304 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



from refpeft to his female prifoner, whom he brought m 

 triumph before Socinios to Dancaz, and was the firlt meiien- 

 ger of his own vidlory. 



Socinios received this queen of the Greeks on his throne ; 

 but, in confideration of her infirmities, difpenfed with the 

 ceremony of proftration, conftantly obferved in Abyflinia on 

 being introduced to the prefence of the king : feeing that 

 fhe was unable to ftand during the time of her interroga- 

 tion, he ordered a low llool to be fet for her on the ground ; a 

 piece of confideration very rarely fhewn to any ftranger in 

 Abyflinia, however great their dignity and quality. 



Socinios fternly demanded of his prifoner, " Why fhe 

 and her predecelfors, being vallals to the crown of Ab) ffi- 

 nia, had not only omitted the payment of theii tribute, but 

 had not even fent the cuflomary prefents to him upon his 

 acceffion to the throne ?" 



To this the queen anfwered with great franknefs and 

 candour, " That it was true, fuch tributes and prefents were 

 due, and were alfo pun(5tually paid from old times by her 

 anceflors to his, as long as protection was aflbrded them 

 and their people, and this was the principal caufe of paying 

 that tribute ; but the Abyflinians having firft fiiftered the 

 country to be in great part conquered by the Arabs, and 

 then again by the Funge, without ever interfering, flie 

 had concluded a peace with the Fungc of Sennaar, and paid 

 the tribute to them, in confcquence of which they defended 

 her from the Arabs : That fhe had had no foldiers but fuch 

 as were emplt)cd in keeping a ftiidl watch over the road 

 through the defert to buakem, which was anciently truUcd 



to 



