Whilst I am upon this subject, I may observe that the Shoan women are exceedingly fond of silver ornaments, and all their riches consist of such stores. Dollars are only valued as the means of thus enabling the possessors to adorn themselves or their women, for all the coin of this sort which enters Shoa ultimately finds its way into the crucible, except such as falls into the hands of the King, and which are destined for a less useful end, these being securely packed in jars, and deposited in caves. One hill, called Kundi, a few miles to the north of Ankobar, is pierced by numerous subterranean passages, in which are hidden in this manner immense treasures in gold and silver. They are kept closed by heavy doors of iron, and the whole hill, which is surmounted by a church, dedicated to the Virgin, is under the care of a vast number of priests. I think it not improbable that some excavated chambers that have been found in Egypt, and in rocks near Jerusalem, and considered to have been intended for tombs, were in fact the treasuries of the monarchs of these countries. One ornament of silver, and which is worn by the women of Shoa upon the breast, hanging from the neck by a chain, also of silver, is in the form of a clasp, three or four inches long, and one inch broad; upon its front surface not unfrequently is rudely engraved some simple design in waving lines. Bracelets of silver are sometimes seen, and with the Mahomedan women, they are invariably of that metal; but the Christians generally wear plain ones, made of pewter, with anklets to correspond.