which has been already mentioned. A great preponderance of rain must be expected there; because it contains the White River, the source to which Bruce especially refers the overflowing of the Nile; while a climate variable between considerable cold and extreme heat, according to the elevation, must also result from the inequality of the surface. Whatever weight these observations may carry with them, it may be added, that a country of variable winds, to the S. W. of the Persian Gulph, does not, as I imagine, exist; nor any other situation under the necessary parallels of latitude, in which we can suppose snow and occasional cold to be known to the natives. It may be inferred indeed that a very different temperature to that which we ourselves regard as cold, would be considered as such, by persons accustomed to the occasional occurrence of extreme heat, and to a climate in general more temperate than our's; and therefore we may regard these expressions as comparative, and rather as indicating the inconvenience felt by a native, than as marking any precise thermometrical degree of cold.

With regard to the hot wind which is here said

to blow from the south-east, and to the "scorching "and perdition" ascribed to the south-west quarter, we must remember that Abyssinia, like Arabia, is occasionally subject to that terrible scourge the Simoom. Mr, Bruce mentions that in his journey over the mountains of Chigre or Tigra, he himself experienced the evil effects of it. "Idris, our

guide, called out, fall upon your faces! for here "is the Simoom! I saw from the south-east a "haze come in colour like the purple part of a

rainbow, but not so thick. It did not occupy

twenty yards in breadth, and was about twelve "feet from the ground. We all lay flat upon the "ground as if dead, till Idris told us it was blown

over. The meteor or purple haze which I had

seen was indeed passed, but the light air that "still blew was of heat to threaten suffocation. "For my part I found distinctly in my breast that "I had imbibed a part of it, nor was I free of an "asthmatic affection till near two years afterward."

Thus the hot wind ascribed to the south-east as well as the destruction from the south-west may be accounted for, if we refer the description to the

climate of Abyssinia. Nor is the fact that this effect is not attributed to the south wind, unimportant. The high range of the mountains, to the southward, running nearly east and west, it will be seen that the hot winds could only occur, when driven from the deserts to the westward, or from the country to the S. E. without passing over the mountains, and thus becoming cooled by its contact with their snowy elevations.

If then we can only refer the expression of a wind which carries with it "heat and perdition' to the Samiel or Simoom, and if as I believe, this wind is confined to the deserts of Africa and Arabia and to the intermediate country, it seems that the conjunction of this occurrence, with that of snow under the same climate, can only be accounted for by the presence of such mountains, as we know are to be found in Abyssinia.

But this author (Translation page 28,) gives also a general description of the course of the rivers, which seems to agree very remarkably with the map of Abyssinia, published by Mr. Bruce.*

Travels, vol. 5.

"Seven high mountains I beheld, higher than "all the mountains of the earth, from which frost "proceeds, while days, seasons, and years, depart "and pass away."

"Seven rivers I beheld on earth, greater than all "rivers, One of which takes its course from the "west. Into a great sea, its water flows. Two come from the north to the sea, their waters

66

flowing into the Erythrean sea, on the east. And "with respect to the remainder, four take their

course in the cavity of the north, two to their sea "the Erythrean sea, and two are poured into a

great sea, where also it is said there is a desert."

The map of Mr. Bruce's travels represents four large rivers, as taking their rise in the mountains to the southward of Dembea, and running with east and south-east courses, into the sea on the

eastern coast.

The same map shews not only the Nile running to the northward after leaving the lake of Dembea, and gradually forming a half circle as it passes through the mountains, but also another river, now known as the "Bahr el Abiad," which joins the Nile at some distance to the northward, hav

ing taken its rise far in the south-west part of Abyssinia.

Of this river Mr. Bruce says, when speaking of the causes of the annual inundation of the Nile, "All would not find their way into Egypt were it "not for the white river, which rising in a country "of almost perpetual rain, joins to it a never fail“ing stream, equal to the Nile itself.”

As I have not the means of consulting the original manuscript, I can only conjecture from the map laid down by Mr. Bruce, that the river here spoken of as flowing into a great sea, may possibly be that portion of the Nile which runs from the eastward before it empties itself into the great lake of Dembea. This may be the case without any impeachment of the accuracy of the learned translator, because it may have happened that the Ethi

Bahere” ባ ሕር

opic word here used was "Bahere,” c of which word Ludolph says, (Lexicon 228,) "Nomen generale est, et tam mare, quam lacus,

stagna, et flumina magna, complectitur." I am the rather inclined to this supposition from observing that the sea, is also mentioned immediately afterwards, as if there were some distinction between the two meanings.