Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 1.djvu/239

 difficult to traverse. "Hanfili, which is supposed to be the ancient port of "Antiphyllus, is useless except for working the saline lake Alalbed and the neighbouring pearl fisheries. The little harbour of Edd, some 120 miles from the Abyssinian chain, is also surrounded, like Ilawakil Bay, by volcanoes and rugged rocks which render the country almost inaccessible. A trading company of Nantes had acquired possession of this port, but, being unable to derive any advantage from it, offered it to the French Government, which declined the costly present. The company ultimately ceded all its rights to the Khedive.

The political and administrative divisions of Abyssinia undergo endless changes according to the power of the vassals and the caprice of the sovereign. Certain chiefs rule over several provinces and even possess the title of king, like the râs of Gojam, who was crowned in 1881, whilst others are fain to rest satisfied with a simple canton. In 1882 the largest fiefs numbered twenty-four, of which four were governed by râs (chiefs) of the first rank, five by those of the second rank, and fifteen administered by chiefs bearing the title of shion. But in spite of the political vicissitudes, most of the Abyssinian districts have retained their names and their general contours, as indicated by the very relief and nature of the geological formations themselves. Without including the vassal realm of Shoa, the tributary states beyond the Abaï, the Galla districts and the northern territories recently annexed, the Ayssinian empire at present comprises the four governments of Amhara, Gojam, Lasta, and Tigré, which, with their several provinces, fluvial basins, and chief towns, will be found tabulated in the Appendix.