Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, Volume 3 (of 5): In the years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772 and 1773Bruce, James
History
Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, Volume 3 (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
Our tent was pitched at the head of Ingerohha, on the north of the
plain of Tabulaqué. This river rises among the rocks at the bottom of
a little eminence, in a small stream, which, from its source, runs
very swiftly, and the water is warm. The peasants told us, that, in
winter, in time of the rains, it became hot, and smoked. It was in
taste, however, good; nor did we perceive any kind of mineral in it.
Tabulaqué, Anderassa, and Mentesegla belong to the Shum of Addergey,
and the viceroy of Samen, Ayto Tesfos. The large town of Hauza is about
eight miles south-and-by-east of this.
On the 28th, at forty minutes past six o’clock in the morning, we
continued our journey; and, at half past seven, saw the small village
Motecha on the top of the mountain, half a mile south from us. At
eight, we crossed the river Aira; and, at half past eight, the river
Tabul, the boundary of the district of Tabulaqué thick covered with
wood, and especially a sort of cane, or bamboo, solid within, called
there Shemale, which is used in making shafts for javelins, or light
darts thrown from the hand, either on foot or on horseback, at hunting
or in war.
We alighted on the side of Anderassa, rather a small stream, and which
had now ceased running, but which gives the name to the district
through which we were passing. Its water is muddy and ill-tasted,
and falls into the Tacazzè, as do all the rivers we had yet passed.
Dagashaha bears N. N. E. from this station. A great dew fell this
night; the first we had yet observed.
The 29th, at six o’clock in the morning, we continued our journey from
Anderassa, through thick woods of small trees, quite overgrown, and
covered with wild oats, reeds, and long grass, so that it was very
difficult to find a path through them. We were not without considerable
apprehension, from our nearness to the Shangalla, who were but two
days journey distant from us to the W. N. W. and had frequently made
excursions to the wild country where we now were. Hauza was upon a
mountain south from us; after travelling along the edge of a hill, with
the river on our left hand, we crossed it: it is called the Bowiha, and
is the largest we had lately seen.
At nine o’clock we encamped upon the small river Angari, that gives its
name to a district which begins at the Bowiha where Anderassa ends. The
river Angari is much smaller than the Bowiha: it rises to the westward
in a plain near Mentesegla; after running half a mile, it falls down
a steep precipice into a valley, then turns to the N. E. and, after a
course of two miles and a half farther, joins the Bowiha a little above
the ford.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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