As the Cushites became more numerous, they occu pied all the neighbouring mountains, still retaining their original custom of dwelling in caverns, till extending from one range to another, they spread their arts and industry quite across the continent of Africa, from the eastern to the western ocean. Early in the days of Abraham, if we may believe the Abyssinian traditions, they founded the city of Axurn, whose ruins still bear testimony to its ancient magnificence. Soon after, they penetrated into Atbara, where, pleased to find themselves the limits of the tropical rains, which impeded their progress in astronomy, their favourite science, they built the city of Meroc, afterwards celebrated as capital of that extensive peninsula of the same name, which is formed by the branching of the Nile. Yet it does not appear, that, even after building these cities, they relinquished their ancient habitations in the moun tains. Mr Bruce saw many of these caves immediately above the site of Meroc ; and, as a number of similar excavations arc to be seen near the top of a mountain in the neighbourhood of Thebes, that city likew ise probably owed its origin to a colony of Cushites.
While the northern and central parts of their territory were the scenes of such improvement, the colony had extended itself southward along the mountains that run parallel to the Arabian gulf. In that rich tract of coun try, then more important and better known than any part of the globe, they found all the perfumes and aromatics of the East, cassia, frankincense, and myrrh. It was called Saba, or Azaho, signifying south, because it lay on the southern coast of the Red Sea. Penetrating still farther in the same direction, they entered into a de lightful climate, where, in the course of their excava tions, they discovered large quantities of gold and silver, lying in globules, pure and unalloyed, without any ne cessity of being prepared or separated.
These local advantages naturally directed their atten tion to commerce ; and the Ethiopians seem to have been, at that early period, a nation of the first import ance for opulence and civilization. In the district ex tending from Neroe to Thebes, cities were built which displayed many improvements in architecture; com merce and agriculture introduced the elegant arts; and the science of astronomy was cultivated with ardour, and with peculiar advantage, under the unclouded sky of the Thebaid. Nor were the sciences neglected by their countrymen in the south. Those who dwelt within the limits of the tropical rains, confined to their caves or houses for six months in the year, would naturally be led to employ their time in sedentary occupations. " Let ters," says Mr Bruce, " at least one kind of them, and arithmetical characters, were invented by this middle part of the Cushites; while trade and astronomy, the natural history of the winds and seasons, were what ne cessarily employed that part of the colony established at Sofala, most to the southward."
The nature of the commerce in which the EthiopianS were engaged, the collecting of gold, and preparing of apices necessarily confined them to their own country ; and, that they might map the lull advantage of these valuable productions, it w as I-quisite that they should have merchants, ur carri•!rs, to disperse them over the continent. A wandering shepherd ti ibe, who inhabited the neighbouring country, seemed by their roaming and unsettled mode 01 lite, to be peculia•ly qualified for that employment. These people differed much in their ap pearance from the Ethiopians ; having long hair, Eu ropean features, and very dark complexions, though without any resemblance to the black moor, or negro. Fixed to no certain residence, they drove their nume rous flocks from place to place, and erected their movea ble huts wherever the pasture seemed most luxuriant, or the stream mu >t refreshing. By conducting the trade of the Cushites, they became a great and powerful people ; their flocks increased in number, and their ter ritory was enlarged. They occupied a narrow tract of land along the Indian Ocean, and afterwards along the Red Sea, to the ports of which they carried their mer chandise ; but their principal residence was in that level region which lies between the northern tropic and the mountains of Abyssinia. This extensive country, which is now called Beja, stretches along the sea-coast front Masuah to Suakem, then turning westward, continues in that direction, having the Nile on the south, and the tropic of Cancer on the north, till it reaches the deserts of Selima, and the confines of Libya. The next district which they possessed was Meroe, or, as it is now called, Atbara, lying between the rivers Nile and Astaboras. Another territory belonged to them, which is now called Derkin, a small plain stretching from east to west, be tween the river March and Atbara. But the noblest and most warlike of all the Shepherds were those which inhabited the mountains of the Habab, extending front the neighbourhood of Masuah to Suakem. These shep herds were distinguished by various appellations, proba bly denoting their various degrees of rank. Some were called simply Shepherds, whom we may suppose to have been the lowest class. Some were called Hyesos, shep herds armed, or wearing harness, and were probably the national soldiers. Ag-ag, is thought to have been the appellation of their nobles or chiefs, whence arose the title of king of kings. It was the hereditary name of the king of Amalek, whom Samuel hewed in pieces, and who was an Arabian shepherd.