An inspection1 of the map will show on the eastern coast an extensive hiatus, which, from the scanty2 reports that have been gleaned3, is most certainly studded with high mountains, and drained by numerous and powerful rivers; but no details have hitherto been obtained that justified4 the laying down of either with any geographical5 accuracy. The first accounts of the existence in central Africa of a great river were brought to Etearchus, king of the Oasis6 of Ammon, by certain youths of the Nassamonians, who, as related by Herodotus, “had been deputed to explore her solitudes7. After a journey of many days they were seized and carried into captivity8 by some men of dwarfish9 stature10, who conducted them over marshy11 grounds, to a city in which all the inhabitants were of the same diminutive12 appearance, and of a black colour. This city was washed by a great river, now ascertained13 to be the Niger, which flowed from west to east, and abounded14 in crocodiles.”
The early Arabian geographers16 specifically mention large rivers descending17 from the high mountain land to the southward of the blue Nile, and flowing to the Indian ocean; and it is a curious fact, that they designate one of these “the River of Pygmies.” The Portuguese18 were the next who spoke19 of this stream, upwards20 of two centuries ago; and from the highlands of Abyssinia a clue to its origin and course has now been obtained, which will serve in a great measure to supply the existing deficiencies, and to cover the wide space of terra incognita in Eastern Africa north of the equator.
The Gochob is described to rise in the great central ridge21 which is now known to divide the waters that discharge themselves east into the Indian Ocean, from those that flow west into the Bahr el Abiad, and more southerly into the Atlantic. Spreading into a lake, and bearing on its bosom22 a noble body of water, it is joined, fifteen days’ journey south of Enárea, by the Omo, a large tributary23 which rises beyond Tufftee in Susa Maketch, in a jet of water playing the height of a spear shaft24. Half a day’s journey below the point of junction25, the united volume rolls over a stupendous cataract26 called Dumbáro, the roar of which can be heard many miles, whence pursuing its course to the south-east, it forms the southern limit of Zingero, and finally disembogues into the sea.
There seems every reason to believe that the Gochob must be identical with the Kibbee of the best extant maps, described to be a very large river coming from the north-west, and entering the sea near the town of Juba, immediately under the equator. If not the Kibbee, it must be the Quilimancy, which disembogues by several estuaries27 between Patta and Malinda, four degrees further to the south; but all accounts of the latter that have yet been collected from the coast, authorise the adoption28 of the first hypothesis.
The general course of the Nile to the north, and of the Kibbee to the south, are said to have been well-known to the Egyptians three thousand years ago. The sacristan of the temple of Minerva in Thebes told Herodotus that half the waters of the father of rivers flowed to the north, and the other half to the south, and that they were produced by the tropical rains. The currents experienced in five degrees north of the equator, in the vicinity of the coast, confirm the opinion of a great river rolling a vast body of water into the eastern ocean. At their height during the prevalence of the monsoon29 in August and September, they are known to sweep a vessel30 along at the rate of one hundred and twenty miles a day, frequently exposing the inexperienced navigator to the chance of shipwreck31 on Socotra, whereas before and after the tropical rains the current is scarcely perceptible. Were this caused by the monsoon, it would prevail equally over these latitudes32 during the influence of the south-westerly winds; but the fact remains34, that it is felt only off the coast in about five degrees north latitude33, at the period alone when the river must be swollen35 with the volume of water gathered from the highest mountain land in the interior.
Beyond Zingero, and considerably36 lower down the great river, is the kingdom of Koocha, which is described to be hot, and subject to annual rains of two months’ duration. It extends on both sides, with a numerous population inhabiting many large towns, of which Laadé, Seylo, Umpho, Jella, Gulta, Aara, and Wunjo, all on the northern bank, are the principal. The houses are conical, and constructed of mud and bamboos, which there grow abundantly. All the nation are Galla, with features strictly37 those of the Negro, and their king is Bosha, the son of Laadé, surnamed, from the title of his war-steed, Abba Wábotoo, “I am he who seizes.”
In addition to the two umbrellas of state, the one composed of blue, and the other of crimson38, this chieftain is distinguished39 by a shield covered with massive gold, and by many ornaments40 of the same precious metal on his person. The costume of all classes consists of party-coloured raiment—red, blue, and white, being mingled41 together in profusion42. Large pewter ear-rings are worn by the males; and by the females, whose hair is braided in long ringlets, silver armlets, anklets, and bracelets43. Both sexes are great equestrians44. The saddles are covered with red imported leather, and the horses and mules45 are large and abundant. Cultivation46 in every description of tropical grain is universal; honey abounds47 in every quarter, and beer and hydromel are manufactured by all.
