Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, Volume 2 (of 5): In the years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772 and 1773Bruce, James
History
Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, Volume 2 (of 5): In the years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772 and 1773
Bruce, James
Egypt -- Description and travel; Ethiopia -- Description and travel; Ethiopia -- History; Natural history -- Ethiopia; Nile River
This being assented to, the very next year he ordered two of the
priests of Debra Libanos then at Gondar, together with Abba Tebedin,
Cosmas of Aruana, the Abuna Sanuda, and the Itchegué, forthwith to
repair to Debra Mariam, an island in the lake Tzana, where, sequestered
from the world, they might discuss their several opinions, and settle
some points admissible by both sides. After which, without giving any
opportunity for reply, he dissolved the assembly, and took the field
with his army.
The king, though perfectly informed of the part that the whole province
of Damot had taken in the rebellion of Isaac, as also great part of
the Agows, but most of all that tribe called Zeegam, yet had so well
dissembled, that most of them believed he was ignorant of their fault,
and all of them, that he had no thoughts of punishing them, for he had
returned through Damot, after the defeat of Isaac, without shewing
any mark of anger, or suffering his troops to commit the smallest
hostility. He now passed in the same peaceable manner through the
country of Zeegam, intending to attack the Shangalla of Geesa and
Wumbarea.
These two tribes are little known. Like the other Shangalla they are
Pagans, but worship the Nile and a certain tree, and have a language
peculiar to themselves. They are woolly-headed, and of the deepest
black; very tall and strong, straighter and better-made about the
legs and joints than the other blacks; their foreheads narrow, their
cheekbones high, their noses flat, with wide mouths, and very small
eyes. With all this they have an air of chearfulness and gaiety which
renders them more agreeable than other blacks. Their women are very
amorous, and sell at a much greater price than other blacks of the sex.
This country is bounded on the south by Metchakel; on the west by the
Nile; the east by Serako, part of Guesgué and Kuara; and, on the north,
by Belay, Guba, and the Hamidge[62] of Sennaar. They make very frequent
inroads, and surprise the Agows, whose children they sell at Guba to
the Mahometans, who traffic there for gold and slaves, and get iron and
coarse cotton-cloths in return. Their country is full of woods, and
their manner of life the same as has been already described in speaking
of the other tribes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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