The Highlands of Æthiopia. Volume 1
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The highlands of Æthiopia. Volume 1 http://www.aluka.org/action/showMetadata?doi=10.5555/AL.CH.DOCUMENT.sip100044 Use of the Aluka digital library is subject to Aluka’s Terms and Conditions, available at http://www.aluka.org/page/about/termsConditions.jsp. By using Aluka, you agree that you have read and will abide by the Terms and Conditions. Among other things, the Terms and Conditions provide that the content in the Aluka digital library is only for personal, non-commercial use by authorized users of Aluka in connection with research, scholarship, and education. The content in the Aluka digital library is subject to copyright, with the exception of certain governmental works and very old materials that may be in the public domain under applicable law. Permission must be sought from Aluka and/or the applicable copyright holder in connection with any duplication or distribution of these materials where required by applicable law. Aluka is a not-for-profit initiative dedicated to creating and preserving a digital archive of materials about and from the developing world. For more information about Aluka, please see http://www.aluka.org The highlands of Æthiopia. Volume 1 Author/Creator Harris, William Cornwallis, Sir Date 1844 Resource type Books Language English Subject Coverage (spatial) Horn of Africa, Ethiopia, Axum;Lalibela, Eritrea Source Smithsonian Institution Libraries, DT377 .H317 1844/963 H317h.2 Description Chapter I: The House of Solomon. Chap. II: The Lineage of Shoa. Chap. III: The Monarch and the Court. Chap. IV: The Reigning Despot. Chap. V: The Government and the Royal Household. Chap. VI: Galla Dependencies in the south. Chap.VII: The Galla Nation. Chap. VIII: Unexplored countries to the South. Chap. IX: The River Gochob. Chap. X: Existing Christian Remnants. Chap. XI. The Conversion of Ethiopia. Chap. XII: Efforts of the Apostolic Church. Chap. XIII: The Religious War. Chap. XIV: Temporary submission to the Pope of Rome. Chap. XV: Expulsion of the Jesuits from Ethiopia. Chap. XVI. The Church, Second Great Power in Shoa. Chap. XVII: Abyssinian rites and practices which would appear to have been borrowed from the Hebrews. Chap. XVIII: The People. Chap. XIX: Social and Moral Condition. Chap XX: Language and Literature. Chap. XXI: Theological Controversies. Chap. XXII: Christmas Festivities. Chap. XXIII: Feast of the Epiphany. Chap. XXIV: Excursion to Berhut, on the Southeastern frontier of Shoa. Chap. XXV: The Royal Granary at Dummakoo. Chap. XXVI: Aden on the Casam river, the territory of the Adel sub-tribe Gareemra Damoosa. Chap. XXVII: Triumph over the Forest bull. Chap. XXVIII: Return to Dummakoo. Chap. XXIX: The Karaiyo Galla. Craters of Saboo and Fantali. Chap. XXX: The Aroosi Galla. Great crater of Winzegoor. Volcanic wells. Wilderness of Taboo. Chap. XXXI: The Kingdom of Shoa. Chap. XXXII: Termination of the fast of Lent. Chap. XXXIII: Festivities of http://www.aluka.org Easter: Chap. XXXIV: Saint George's Day. Chap. XXXV: Slavery and the slave trade in Shoa. Chap. XXXVI: Introduction of Slavery into Abyssinia. Chap. XXXVII: Operation of legitimate commerce upon the slave trade in Northeastern Africa. Chap. XXXVIII: Commerce with the eastern coast of Africa. Chap. XXXIX: Navigation of the River Gochob. Chap. XL: The Second winter in Shoa. Chap. XLI: The Gothic Hall. Chap. XLII: The "Pro Rex of Efat" in tribulation. Chap. XLIII: The Bereavement. Chap. XLIV: The Great Annual Foray. Chap. XLV: Liberation of the Princes of the Blood Royal of Shoa. Format extent 443 pages (length/size) http://www.aluka.org/action/showMetadata?doi=10.5555/AL.CH.DOCUMENT.sip100044 http://www.aluka.org LIBRARY fAOF THE4 Folls Mission Institute, Class / Author Volume) ~ THE HIGHLANDS OF XTHIOPIA DESCRIBED, DURING EIGHTEEN MONTHS' RESIDENCE OF Sritisb Omasop AT THE CHRISTIAN COURT OF SHOA. Excitet Dominus Optimus Maximus Principum nostrorum animos, ut pervetustme huic Christiana nationi opem ferant, Christianismo in tam remotis mundi partibus proferendo utilem, sibique omni aevo gloriosam futuram. LUDOLFI, Hist. AEthiop. LONDON: Printed by A. SpoTi'swooDE, New- Street- Square. ILANDS OF ]ETHIOPIA. BY MAJOR W. CORNWALLIS HARRIS, OF THE HON. E. I. COMPANY 'S ENGINEERS OF WILD SPORTS IN SOUTHERN AFRICA," "PORTRAITS OF AFRfCAN GAME ANIMALS," ETC. I~l LONGMANS, CONTENTS or THE THIRD VOLUME. The House of Solomon CHAPTER I. Page -1 CHAP. II, The Lineage of Shoa CHAP. III. The Monarch and the Court - CHAP. IV. The Reigning Despot CHAP. V. The Government and the Royal Household CHAP. VI. Galla Dependencies in the South CHAP. VII. The Galla Nation - 11 - 20 - 28 - 36 Viii CONTENTS. CHAP. VIII. Page Unexplored Countries to the South - 53 CHAP. IX. The River Gochob - 67 CHAP. X. Existing Christian Remnants - - 74 CHAP. XI. The Conversion of JEthiopia - 84 CHAP. XII. Efforts of the Apostolic Church - 92 CHAP. XIII. The Religious War 103 CHAP. XIV. Temporary submission to the Pope of Rome - - 112 CHAP. XV. Expulsion of