Spices, odoriferous woods, and aromatic48 herbs, tea, coffee, oranges, nutmeg, and ginger49, are exceedingly plentiful50. Precious stones are also found, and bartered51 to certain white men, who, wearing shoes, trousers, and hats, and having yellow hair, come with their merchandise in rowing-boats thirty days from the sea. They bring blue calico, chintz, pepper, tobacco, copper52, cutlery, and “fire water,” and receive in exchange slaves, ivory, spices, and gold, which latter is brought in large quantities from Douro.
Slaves being in great demand, and their acquisition extremely lucrative53, Bosha is at perpetual war with all the surrounding tribes, save during the annual rains. The Dánnagem, and the Danna-Oorkeshool Galla, are attacked every year, as are also the Málee Galla, a people armed with bows and arrows, who dig pits, throw up bamboo stockades54, and place pointed55 stakes in the ground to annoy the cavalry56 of Koocha, whose horses being kept in the house all the year round, and abundantly fed, are very superior. Murderers are punished according as they have dealt with their victim—one or two or more spear wounds or blows with the sword being inflicted57 by the nearest relative of the deceased—but all thieves, delinquents58, and poor people, are sold to the white traders, and immense numbers of slaves of both sexes are brought down by the Douro Galla, in rafts with high gunwales, containing six or eight persons.
The great river, which in this kingdom is supplied by two large tributaries—the Toreech, rising in the country of the Gama Gobo, and the Teeto, coming from the Alla Galla—is the medium of all trade. It is very broad, and, except during the rainy season, has little perceptible motion. The volume of water is always large, and comes from a great distance inland. Hippopotami and elephants abound15; and the gimjah, or tree tiger, which infests59 the borders, is greatly feared for its ferocity, and prized for the beauty of its skin. Native crafts reach the sea in fifteen days, and ivory, slaves, coffee, and a variety of other merchandise, are constantly brought on rafts by the tribes higher up; but the white people never go beyond Koocha, neither do the interior tribes pass down to the sea.
The Gochob, of which the discovery promises important accessions in a geographical as well as in a commercial point of view, may be conjectured60 to be the “Bargámo,” or great water, from beyond which the Galla describe their hordes61 to have poured, when they invaded Abyssinia, after being driven from the vast unexplored interior by the centrifugal force yet unexplained. Like the barbarous nations who were made the weapons of Divine chastisement62 upon the corrupted63 empire of Rome, they also brought darkness and ignorance in their train, but were unable to eradicate64 the true religion. Throughout the regions included between the Nile, the Háwash, and the Gochob, which may properly be termed Galla, none but their own tongue is spoken; whereas to the south of the last-named river, the intruding65 population have lost their language and become gradually incorporated with the aboriginal66 possessors of the soil. Whatever may be the true magnitude of the river, it is clearly navigated67 to a considerable extent by a white people, who reap a lucrative harvest whilst draining the country of its population, by a traffic which must reflect the blackest disgrace upon the name of any civilised people, and is here not rendered the less infamous68 by the fact, that many of their purchases are Christians69.
