bib's district) and Zewan Búr,[1] or Upper Búr, the district of Shum Woldo, which are all now ruled by separate chieftains, styled either Shum, Kantiba or Baharnegash, of whom I have had occasion to speak sufficiently in the course of my different journies through their respective territories.
The second division of Abyssinia (coloured blue in the map) is always termed by the natives of the country Amhara, an appellation, in all probability, retained on account of the language prevailing there, notwithstanding that province[2] properly so called, has been, for a long time, almost entirely in the possession of the Galla. This division comprehends the provinces of Begemder, Menna, Belessen, Foggora, Dembea, Tcherkin, Kuara, Tchelga, Maitsha, Gojam and Damot, the whole of which may be considered, at present, as under the command of a chief called Guxo, the great opponent of Ras Welled Selassé. This chief, in the first instance, held the command over Begemder and the eastern provinces only, having succeeded, in fact, to the power held by Powussen during the time of Mr. Bruce's visit to the country; but he afterwards greatly increased his consequence by the conquest of Zoldi, a celebrated chief who succeeded to the power of Fasil in the provinces of Damot and Gojam. This latter was highly celebrated for
- ↑ This word means "pass," and has a connection with the Búr taakti or lower Búr in the hands of the Hazorta on the coast. These constituted, I have no doubt, the great road from Adulé to Axum.
- ↑ The Galla, who have conquered Amhara, have since adopted, in a great measure, the more civilized manners of the Abyssinians, dressing in the same way, and living in the same style. The following names of districts in Amhara (mentioned by Ludolf) were recognized by intelligent persons with whom I conversed on the subject at Chelicut, though, as their relative situations could not be ascertained, many of them have not been inserted in the map; Anbasit, Atronsa-Mariam, (under the rule of Liban, but still inhabited by Christians) Barara, Beda Gadel, Daj, Demah, Feras Bahr (under Gusmati Tumro, dependent on Liban, inhabitants still Christians), Ganeta-Georgis, Gel, Geshen, Makana Selassé, bordering on Shoa and under the rule of that province, Malza (under Liban,) Shelga, (near Lasta) Zedbaba Mariam, Waro, (under Liban) Wanz Egr (near Feras 'l Bahar, and on the borders of the Bashilo) and Zar-amba, inhabed by Christians, under Liban, on the borders of Shoa.
