wards, in another place, describing the land of Aidhab, he remarks, that "a governor from the Bujja presides over it, and another from the Sultaun of Egypt, who divide the revenue between them. The duty of the governor from Egypt is to provide supplies," (probably for the workmen engaged in the mines,) "and the governor of the Boja has to guard it from the Habshi." This account of the Boja tends very satisfactorily to illustrate the Axum inscription.
Extract from the Travels of Marco Polo. (Lib. iii. in Ramusio, page 59, c. 38.)
"Abasch is a large province, and is called middle, or second India. The chief sovereign of this country is a Christian; and there are six other kings, three of whom are Christians, and three Moors, all subject to his authority.—The greater Christian king has his residence in the centre of the country. The Moorish king has his jurisdiction near the district of Adem (or as it should be properly written, Adel.)—The Abyssinians are a very strong people in arms, and great warriors, and have continual wars with the Soldan of Adel, and the people of Nubia, and many other nations on their confines; and hence, from their constant exercise in arms, are esteemed the best soldiers in India.
"About the year 1288, as was told me, it happened that the sovereign of the Abyssinians had an intention of making a pilgrimage in person to the tomb of Christ at Jerusalem, immense numbers of these people going there every year on a similar devotion; but he was dissuaded by all his barons (chiefs) from it, on account of the great danger he would have had to encounter in passing so many places under the control of the Moors, his enemies; and on this consideration, he commissioned a bishop, of great reputed sanctity, who went in his stead, and made his offerings at Jerusalem. On his return, he was taken captive in the city of Adel, where the Soldan ordered him to his presence, and with threats endeavoured to make him a convert to the Mahomedan faith; but as he remained firm and obstinate to the Christian religion, the Soldan ordered him to be circumcised, out of spite to the King of Abyssinia. The priest returning, and relating his disaster and the disgrace done to him, the King suddenly ordered his forces to be put in order, and marched out with them, bent on the destruction of the Sultan of Adel; which prince hearing of the King of Abyssynia's intention, called to his assistance two other Moorish chiefs (of Hurrur probably,) with very numerous armies: but they were all routed by the sovereign of Habesh, who took the city of Aden (Zeyla possibly) and laid it waste, to revenge the disgrace done to his priest. (Vide Mr. Bruce's Travels, Vol. III. p. 32.)
"The people of Abyssinia live on wheat, rice, flesh, and milk; and they make oil of sesamum, and have abundance of every sort of provisions. Elephants, lions, giraffes; and they likewise have many goats and fowls of different kinds, and a number of other animals; among which may be mentioned monkeys, and apes resembling men. The interior provinces are rich in gold; for which merchants travel voluntarily into the country, as
