ly
at one end with so violent a rapidity, that the waters of the Nile may be
distinguished through all the passage, which is 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 water-falls in the world: I passed under it without being
wet; and resting myself there, 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. The fall of this mighty
stream from so great a height makes a noise that may be heard to a
considerable distance; but I could not observe that the neighbouring
inhabitants were at all deaf. I conversed with several, and was as
easily heard by them as I heard them. The mist that rises from this fall
of water may be seen much farther than the noise can be heard. After
this cataract the Nile again collects its scattered stream among the
rocks, which seem to be disjoined in this place only to afford it a
passage. They are so near each other that, in my time, a bridge of
beams, on which the whole Imperial army passed, was laid over them.
Sultan Segued hath since built here a bridge of one arch in the same
place, for which purpose he procured masons from India. This bridge,
which is the first the Abyssins have seen on the Nile, very much
facilitates a communication between the provinces, and encourages
commerce among the inhabitants of his empire.

Here the river alters its course, and passes through many various
kingdoms; on the east it leaves Begmeder, or the Land of Sheep, so called
from great numbers that are bred there, beg, in that language, signifying
sheep, and meder, a country. It then waters the kingdoms of Amhara,
Olaca, Choaa, and Damot, which lie on the left side, and the kingdom of
Goiama, which it bounds on the right, forming by its windings a kind of
peninsula. Then entering Bezamo, a province of the kingdom of Damot, and
Gamarchausa, part of Goiama, it returns within a short day's journey of
its spring; though to pursue it through all its mazes, and accompany it
round the kingdom of Goiama, is a journey of twenty-nine days. So far,
and a few days' journey farther, this river confines itself to Abyssinia,
and then passes into the bordering countries of Fazulo and Ombarca.

These vast regions we have little knowledge of: they are inhabited by
nations