the Jesuits from .Ethiopia - - 122 CHAP. XVI. The Church, Second Great Power in Shoa - - 129 CHAP. XVIL Abyssinian Rites and Practices which would appear to have been borrowed from the Hebrews 144 - CHAP. XVIII. The People CONTENTS. CHAP. XIX. Social and Moral Condition - Page - 166 CHAP. XX. Language and Literature - 178 CHAP. XXI. Theological Controversies - 186 CHAP. XXII. Christmas Festivities - - 192 CHAP. XXIII. Feast of the Epiphany - - 200 CHAP. XXIV. Excursion to Berhut, on the South-eastern Frontier of Shoa CHAP. XXV. The Royal Granary at Dummakoo CHAP. XXVI. Aden on the Casam river, the Territory of the Adel sub-tribe Gareemra Damoosa -- CHAP. XXVII. Triumph over the Forest bull - CHAP. XXVIII. Return to Dummakoo - - CHAP. XXIX. - 230 The Karaiyo Galla. - Craters of Saboo and Fantgli -247 X CONTENTS. CHAP. XXX. Page The Aroosi Galla. - Great crater of Winzegoor.-Volcanic wells. - Wilderness of Taboo - 256 CHAP. XXXI. The Kingdom of Shoa CH AP. XXXII. Termination of the Fast of Lent CHAP. XXXIII. Festivities of Easter CHAP. XXXIV. Saint George's Day CHAP. XXXV. Slavery and the Slave Trade in Shoa CHAP. XXXVI. Introduction of Slavery into Abyssinia CHAP. XXXVII. Operation of legitimate Commerce upon the in North-eastern Africa - - - 267 - 276 - 285 - 291 - 299 - 311 Slave Trade CHAP. XXXVIII. Commerce with the Eastern Coast of Africa. CHAP. XXXIX. Navigation of the River Gochob CHAP. XL. The Second winter in Shoa - - 329 337 - 345 CONTENTS. xi CHAP. XLI. Page The Gothic Hall - - 351 CHAP. XLII. The "Pro Rex of Ef~t" in tribulation 357 CHAP. XLIII. The Bereavement - 366 CHAP. XLIV. The Great Annual Foray - - - 372 CHAP. XLV. Liberation of the Princes of the Blood Royal of Shoa - 382 APPENDIX. No. 1. - Catalogue of extant MSS. in the IEthiopic and Amharic tongues - - - 393 No. 2. - Senkesar, or Synaxaria. The Calendar of the Ethiopic Christian Church - - - 397 No. 3.-On the Cotton and Coffee Tree of Southern Abyssinia - - - - 427 THE HIGHLANDS OF AETHIOP1A, ETC. CHAPTER I. THE HOUSE OF SOLOMON. ,ETHIOPIA is the classical appellation for Abyssinia, or H6 besh, the most ancient as well as the greatest monarchy in Africa. It is by the latter title that the inhabitants themselves, and all their circumjacent neighbours, still distinguish the highlands included between Nubia and the sources of the blue Nile; and the limits of the Christian empire, governed by the sovereigns of Axum, formerly extended over wide tracts of country, now peopled by, heathen and stranger nations. The early history of HAbesh is lost in the fogs of fable. In the Chronicles styled Kebra za Negest, "the glory of the kings," a romance which pretends to be a faithful repository of the past, Ittopia VOL. III. B THE QUEEN OF SHEBA. is modestly stated to have divided with Romia the dominion of the world, received in direct inheritance from Adam.-" Their rulers were both descended from Shem, who was nominated the lineal descendant of Noah, whence all the globe north of Jerusalem belonged unto the former, and all south to the latter!" This record is believed to have been discovered in the church of St. Sophia, and it claims for the present royal family descent from the Queen of Sheba, whose visit to King Solomon is stated to have placed the sceptre in the hands of the tribe of Judah, with whom it has remained until the present day; and from the peasant to the despot this legend is firmly believed by every native of Abyssinia. " The Queen of ,Ethiopia," saith the Chronicle, "whose name was Maqueda, had heard from the merchant Tamerin of the wisdom and the glory of King Solomon; and resolving to visit him in his own country, she proceeded to the land of Israel with all the rich presents that her empire could afford." After a season the royal lady returned; and her son Menilek, the result of her visit to the greatest potentate of the age, was born, and in due time transmitted to his august sire. The young prince was duly instructed in all the mysteries of Jewish law and science, and being anointed king under the name of David, he was returned to his native MENILEK IBN HAKIM. land, escorted by a large suite of the nobles of Israel, and a band of her most learned elders under the direction of Ascarias, the son of Zadok the High Priest. The gates of the temple of Jerusalem were left unguarded, and the doors miraculously opened in order that the holy ark of Zion and the tables of the law might without difficulty be stolen and carried away. The journey was prosperously performed, and the Queen-mother, on resigning the reins of authority to her son, at her death, about nine hundred and seventy years before the birth of Christ, caused a solemn obligation to be sworn by all, that henceforward no female should hold sway in the land; and that those princes of the blood royal upon whom the crown did not devolve, should, until the succession opened to them, or during the natural term of existence, be kept close prisoners on a lofty mountain; a cruel and despotic enactment, which, through a long succession of ages, was jealously observed.