thou art protected against a violent death; thou art protected against
fire; thou art not ruined on earth, and thou escapest in heaven."

XX.

THE LAND SHADOWING WITH WINGS--EGYPT UNDER THE ETHIOPIANS

The name of Ethiopia was applied in ancient times, much as the term
Soudan is applied now, vaguely to the East African interior south of
Egypt, from about lat. 24 deg. to about lat. 9 deg.. The tract was for the most
part sandy or rocky desert, interspersed with oases, but contained along
the course of the Nile a valuable strip of territory; while, south and
south-east of the point where the Nile receives the Atbara, it spread
out into a broad fertile region, watered by many streams, diversified by
mountains and woodlands, rich in minerals, and of considerable
fertility. At no time did the whole of this vast tract--a thousand miles
long by eight or nine hundred broad--form a single state or monarchy.
Rather, for the most part, was it divided up among an indefinite number
of states, or rather of tribes, some of them herdsmen, others hunters or
fishermen, very jealous of their independence, and frequently at war one
with another. Among the various tribes there was a certain community of
race, a resemblance of physical type, and a similarity of language.
Their neighbours, the Egyptians, included them all under a single ethnic
name, speaking of them as Kashi or Kushi--a term manifestly identical
with the Cush or Cushi of the Hebrews. They were a race cognate with the
Egyptians, but darker in complexion and coarser in feature--not by any
means negroes, but still more nearly allied to the negro than the
Egyptians were. Their best representatives in modern times are the
pure-bred Abyssinian tribes, the Gallas, Wolaitzas, and the like, who
are probably their descendants.

The portion of Ethiopia which lay nearest to Egypt had been from a very
early date penetrated by Egyptian influence. Wars with "the miserable
Kashi" began as far back as the time of Usurtasen I.; and Usurtasen III.
carried his arms beyond the Second Cataract, and attached the northern
portion of Ethiopia to Egypt. The great kings of the eighteenth dynasty,
Thothmes III., Amenhotep II., and Amenhotep III., proceeded still
further southward; and the last of these monarchs built a temple to
Ammon at Napata, near the modern Gebel Berkal. The Ethiopians of this
region, a plastic race, adopted to a considerable extent the Egyptian
civilization, wo