Henry Salt

“ At this period the power of the emperors of Abyssinia seems to have been very fully established, and their conquests to have extended over part of Arabia, and from Zeyla up to the junction of the Tacazze with the Nile. Such, at least, is the extent of the jurisdiction assumed by one of the Adulitic inscriptions, which, since I gave my suggestions to the public, has been allowed by several persons, eminently qualified to decide on the question, to commemorate the transactions of an Abyssinian sovereign, and in all probability of the same prince who erected the monument at Axum. ”

“ The flowery meadows, shady groves, and rich vallies, with which the former abounds, are celebrated for the resort of numerous pilgrims, professedly devout, who clothe themselves in a yellow dress, with a cord round their waists, and pass their time there in religious and secluded retirement; but the satirical vein of pleasantry which distinguishes the Tigrians ascribes to them more unseemly motives: and scandal does not hesitate to say that Love, not of the purest kind, presides over their retreat. ”

“ The high range of mountains in Samen, extending from Waldubha to the south of Lasta, together with the line of the Tacazze, which shapes its course north-easterly along its base, sufficiently point out the boundaries of the two larger divisions of Tigré and Amhara: and when we consider, in addition to these natural obstacles to communication, that the inhabitants of both countries speak distinct languages, and are so materially different in character, it can only remain matter of surprise, that they ever became united under one government. ”

“ How long the superiority of the Persians continued, is uncertain: but in all probability it gave way to the rising greatness of the Mahomedan power, which soon afterwards overwhelmed all the countries adjoining Arabia; spread to the remotest parts of the East; and penetrated even across the unsocial regions of Africa; while Abyssinia, unconquered and true to the Christian faith, remained within two hundred miles of the walls of Mecca, a constant and galling opprobrium to the followers of the prophet. On this account, implacable and unceasing war ravaged her territories ”

“ It is true, that in the intercourse carried on with the opposite coast, vast numbers of Arabians have in process of time become mingled with them: but still it appears to me, that both in feature, colour, habit, and manners, they form a perfectly distinct race.
The "Tareek Negushti" or "Chronicle of the Kings of Abyssinia," begins with a list of the emperors from "Arwê," or "the serpent," to Menilek, some of whom, like the sovereigns of old, are said to have reigned several hundred years. ”

“ In fact, the union appears at no period of time to have been very cordial; the conquest of one by the other has been frequently effected; but the possession of either state has been always held by very precarious tenure; a natural jealousy existing between the two classes of natives, which renders impracticable all attempts at establishing any intimate or permanent connection between them. ”

“ In the history of Arabia Felix, collected from various Arabian authors, by Schultens, we find several accounts of the conquest of this country by the Abyssinians, and the epithets continually applied to them, are "blacks" (سود‎) , which Schultens translates Æthiopes, [4] and "people with crisped hair" (crispâ tortilique comâ: [5] ) one of their princes also, suing to the Emperor of Persia, entreats him to drive out "these crows," who are hateful to his countrymen ”

“ The government of Guxo is said to be guided by no principle of justice; the king lives in almost total neglect, with only a few attendants, at Gondar, the capital of Dembea: [71] and a poor man is afraid to wear a good cloth there, lest it should be stripped from his back by a ferocious Galla.
The third or southern division of Abyssinia, (coloured green in the map) which is now entirely separated from the others by the Galla, consists of the united provinces of Shoa and Efat. ”

“ The next light thrown on this history may be drawn from the narratives of the conversion of the Axomites to the Christian religion in the time of the Emperor Constantine, as related by Rufinus, [19] and other ecclesiastical writers; by which it appears evident that the person named Frumentius was the Abba Salama or Fremonatos noticed by the Chronicle; who, after having resided some years in Abyssinia, was raised to the rank of a bishop by Athanasius, and first introduced Christianity among the inhabitants. ”

