his courage as a "jagonah:" but in his last battle was deserted by the troops of Gojam, who are become notorious for their treachery; and by this means fell into the hands of Guxo, who has since kept him closely confined at Gondar, though he dare not put him to death through fear of Ras Welled Selassé, to whom Zoldi had been always strongly attached. The annexation of the provinces of Gojam and Damot to those which he before commanded, rendered Guxo's power absolute on the western side of the Tacazze, which he has continued to keep up by means of his connection with the southern Galla, to whom he is both by birth and manners intimately allied; and he has lately attached them more firmly to him by erecting a splendid house in their country on the southern borders of the lake of Dembea. The strength of his army depends chiefly on his cavalry, drawn from the province of Begemder;[1] and of these he is said to be able to bring twenty thousand into the field; but even this numerous body constitutes a force very inadequate to offensive war against an enemy whose habitations may be properly described as "resting upon the hills." The government of Guxo is said to be guided by no principle of justice; the king lives in almost total neglect, with only a few attendants, at Gondar, the capital of Dembea:[2] and a poor man is afraid to wear a good cloth there, lest it should be stripped from his back by a ferocious Galla.
The third or southern division of Abyssinia, (coloured green in the map) which is now entirely separated from the others by the Galla, consists of the united provinces of Shoa and Efat.
The province of Efat lies between the 9th and 11th degree of latitude, and is described as a high tract of land running north and south, gradually declining on
- ↑ The following names of places were recognized in Begemder. Anjabet, Esté near Lasta and governed by Shoote Aylo, Gúna, Makét near Angote, Mashalama, Nefas Musa, Smada, Tiama, Wudo and Wainadga, which latter place is famous for its grapes.
- ↑ Dembea is commanded by a dependent of Guxo; yet, notwithstanding the enmity between these chiefs and Ras Welled Selassé, considerable intercourse is carried on from Gondar to Adowa, as well as Antálo, by the two separate roads of Lamalmon and Inchetkaub.
