which those of-Damot pay to the Nile* According' to Bruce
their appelation is Ag-oha, or Shepherds of the River ; and
the fact of their bearing the- same name is no proof of kindred
origin. Mr. Salt terms the last-mentioned tribe Agows
of the Tacazze. He says that the country inhabited by them
extends from Lasta to the borders of Shire; from which it
appears that they reach nearly through the whole of Abyssinia,
occupying the banks of the river, and dwelling between
Tigré and Amhara. From a vocabulary of their language
which Mr. Salt has given, we discover that they are a distinct
race 'from the Tigrani, as well as from the Amhara.
They scarcely differ from the other AbyssiniaUs in physical
-character, except that the Agows are, according to Salt, “ on
the whole„a stouter race, and in general not so active in their
habits.” Mr. Salt says, that they were converted to Christianity
in the seventeenth century, and are very strict in their
demotions. The people of each village assemble^ before the
doors of their chiefs at the earliest dawn, and recite their
prayers in a rude chorus.
^[ 4. The Falasha.
The Falasha are a people whose present condition, suggests
many curious inquiries, and the investigation of whose history
may hereafter throw light on that of the Abyssinians
and of their literature and ecclesiastical antiquities. Bruce
has given an account of their traditious which are evidently
in a great measure fabulous. They are all Jews as to religion,
and probably were such before the era of the conversion
of the Abyssins to Christianity ; and the fact that they
have in use among them the Gheez version of the Old Testament
affords, in Mr. Bruce’s opinion, a strong argument
that that version existed in Abyssinia before the time of Fru-
mentius, who is believed by Ludolf to have been the author
of it us well as of the version of the New Testament in
use among the Abyssins.* The Falasha derive their origin
* Ludolf says that they have among them the Hebrew Bible, but he weakens
his testimony, or rather that of his informant, probably Gregorius, by adding
that they use among themselves a corrupt Talmudic dialect. The Falasha
language, of which Mr. Bruce has given specimens, and in which he brought with
froiri^Palestine; but their language; which is said to have no
affinity with Hebrewysfeems fally’to refute this preten-
^According 'to Bruce--fliteriFhlarsba- fwe r&\powe r ful at
the erU!i$f the cenversiq^of the Ahyusins todChristianityf
They were formerlyl*af criste*- ofb^ott/eks and tile-makers in the
low country of Dembbu, until^lo'wingsto'religidife ariimoiilliiy
and becoming weakened ii^pn^^ars,' 'they^jveres driven*'-out
thence, and took refuge dn ruggSd^tand -almost ^alfele'isiMe
rocks, in the high ridge Whiled the mountains; ofrSarnrin, where
•they’live under princes''of-their owny bearing; HebrevP names,
and pay tribute to the negush.
Mr. Bruce? found, on his return froth G^ndar^ardbtabfred
trilfl of the Falasha, itermed.;- Kimmout, who had
verted to Christianity, but retained the customs and l^ngu^e
of their kindred.*}* They lived separately ih a1 hill coumtify to
the nortH-east/of Gondar, It is probable’that Falasha
and Agows ‘were at one period thd principal inhabitantseM
the south-eastern parts of Abyssinia.’ '
, ^i ’5. G§.fats.: | |
'r'The Gafats are another tribe1 Of people in Abyssinia, havhig
a language of their own, arid living on the srihthern.banks
the Nile, near Damot!’ Accordiri^jtq Mr. Bruce, they h'avp
always “been pagans, if their own traditiori is riqrfect; ' and
partakers with their neighbours, the Agows, in the worship of
the Nile.;};
5[ 6. Gongas and Enareans.
The people of the province of Gonga, according to Ludolf,
constitute a sixth Abyssinian nation. They have a language
distinct from all those above enumerated, but the sariae with
that spoken by the people of Narea or Enarea, to the southward
of Habesh. The Eriareans have long beeri^Christians.
him a version of the Canticles, is now well known to be quite alien from the Hebrew
language. See Ludolfs Histor. ,®thiop. Ub. i. c. 14.
# Vater, Mithridates, th. i i i . ' •ƒ■ Bruce’s Travels, vol. iv.
$ Bruce’s Travels, vol. i. p. 402.