“ The second division of Abyssinia (coloured blue in the map) is always termed by the natives of the country Amhara, an appellation, in all probability, retained on account of the language prevailing there, notwithstanding that province [69] properly so called, has been, for a long time, almost entirely in the possession of the Galla. ”

“ I have in addition to remark, that their buildings seem invariably to be put together without mortar, and that the better sort of houses are constructed in the characteristic form of ancient Egyptian temples. On the eastward side of the Tacazze, in this latitude, rises the lofty province of Samen, which may undoubtedly be considered as the highest point of land in Abyssinia; the whole range of its mountains extending in a northerly and southerly direction, about eighty miles. A fresh attempt has been made since I visited Abyssinia to dispossess the Ras of his influence over this province ”

“ Throughout this period a regular communication appears to have been kept up between Abyssinia and Europe: and in 1445, Zara Jacob, then reigning, sent an ambassador to the council of Florence, and wrote some interesting letters to his priests at Jerusalem, which are still extant in the Church History of Abyssinia by Geddes, (vide p. 27.)
It affords an interesting subject for reflection, to trace occasionally the fortuitous course of events, by which the most important changes in the affairs of the world have been brought about. ”

“ His "Abramus" [33] is also clearly the Abreha of the Arabian authors, who afterwards conducted the war of the Elephant, and the Hesimaphæus may be, in all probability, the Aryat Abu Sehem, [34] who was placed by the Abyssinian monarch as his Viceroy over Yemen. [35] It appears, also, that the embassy of Julianus sent by Justinian to persuade the Emperor Ameda to make war against the Persians, and to take the silk trade into his own hands, occurred immediately after this conquest of Yemen, during the time that Angane, [36] the Emperor of Abyssinia's nephew, remained on the throne ”

“ It subsequently appears, that, on the Arians gaining the ascendency in the following reign, the Emperor Constantius sent an embassy through Theophilus, an Indian, [20] with a letter addressed to the ruling sovereigns Aizana and Saizana, whom he styles αδελφοι τιμιωτατοι, most dear brethren, for the purpose of persuading Frumentius to relinquish the doctrines of Athanasius, and to adopt those of the new patriarch Georgius; and that such monarchs reigned in Abyssinia is clearly proved by the inscription I discovered at Axum. ”

“ We had the strongest reasons, however, to be grateful to Providence that this had not occurred before day-break; as, otherwise, the ship, and every person on board, must have inevitably perished; for at the time we were nearest to the shore, we could clearly discover a tremendously heavy surf breaking over the rocks with which the coast was lined.
On the 8th of July, notwithstanding that we kept close under the land, the wind continued to blow with excessive violence, keeping us under the foresail and mizen stay sail, which prevented our making a single mile on our course ”

“ At this consultation it was unanimously judged necessary for the safety of ship and cargo, as the vessel was in a disabled state, to desist from any further attempt to gain a windward passage; and to bear away for Bombay or some other harbour on the Malabar coast, where she might receive such repairs as to enable us to complete the voyage. A document to this effect was drawn up and signed by all the officers on board for the purpose of justifying this departure from the track to which the vessel had been limited; and at 2 hours p.m. the captain, in consequence, bore up for Bombay. ”

“ From the period of which I am speaking, a lapse of nearly two hundred years occurs before we again find the Axomites noticed, when, from the complete command they had gained in the Red Sea, they began to take a lead in the general scale of politics, which makes them the subject of repeated mention both in the Greek Arabian authors, whose accounts in general are extremely consistent, though, from the variation in the names and other obscure passages, much difficulty has hitherto been experienced in reconciling them to each other. ”

“ Wojjerat is a wild country, abounding with elephants, lions, rhinoceroses, and every species of game. [65] It is said that in this province the rains are not so periodical as in the rest of Tigré, owing possibly to the extensive forests with which the country is covered. Between Wojjerat and Lasta lies a small and low district called Wofila, bordering on the lake Ashangee; here the Galla have become mixed with the natives of the country, many of the former professing the Christian religion. ”

