634 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



feftly with the magnificent finifliing of the room ; it was 

 the work of the Falafha, and confiiled of painted cane, 

 fpht and difpofed in Mofaic figures, which produces a 

 gayer efTeft than it is poffible to conceive. This chamber, 

 indeed, was never perfediy finiflied, from a want of mirrors. 

 The king died ; taile decayed ; the artifts were negle(5ted, 

 or employed themfelves in ornamenting faddles, bridles, 

 fwords, and other military ornaments, for which they were 

 very ill paid ; part of the mirrors fell down ; part remained 

 till my time ; and I was prefent when the laft of them were 

 dedroyed, on a particular occafion, after the battle of Ser- 

 "braxos, as will be hereafter mentioned. 



The king had begun another chamber of equal' expence,., 

 eonfifting of plates of ivory, with ilars of all colours ftained 

 in each plate at proper diftances. This, too, was going to 

 ruin; little had been done in it but the alcove in which he 

 i^t, and httle of it was feen, as the throne and perfon of the 

 king concealed it. 



Yasous v/as charmed with this multiplicity of works and 

 workmen. He gave up himfelf to it entirely; he even 

 wrought wiih his own hand, and rejoiced at feeing the fa- 

 cility with which, by the ufe of a compafs and a few ftraight 

 lines, he could produce the figure of a flar equally exaft 

 with any of his Greeks. Bounty followed bounty. The beft 

 villages, and thofe near the town, were given in properrj^ to 

 the Greeks- that they might recreate themfelves, but at a 

 dillance, always hable to his call, and with as little lofs of 

 time as polHble. He now renounced his favourite hunting- 

 matches and incurfions upon the Shangalla and Shepherds 



of Atbara. 



Ths 



