e Nile, its waters, after their first rise, run
towards the east, about the length of a musket-shot; then, turning
northward, continue hidden in the grass and weeds for about a quarter of
a league, when they reappear amongst a quantity of rocks. The Nile, from
its source, proceeds with so inconsiderable a current that it is in
danger of being dried up by the hot season; but soon receiving an
increase from the Gemma, the Keltu, the Bransa, and the other smaller
rivers, it expands to such a breadth in the plains of Boad, which is not
above three days' journey from its source, that a musket-ball will
scarcely fly from one bank to the other. Here it begins to run
northward, winding, however, a little to the east, for the space of nine
or ten leagues, and then enters the so-much-talked-of lake of Dambia,
flowing with such violent rapidity, that its waters may be distinguished
through the whole passage, which is no less than six leagues. Here
begins the greatness of the Nile. Fifteen miles farther, in the land of
Alata, it rushes precipitately from the top of a high rock, and forms
one of the most beautiful waterfalls in the world. Lobo says, he passed
under it without being wet, and resting himself, for the sake of the
coolness, was charmed with a thousand delightful rainbows, which the
sunbeams painted on the water, in all their shining and lively
colours[e]. The fall of this mighty stream, from so great a height,
makes a noise that may be heard at a considerable distance: but it was
not found, that the neighbouring inhabitants were deaf. After the
cataract, the Nile collects its scattered stream among the rocks, which
are so near each other, that, in Lobo's time, a bridge of beams, on
which the whole imperial army passed, was laid over them. Sultan Sequed
has since built a stone bridge of one arch, in the same place, for which
purpose he procured masons from India. Here the river alters its course,
and passes through various kingdoms, such as Amhara, Olaca, Choaa,
Damot, and the kingdom of Goiama, and, after various windings, returns
within a short day's journey of its spring. To pursue it through all its
mazes, and accompany it round the kingdom of Goiama, is a journey of
twenty-nine days. From Abyssinia, the river passes into the countries of
Fazulo and Ombarca, two vast regions little known, inhabited by nations
entirely different from the Abyssins. Their hair, like that of the other
blacks in those regions, is short and