap. 1. lib. vii.

95 In this particular they resemble the Cynics of old, of whom it was said, “Omnia quæ ad Bacchum et Venerem pertinuerint in publico facere.” Diogenes Laertius in Vit. Diogen.

96 Vide appendix, article Cusso.

97 The first invention is attributed to the Portuguese.

98 Ludolf, in his dictionary, says, this word, in Hebrew, signifies any tall tree. In this, however, he is mistaken. The translators did not, indeed, know what tree it was, and so have said this to cover their ignorance; but Arz is as exclusively the oxy-cedrus, as is an oak or an elm when so named. Arz is indeed a tall tree, but every tall tree is not Arz, which is the Virginia berry-bearing cedar.

99 See Ludolf, lib. iii. cap. 2. No. 17.

100 Prince of Shoa, often spoken of in the sequel.

101 Vide Alvarez’s narrative in his account of the embassy of Don Roderigo de Lima, page 155.

102 Vid. Alvarez, hoc loco.

103 Tournef. tom. i. p. 111.

104 See the Ethiopic liturgies passim. Ludolf, lib. iii. cap. 5.

105 Gen. chap. ix. ver. 22.

106 Exod. chap. iv. ver. 25.

107 Gen. chap. xvii. ver. 14.

108 Lib. xvii. p. 950.

109 The reader will observe, by the obscurity of this passage, that it is with reluctance I have been determined to mention it at all; but as it is an historical fact, which has had material consequences, I have thought it not allowable to omit it altogether. Any naturalist, wishing for more particular information, may consult the French copy.

110 Deut. chap. xiv. ver. 1.

111 Encom. 12th October, Od. 3. tom. 1. Ann. Alexan. p.m. 363.

112 The largest court, or outer space, surrounding the king’s house.

113 It signifies the hill, or high ground.

114 Maguzet.

115 Guilty of our blood, and subject to the laws of retaliation.

116 This is a large church belonging to the palace, called by this extraordinary name, Noah’s Ark.

117 See a figure of this bird in the Appendix.

118 Polymnia frondosa.

119 This affected ignorance was probably intended to bring me to mention the donation the king had given me of Geesh, which he never much relished, and made effectually useless to me.

120 It is with pleasure I confess the man then in my mind was my brave friend Sir William Erskine.

121 The person here called old Fasil, is Kasmati Waragna, in the time of Yasous II.

122 By this is meant the Amharic, for in Geez the word for snow is Tilze: this may have been invented for translating the scriptures.

123 Hortus Siccus, a large book for extending and preserving dry plants.

124 Vol. II. b. ii. chap. v.

125 Arrianus de Exped. Alexandri, lib. vi.

126 Another reason why I think this journey of the centurions is fictitious is, that they say the distance between Syene and Meroë is 660 miles. Plin. lib. 6. cap. 29.

127 Pliny, Nat. Hist. lib. v. cap. 9.

128 In Œdipo Syntagma, I. cap. vii. p. 57.

129 I never heard that Cyrus had attempted this discovery.

130 Called, in the Ethiopic annals Hendaqué; wrote originally, I suppose, with an X or Ch.

131 Lib. v. cap. 9. Nat. Hist.

132 Diod. Sicul. Bibliothec. lib. i. p. 20.

133 Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. v. cap. 9.

134 From a nation of Shangalla of that name, through which it runs, after having passed its source, and taken its course into Nubia.

135 Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. v. cap. 9.

136 Jerem. chap. ii. ver. xviii.

137 Diod. Sic. lib. i.

138 Pausanius Arcad. chap. xvii.

139 1 Kings, chap. xviii. ver. 43.

140 See this figure in Dr Shaw, chap. ii. sect. 3. p. 385.

141 Herod, lib. ii. p. 127. sect. 109.

142 Several Arabian MSS. attest this.

143 Shaamy and Taamy, of whom we have already spoken.

144 Herod. Eut. sect. 4, 5. Diod. Sic. lib. iii. p. 101. Arist. Meteorol. lib. i. cap. 14.

145 Deut. chap. iii. ver. 11.

146 Encyclop. voce Cubit.

147 Vide Encyclop. voce Cubit.

148 Herod. lib. ii. sect. 168. p. 149.

149 The king’s yearly land-tax, or rent.

150 Gen. chap. xlvii. ver. 20 & 23.

151 This was apparently the reason why Joseph, who had bought not only the lands, but the people of Egypt likewise, transferred them from farms, not convenient for them, to others where they could thrive. The same they do spontaneously at this day, now they are free.

152 Dr Shaw, chap. ii, sect. 3. p. 383.

153 Psalm lxxviii. ver. 12.

154 Herod. eut. sect. 13.

155 Herod. lib. ii. sect. 19.

156 Herod. lib. ii. sect. 4. 101. and 149.

157 Strabo, lib. xiii. p. 945.

158 Strabo, lib. xvii. p. 915.

159 Plin. lib. xxxvi. cap. 7. Philost. de icon. Nili.

160 Julian. Epist. egdicio prefecto Egypti.

161 Procop. lib. iii. de Reb. Goth.

162 Or Nilometer.

163 Vid. geometrical elevation and plan of the Mikeas.

164 We know that these lakes were dug, and in use as early as Moses’s time. Exod. chap vii. ver. 19. chap. viii. ver. 5.

165 A. C. 622.

166 Shaw’s Travels, chap. ii. sect. 3. p. 382.

167 Descript. of the East, vol. I. p. 256.

168 A View of the Levant, p. 282. 284. 286.

169 Shaw, p. 380. 381.

170 Descript. de l’Egypte, p. 60.

171 Pococke, vol. i. p. 199, 200.

172 Pococke, vol. i. p. 201.

173 See Table, or Register of Rain, that fell in these years, inserted at the end of this volume.

174 Shaw’s Travels, sect. 4. p. 401.

175 Alph. d’Albuquerque, Comment. lib. iv. cap. 7.

176 Vol. I. b. ii. chap. 8.

177 See this letter in the life of that prince.

178 In Abyssinia, the 24th June.

179 Herod. lib. ii. p. 98. sect. 28.

180 Vid. Ludolf in Proemio Histor. Æthiop. 1. 8. Id. lib. i. cap. viii. p. 178. Leo Africanus in descrip. Africa, lib. i. cap. vii.

181 Plin. lib. v. cap. 8.

182 Accountant of the Agows.

183 See a very remarkable letter of Ras Sela Christos to the emperor Socinios, in Balthazar Tellez, tom. 2. p. 496.