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1 inspection | |
n.检查,审查,检阅 | |
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2 scanty | |
adj.缺乏的,仅有的,节省的,狭小的,不够的 | |
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3 gleaned | |
v.一点点地收集(资料、事实)( glean的过去式和过去分词 );(收割后)拾穗 | |
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4 justified | |
a.正当的,有理的 | |
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5 geographical | |
adj.地理的;地区(性)的 | |
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6 oasis | |
n.(沙漠中的)绿洲,宜人的地方 | |
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7 solitudes | |
n.独居( solitude的名词复数 );孤独;荒僻的地方;人迹罕至的地方 | |
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8 captivity | |
n.囚禁;被俘;束缚 | |
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9 dwarfish | |
a.像侏儒的,矮小的 | |
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10 stature | |
n.(高度)水平,(高度)境界,身高,身材 | |
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11 marshy | |
adj.沼泽的 | |
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12 diminutive | |
adj.小巧可爱的,小的 | |
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13 ascertained | |
v.弄清,确定,查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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14 abounded | |
v.大量存在,充满,富于( abound的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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15 abound | |
vi.大量存在;(in,with)充满,富于 | |
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16 geographers | |
地理学家( geographer的名词复数 ) | |
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17 descending | |
n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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18 Portuguese | |
n.葡萄牙人;葡萄牙语 | |
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19 spoke | |
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说 | |
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20 upwards | |
adv.向上,在更高处...以上 | |
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21 ridge | |
n.山脊;鼻梁;分水岭 | |
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22 bosom | |
n.胸,胸部;胸怀;内心;adj.亲密的 | |
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23 tributary | |
n.支流;纳贡国;adj.附庸的;辅助的;支流的 | |
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24 shaft | |
n.(工具的)柄,杆状物 | |
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25 junction | |
n.连接,接合;交叉点,接合处,枢纽站 | |
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26 cataract | |
n.大瀑布,奔流,洪水,白内障 | |
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27 estuaries | |
(江河入海的)河口,河口湾( estuary的名词复数 ) | |
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28 adoption | |
n.采用,采纳,通过;收养 | |
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29 monsoon | |
n.季雨,季风,大雨 | |
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30 vessel | |
n.船舶;容器,器皿;管,导管,血管 | |
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31 shipwreck | |
n.船舶失事,海难 | |
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32 latitudes | |
纬度 | |
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33 latitude | |
n.纬度,行动或言论的自由(范围),(pl.)地区 | |
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34 remains | |
n.剩余物,残留物;遗体,遗迹 | |
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35 swollen | |
adj.肿大的,水涨的;v.使变大,肿胀 | |
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36 considerably | |
adv.极大地;相当大地;在很大程度上 | |
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37 strictly | |
adv.严厉地,严格地;严密地 | |
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38 crimson | |
n./adj.深(绯)红色(的);vi.脸变绯红色 | |
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39 distinguished | |
adj.卓越的,杰出的,著名的 | |
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40 ornaments | |
n.装饰( ornament的名词复数 );点缀;装饰品;首饰v.装饰,点缀,美化( ornament的第三人称单数 ) | |
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41 mingled | |
混合,混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 ); 混进,与…交往[联系] | |
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42 profusion | |
n.挥霍;丰富 | |
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43 bracelets | |
n.手镯,臂镯( bracelet的名词复数 ) | |
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44 equestrians | |
n.骑手(equestrian的复数形式) | |
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45 mules | |
骡( mule的名词复数 ); 拖鞋; 顽固的人; 越境运毒者 | |
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46 cultivation | |
n.耕作,培养,栽培(法),养成 | |
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47 abounds | |
v.大量存在,充满,富于( abound的第三人称单数 ) | |
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48 aromatic | |
adj.芳香的,有香味的 | |
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49 ginger | |
n.姜,精力,淡赤黄色;adj.淡赤黄色的;vt.使活泼,使有生气 | |
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50 plentiful | |
adj.富裕的,丰富的 | |
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51 bartered | |
v.作物物交换,以货换货( barter的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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52 copper | |
n.铜;铜币;铜器;adj.铜(制)的;(紫)铜色的 | |
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53 lucrative | |
adj.赚钱的,可获利的 | |
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54 stockades | |
n.(防御用的)栅栏,围桩( stockade的名词复数 ) | |
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55 pointed | |
adj.尖的,直截了当的 | |
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56 cavalry | |
n.骑兵;轻装甲部队 | |
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57 inflicted | |
把…强加给,使承受,遭受( inflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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58 delinquents | |
n.(尤指青少年)有过失的人,违法的人( delinquent的名词复数 ) | |
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59 infests | |
n.害虫、野兽大批出没于( infest的名词复数 );遍布于v.害虫、野兽大批出没于( infest的第三人称单数 );遍布于 | |
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60 conjectured | |
推测,猜测,猜想( conjecture的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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61 hordes | |
n.移动着的一大群( horde的名词复数 );部落 | |
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62 chastisement | |
n.惩罚 | |
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63 corrupted | |
(使)败坏( corrupt的过去式和过去分词 ); (使)腐化; 引起(计算机文件等的)错误; 破坏 | |
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64 eradicate | |
v.根除,消灭,杜绝 | |
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65 intruding | |
v.侵入,侵扰,打扰( intrude的现在分词);把…强加于 | |
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66 aboriginal | |
adj.(指动植物)土生的,原产地的,土著的 | |
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67 navigated | |
v.给(船舶、飞机等)引航,导航( navigate的过去式和过去分词 );(从海上、空中等)横越;横渡;飞跃 | |
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68 infamous | |
adj.声名狼藉的,臭名昭著的,邪恶的 | |
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69 Christians | |
n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 ) | |
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