“ Some account of the ancient history of Abyssinia; its Inhabitants descended from aboriginal Tribes of Ethiopians—their Conversion to Christianity—Conquest of Yemen by the Emperor Ameda—List of the Sovereigns who have reigned in Abyssinia—Attempts of the Portuguese to introduce the Roman Catholic religion—their failure—Notice of the different travellers who have visited the country—Its present state—Concluding Remarks—Departure from Mocha—Storm in the neighbourhood of Socotra—Arrival at Bombay—Departure thence, and return to England. ”

“ The province of Efat lies between the 9th and 11th degree of latitude, and is described as a high tract of land running north and south, gradually declining on either side into a Kolla, or low plain, and casting off a number of small streams both in an easterly and westerly direction, some of which fall into the Nile on one side, and the rest into the Hawush on the other ”

“ Bruce. The country which he commands is acknowledged, even by the Tigrians, to form one of the finest portions of Abyssinia, and his power is said to equal that of Ras Welled Selassé; the force which he can bring into the field chiefly consisting of horsemen, much celebrated for their courage in battle. ”

“ The houses in this province, like those in Avergale, bear a resemblance to Egyptian temples, and the inhabitants plait their hair in the same manner as the soldiers of Lasta.
Above Temben, to the westward of Axum, is situated the province of Shiré, which forms a pretty sharp angle with the Tacazze in latitude 14°; and on the opposite side of the river extend still farther westward the districts of Waldubba and Walkayt, both of which continue to pay tribute to the Ras. ”

“ Below this province, to the south, lies a long strip of country, running in an east and west direction, called Wojjerat; the inhabitants of this district are celebrated for their conquest of the Doba, a tribe of negroes residing on their frontier. ”

“ I still retain the opinion I have given in my former observations on this subject, [2] that the Abyssinians or Axomites (as they were called by the Romans) are descended from a race of the aboriginal inhabitants of Africa, composed of native Ethiopians who became in the course of time mixed with settlers from Egypt; and that they do not exhibit any claims to an Arabian descent, as was supposed by the late Mr. Murray ”

“ This chief keeps up a pretty regular intercourse both with Gondar and Antálo, his friendship being cultivated by the rulers of these respective towns, on account of the valuable presents of horses which he occasionally sends them, though the communication between the several states is extremely difficult, owing to the tribes of Galla intervening; a circumstance which often occasions the messengers, sent on these errands, a delay of many months before they can reach their destinations.
The province of Shoa lies, throughout, on a lower level than Efat ”

“ Bruce besides adding largely to our stock of general information, brought to our knowledge several new genera of plants, well as some valuable descriptions of rare animals. He also has the honour of having first introduced into Europe a complete copy of the Scriptures, and a set of the Abyssinian Chronicles, in the Ethiopic language; which valuable collection of MSS. still remains in the hands of the family. ↑ The inhabitants of this province are famous for their skill in cooking. ”

“ Broad cloth will not fetch more than three dollars per yard English measure; but the natives are not particular about quality; colour being the chief thing they regard. Cloth of two colours on the different sides would sell well, either here or in Arabia. ”

“ Abraham Peritsol, in his Itinera Mundi, seems to allude to the Abyssinian monks, when he says, "Et quoque in Roma est istorum Sacerdotum nigritarum societas una numero fere 30, habitantes in Excelso uno novo quod de novo fundatum est nomini ipsorum." Dr. Hyde, the learned translator of this work, has fallen into a singular error respecting these black priests ”

“ Fortunately, our efforts succeeded; for being aided by a strong current which set off from the island, we made a favourable tack to windward; and at noon, being in latitude 12° 23′ 0′′, had the satisfaction of clearing the western point of land, and of finding ourselves again in a situation of comparative safety; after which we ran within a white rock [77] lying off this end of Socotra, and endeavoured to steer close under the lee of that island. ”