Henry Salt

“ Zeyla is the emporium of Habesh to the south; the natives of which are a powerful people. Islamism prevails among them, and integrity in doing what is right.
"Boja, or Bujja. [1] —These people are the merchants of Habesh to the north, their country lying between Habesh and Nuba; and they are black, naked, and worshippers of idols. Their land is divided into many petty districts. They are sociable, good, and kind to merchants: and in their country is a mine of gold. They have no towns, nor crops of corn; but their land is an extensive desert. ”

“ The people of Abyssinia live on wheat, rice, flesh, and milk; and they make oil of sesamum, and have abundance of every sort of provisions. Elephants, lions, giraffes; and they likewise have many goats and fowls of different kinds, and a number of other animals; among which may be mentioned monkeys, and apes resembling men. ”

“ The buildings consist of four mosques, constructed in a plain style, and a few stone houses, many of which are now in ruins; the great mass of the people residing in huts made of reeds, and covered with grass ”

“ The interior provinces are rich in gold; for which merchants travel voluntarily into the country, as "they derive great advantage from the trade. [2] I shall now speak "of Adem." Here the author proceeds to describe Aden, though it is certain from the context, that by Adem he had hitherto meant Adel; a mistake which may have arisen probably from the inattention of the transcribers.
This was written about the year 1290, and appears to me very valuable, from its occurring at a period when we have no other European accounts of the state of Abyssinia ”

“ Spanish dollars were at this time 11⁄2 per cent. more valuable than German dollars, a circumstance owing to the quantity of specie sent over at this season to India; at other times the German dollars are of greater value, as no other will pass in Abyssinia or on the African coast. ”

“ Many Arabs of the tribe of Rabbea Ib'n Nuzzar have connected themselves with these people, and intermarried with them." Afterwards, in another place, describing the land of Aidhab, he remarks, that "a governor from the Bujja presides over it, and another from the Sultaun of Egypt, who divide the revenue between them. The duty of the governor from Egypt is to provide supplies," (probably for the workmen engaged in the mines,) "and the governor of the Boja has to guard it from the Habshi." This account of the Boja tends very satisfactorily to illustrate the Axum inscription. ”

“ Additional Remarks respecting Massowa, made in February, 1810, partly extracted from Captain Weatherhead's Journal.
The town of Massowa stands upon an island of the same name, about three-quarters of a mile long by one-quarter broad, in north latitude 15° 36′ 15′′, and east longitude 39° 23′ 30′′. Its harbour is easy of access, having deep water into it, though the channel is narrow: and it will contain fifty sail of vessels with safety, provided they moor with one another to E.N.E. and another to the W.S.W. In general, the wind comes from the land all night, with gentle breezes ”