of Samen or Simien,
the whole country had the appearance of the raging waves of the sea in a
terrible tempest. The soil around the upper branches of the Tacazze is
very good, especially in Wofila, Boora, and Enderta, adjoining the fine
river Tyana; but it is only indifferently cultivated, owing to the
perpetual wars and feuds amongst the chieftains and tribes in these
parts, and the bad and unsettled governments which now exist in Tigre,
and, in fact, in all Abyssinia. Travelling in these parts is difficult
and insecure, owing to the plundering dispositions of the people, and
the rapacity of the chiefs, who live beyond the control of any
commanding or great sovereign power. At Gatera Mr Krapf was robbed of
every thing that he had by the ferocious Woollo-Galla chief, _Adara
Bille_, from whose clutches he escaped with some difficulty.

But time and space forbids me going more at length into the interesting
journeys of these late eastern travellers, amongst which those of Major
Harris is certainly the most important. He has accurately determined,
and been the first to determine, the longitude and latitude of Tajoura,
Lake Assal or the Salt Lake, and Ankobar, &c., and thus given correct
starting points from which to regulate the bearings and distances of the
other very interesting places in the interior. The bay of Tajoura
affords good anchorage; but the best point to start for the interior is
Zeila, the route thence to Shoa running along the edges of the watered
and more cultivated districts.

Amongst the travellers who visited this quarter of Africa lately is Dr
T. C. Beke. He, however, went over the same ground as the others in his
journey from Tajoura to Ankobar, (Messrs Krapf and Isenberg had preceded
him a considerable time;) therefore his letters and communications, so
far as yet known, contain little that is new. The only portion connected
with Shoa which the others had not visited, is about thirty-five miles
of the lower course of the Jimma, near its junction with the Abay, where
the latter stream is about 600 feet broad, and from three to five feet
deep. His subsequent travels in this part of Africa were confined to
Gojam, Damot, and part of Agow Medre, and to the source of the Nile; but
except being more minute in minor details regarding these provinces and
their numerous small streams and rivers, they add little to the
information given by Bruce. Still his journey, when given to the world,
may supply us with s