Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, Volume 4 (of 5): In the years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772 and 1773Bruce, James
History
Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, Volume 4 (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
On the 11th we continued our journey in our former road, till we
arrived at the church of Abbo; we then turned to the right, our course
N. by E. and at three quarters past nine rested under the mountain on
the right of the valley; our road lay still through Goutto, but the
country here is neither so well inhabited nor so pleasant as the west
side of the Nile. At eleven, going N. N. E. we passed the church of
Tzion, about an eight part of a mile distant to E. N. E.; we here have
a distinct view of the valley thro' which runs the Jemma, deep, wide,
and full of trees, which continue up the sides of the mountains Amid
Amid. At a quarter past eleven we passed a small stream coming from
the west, and at twelve another very dangerous river called Utchmi,
the ford of which is in the midst of two cataracts, and the stream
very rapid; after passing this river, we entered a narrow road in the
midst of brush-wood, pleasant and agreeable, and full of a kind of
foxes[1] of a bright gold colour. At three quarters past one we halted
at the house of Shalaka Welled Amlac, with whom I was well acquainted
at Gondar; his house is called Welled Abea Abbo, from a church of Abbo
about an eight part of a mile distant.
I have deferred, till the present occasion, the introducing of this
remarkable character to my reader, that I might not trouble him to
go back to past transactions that are not of consequence enough to
interrupt the thread of my narrative. Soon after I had seen part
of the royal family, that had been infected with the small-pox,
happily recovered, and was settled at Koscam in a house of my own,
formerly belonging to Basha Eusebius, my friend Ayto Aylo recommended
to my care a man from Maitsha, with two servants, one of whom, with
his master, had been taken ill of the intermitting fever. As I was
supplied plentifully with every necessary by the Iteghé, the only
inconvenience that I suffered by this was, that of bringing a stranger
and a disease into my family. But as I was in a strange country, and
every day stood in need of the assistance of the people in it, it
was necessary that I should do my part, and make myself as useful as
possible when the opportunity came in my way. I therefore submitted,
and according to Ayto Aylo's desire, received my two patients with
the best grace possible; and the rather, as I was told that he was
one of the most powerful, resolute, and best-attended robbers in all
Maitsha; that he lay directly in my way to the source of the Nile; and
that, under his protection, I might bid defiance to Woodage Asahel,
considered as the great obstacle to my making that journey.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account