Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 4.djvu/304

 lowed by a whale, or some other such great fish. They are hewers of wood, and carriers of water, to Gondar, and are held in great detestation by the Abyssinians.

We crossed the river to the miserable village of Door-Macary, which is on the east side of it; and there we took up our quarters, after a short but very fatiguing, day's journey. The people shewed great signs of uneasiness upon our first appearance, and much reluctance to admit us under their roofs; and discovering that we were not any of those that had the honour of being descended from the prophet Jonah, they hid all their pots and drinking-vessels, lest they should be prophaned by our using them. From Door-Macary we discovered a high mountainous ridge, with a very rugged top, stretching from North to South, and towering up in the middle of the forest, about five miles distance; it is called Badjena.

On the 28th, a little after mid-day, we passed Toom Aredo; and went, first East, then turned North, into the great road. We soon after passed a number of villages; those on the high mountain Badjena on the East, and those belonging to the church of Koscam on the West, Continuing still North, inclining very little to the West, we came to a steep and rugged descent, at the foot of which runs the Mogetch, in a course straight North; this descent is called the And. At a quarter past two we passed the Mogetch, our direction N. W. It is here a large, swift running stream, perfectly clear, and we halted some time to refresh ourselves upon its banks; remembering how very different it was from what we had once left it, discoloured with blood, and chok-