NATURAL CURIOSITIES.... ANTIQUITIES."

263 Africa, and builds its nest on trees. The insects are also numerous; but the most remarkable is a large fly, the sting of which is so terrible, that even the thick hide of the camel is unable to resist its violent puncture. As soon as this tremendous fly appears, or its buzzing is heard, all animated nature is agitated with terror: even the lion himself flies with trepidation. For a more particular account of those subjects, the reader may consult Mr. Bruce's elaborate descriptions. This summary view may be concluded with observing, that Abyssinia displays an immense field of natural history.

Natural curiosities.]—The natural curiosities of this country are numerous. The principal of these are the stupendous Alpine scenes, the precipitous detached rocks, especially that of Geshen, in the province of Amhara, where the princes were formerly confined: and the great cataract of Alata, where the Nile, falling in an unbroken sheet of water of half an English mile in breadth, from a height of forty or fifty feet, with a noise that stuns the spectator, presents a scene, which Mr. Bruce considers as the most magnificent that he ever beheld.

Antiquities.]-The principal remains of antiquity are those of Axum, which is supposed to have formerly been the capital of Abyssinia. These ruins are extensive, and furnish a proof that this country was once in a far more flourishing state than at present. In a square, which appears to have been the centre of the city, there are forty obelisks of granite without bieroglyphics; and on the top of one which is standing, is a patera, extremely well carved in the Grecian taste, which shews that in some age, the arts have been cultivated in Abyssinia.

CHAP. II.

Principal cities and towns....Edifices.

THE catalogue of Abyssinian cities is short, and few of them are deserving of notice.

Gondar.]--Gondar, the present capital, is described by Bruce as containing 10,000 houses, built mostly of clay, and thatched with reeds, the roofs being of a conical form. It is situated on the level summit of an eminence of considerable elevation, in latitude, 12° 34′ 30′′ and 37° 33' longitude east from Greenwich. On the west side of the town stands the royal palace, which appears to have formerly been a considerable structure, but is now in a ruinous state. It is surrounded by a strong stone wall, comprising within a square of about an English mile and half in circuit, not only the palace itself, but all the contiguous buildings. This wall, which is thirty feet high, has battlements and a parapet, on which is a walk round the whole inclosure; but there is no appearance of embrasures for cannon. The palace is a quadrangular edifice, flanked with towers of the same form, and was formerly four stories high, commanding, from its summit, an extensive and magnificent view of the southern country as far as the lake of Danbea. Though the upper stories are in ruins, the two lowermost contain apartments sufficiently spacious for every purpose; and the chamber of audience is above 120 feet in length.

Axum.]-Axum is, as already observed, generally understood to have been the ancient capital of Abyssinia. The relics of its ancient splendour have already been mentioned. There is also a large Gothic cathedral, which is falling to decay. Axum is watered by a small rivulet, which flows from a spring in the narrow valley where the obelisks are seen. The water is received into a large bason of 150 feet square,

and from thence is conducted at pleasure into the neighbouring gardens, which produce little fruit except pomegranates, and those not of the best kind. The town itself is now inconsiderable.

Dixan.-Dixan is chiefly remarkable for its singular situ ation, and the infamous traffic carried on by its inhabitants. It is seated on the summit of a hill, of a perfectly conic form, which is surrounded by a deep ditch. A road winds spirally up the hill to the town, and forms its only approach. Dixan is well peopled. The inhabitants are a mixture of Mahomedans and Christians, and their only trade is that of selling children. The Christians bring hither such as they have stolen in Abyssinia; and the Mahomedans receiving them, carry them to the market at Masuah, from whence they are sent into Arabia, and other countries. The priests in the province of Tigré are openly concerned in this abominable traffic.

Masuah. Masuah is the only port in Abyssinia. It is situated on an island of the same name, in the Red Sca, at a very small distance from the shore, and contains about twenty houses of stone, a few of which are two stories high. The rest of the houses are constructed of poles, and covered with grass. The town, however, carries on a considerable trade.

Edifices.]-The churches are round and encircled with a portico: the houses are of a conical form, and built of clay.

CHAP. III.

Historical View....Progress of Society, &c.

ÄLTHOUGH Mr. Bruce has given an ample detail of the Abyssinian history, our present view of the subject shall be confined within narrow limits. The obscure, broken, and dubious annals of an uncivilized nation, which has never had any influence on the politics, and scarcely any connection with the commerce of this quarter of the globe, cannot be very intevesting to an European reader. Geographical situation and physical appearances afford a strong probability that Abyssi.. nia was originally peopled by colonies from the opposite shores of Arabia. Similarity of features seems to establish the fact, for which proximity of situation alone might afford a probable conjecture. The physiognomy of the Abyssinians, notwithstanding the darkness of their complexion, is evidently Asiatic, and totally different from that of the other African nations, by whom they are almost surrounded.*

The Abyssinian monarchs, whether from history or tradition, from ignorance or vanity, derive their lineage from Solomon by the famous queen of Sheba. Historians, however, have never been able to ascertain the country over which that princess reigned; but the most general, and perhaps the most probable opinion, fixes it in Arabia Felix rather than in Africa. Josephus gives us a story of her and her son, and places them in Ethiopia; but he does not determine the situation of that country; and it is well known that the moderns are often misled by translators, who affix to southern Africa the name by which the Hebrews used to designate Arabia. If the queen of Sheba actually reigned in Abyssinia, and if her long and tedious journey was compensated by the blessing of a son and heir to

*Buffon's Hist. Nat. tom. 3.

ker dominions, as Josephus, Ludolphus, and Bruce relate, the circumstance may account for the introduction of Judaism into that country.* The Abyssinian annals assert, that her return from the court of Solomon was followed by the conversion of her kingdom. The religion of Moses was established on the ruins of Paganism; and the church of Abyssinia was modelled. according to the institutions of Jerusalem. From various documents of ancient history, it appears that in early times, the Ethiopians were considered as a powerful nation; but whether this appellation denoted the people on the Asiatic, or the African side of the Red Sea, or whether it comprehended both, is often problematical. It is scarcely to be doubted, however, that both were originally the same people; and it is certain that - the Abyssinian monarchs sometimes extended their dominion over the neighbouring parts of Arabia. In later times, they have been exposed to invasions from the same counties. If the historical events of this remote corner of the globe in the dark ages of antiquity, can excite any interest, modern curiosity may find sufficient gratification in the voluminous writ. ings of Bruce, who has amply unfolded the Abyssinian annals.†

This empire continued the seat of Judaism more than two centuries after the extinction of that system in Palestine; and the most authentic documents assign the 333d year of our æra as the period of its conversion to Christianity. The supposition of the introduction of that religion into Abyssinia in the time of the apostles, is now generally exploded; and it is almost universally allowed that this event was brought about by the evangelical labours of Frumentius, the disciple of St. Athanasius, who then sat in the chair of St. Mark at Alexandria. The religion which the Abyssinians received, was consequently the christianity of the age of Constantine; but in the sixth century they adopted the Monophysite schism of Egypt. In those times they appear to have had a considerable commerce with India and Ceylon. Their negus, or king, formed an alliance with the emperor Justinian; and from their inter

Joseph. Antiq. Jud. lib. 2.—Ludolp. Hist. Ethiop. lib. 1. p. 96.—Bruce Trav. vol. 2.

† Bruce's Trav. vol. 2, where the reader will see a complete view of this subject.