Chapter XXVIII: Book VI (14)

[98] Ludolf, in his dictionary, says, this word, in Hebrew, signifies any tall tree. In this, however, he is mistaken. The translators did not, indeed, know what tree it was, and so have said this to cover their ignorance; but Arz is as exclusively the oxy-cedrus, as is an oak or an elm when so named. Arz is indeed a tall tree, but every tall tree is not Arz, which is the Virginia berry-bearing cedar.

[99] See Ludolf, lib. iii. cap. 2. N^o. 17.

[100] Prince of Shoa, often spoken of in the sequel.

[101] Vide Alvarez’s narrative in his account of the embassy of Don Roderigo de Lima, page 155.

[102] Vid. Alvarez, hoc loco.

[103] Tournef. tom. i. p. 111.

[104] See the Ethiopic liturgies passim. Ludolf, lib. iii. cap. 5.

[105] Gen. chap. ix. ver. 22.

[106] Exod. chap. iv. ver. 25.

[107] Gen. chap. xvii. ver. 14.

[108] Lib. xvii. p. 950.

[109] The reader will observe, by the obscurity of this passage, that it is with reluctance I have been determined to mention it at all; but as it is an historical fact, which has had material consequences, I have thought it not allowable to omit it altogether. Any naturalist, wishing for more particular information, may consult the French copy.

[110] Deut. chap. xiv. ver. 1.

[111] Encom. 12th October, Od. 3. tom. 1. Ann. Alexan. p.m. 363.

[112] The largest court, or outer space, surrounding the king’s house.

[113] It signifies the hill, or high ground.

[114] Maguzet.

[115] Guilty of our blood, and subject to the laws of retaliation.

[116] This is a large church belonging to the palace, called by this extraordinary name, _Noah’s Ark_.

[117] See a figure of this bird in the Appendix.

[118] Polymnia frondosa.

[119] This affected ignorance was probably intended to bring me to mention the donation the king had given me of Geesh, which he never much relished, and made effectually useless to me.

[120] It is with pleasure I confess the man then in my mind was my brave friend Sir William Erskine.

[121] The person here called old Fasil, is Kasmati Waragna, in the time of Yasous II.

[122] By this is meant the Amharic, for in Geez the word for snow is Tilze: this may have been invented for translating the scriptures.

[123] Hortus Siccus, a large book for extending and preserving dry plants.

[124] Vol. II. b. ii. chap. v.

[125] Arrianus de Exped. Alexandri, lib. vi.

[126] Another reason why I think this journey of the centurions is fictitious is, that they say the distance between Syene and Meroë is 660 miles. Plin. lib. 6. cap. 29.

[127] Pliny, Nat. Hist. lib. v. cap. 9.

[128] In Œdipo Syntagma, I. cap. vii. p. 57.

[129] I never heard that Cyrus had attempted this discovery.

[130] Called, in the Ethiopic annals _Hendaqué_; wrote originally, I suppose, with an _X_ or _Ch_.

[131] Lib. v. cap. 9. Nat. Hist.

[132] Diod. Sicul. Bibliothec. lib. i. p. 20.

[133] Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. v. cap. 9.

[134] From a nation of Shangalla of that name, through which it runs, after having passed its source, and taken its course into Nubia.

[135] Plin. Nat. Hist. lib. v. cap. 9.

[136] Jerem. chap. ii. ver. xviii.

[137] Diod. Sic. lib. i.

[138] Pausanius Arcad. chap. xvii.

[139] 1 Kings, chap. xviii. ver. 43.

[140] See this figure in Dr Shaw, chap. ii. sect. 3. p. 385.

[141] Herod, lib. ii. p. 127. sect. 109.

[142] Several Arabian MSS. attest this.

[143] Shaamy and Taamy, of whom we have already spoken.

[144] Herod. Eut. sect. 4, 5. Diod. Sic. lib. iii. p. 101. Arist. Meteorol. lib. i. cap. 14.

[145] Deut. chap. iii. ver. 11.

[146] Encyclop. voce Cubit.

[147] Vide Encyclop. voce Cubit.

[148] Herod. lib. ii. sect. 168. p. 149.

[149] The king’s yearly land-tax, or rent.

[150] Gen. chap. xlvii. ver. 20 & 23.

[151] This was apparently the reason why Joseph, who had bought not only the lands, but the people of Egypt likewise, transferred them from farms, not convenient for them, to others where they could thrive. The same they do spontaneously at this day, now they are free.

[152] Dr Shaw, chap. ii, sect. 3. p. 383.

[153] Psalm lxxviii. ver. 12.

[154] Herod. eut. sect. 13.

[155] Herod. lib. ii. sect. 19.

[156] Herod. lib. ii. sect. 4. 101. and 149.

[157] Strabo, lib. xiii. p. 945.

[158] Strabo, lib. xvii. p. 915.

[159] Plin. lib. xxxvi. cap. 7. Philost. de icon. Nili.

[160] Julian. Epist. egdicio prefecto Egypti.

[161] Procop. lib. iii. de Reb. Goth.

[162] Or Nilometer.

[163] Vid. geometrical elevation and plan of the Mikeas.

[164] We know that these lakes were dug, and in use as early as Moses’s time. Exod. chap vii. ver. 19. chap. viii. ver. 5.

[165] A. C. 622.

[166] Shaw’s Travels, chap. ii. sect. 3. p. 382.

[167] Descript. of the East, vol. I. p. 256.

[168] A View of the Levant, p. 282. 284. 286.

[169] Shaw, p. 380. 381.

[170] Descript. de l’Egypte, p. 60.

[171] Pococke, vol. i. p. 199, 200.

[172] Pococke, vol. i. p. 201.

[173] See Table, or Register of Rain, that fell in these years, inserted at the end of this volume.

[174] Shaw’s Travels, sect. 4. p. 401.

[175] Alph. d’Albuquerque, Comment. lib. iv. cap. 7.

[176] Vol. I. b. ii. chap. 8.

[177] See this letter in the life of that prince.

[178] In Abyssinia, the 24th June.

[179] Herod. lib. ii. p. 98. sect. 28.

[180] Vid. Ludolf in Proemio Histor. Æthiop. 1. 8. Id. lib. i. cap. viii. p. 178. Leo Africanus in descrip. Africa, lib. i. cap. vii.

[181] Plin. lib. v. cap. 8.

[182] Accountant of the Agows.

[183] See a very remarkable letter of Ras Sela Christos to the emperor Socinios, in Balthazar Tellez, tom. 2. p. 496.

[Transcriber's Note:

Inconsistent punctuation and capitalization are as in the original.

Inconsistent spelling and hyphenation are as in the original.]