666 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



was commanded by a young Armenian not 30 years of age. 

 He had been left in Abyffinia by his father in Yafous's time, 

 and care had been taken of him by the Greeks. Yafoiis 

 had diflinguifhed him by feveral places while a mere youtli, 

 and employed him in errands to Mafuah and Arabia, by 

 which he became known to Ras Michael. Upon the death 

 of Yafous, the Iteghe put him about her grandfon Joas, as 

 Baalomal, which \s, gentleman of the bed-chamber^ or, compankn to 

 the king. He then became AfalefFa el Camillia, which means 

 groom of the fiole, but at laft was promoted to the great place 

 of Billetana Gueta Dakakin, chamberlain^ or mafler of the 

 houfehokU the third poll: in government, by which he took 

 place of all the governors of provinces while in Gon.- 

 dar. 



There is no doubt Joas would have made him Ras, if he 

 had reigned as long as his father. Befidcs his own lan- 

 guage, he underftood Turkifli, Arabic, and Malabar, and was 

 perfed mailer of the Tigre. But his great excellence was 

 his knowledge of Amharic, which he was thought to fpeak 

 as chailely and elegantly as Ras Michael himfclf. He is re- 

 ported likewife to have poiTelTed a fpecics of jurifprudence, 

 whence derived I never knev/, which fo pleafed the Abyf- 

 iinians, that the judges often requeflcd his attendance on 

 the king ; at which time he fat at the head of the table, 

 where it is fuppofed the king would place himfelf did he 

 appear perfonally in judgment, (which, as it may be learn- 

 ed from divers places in this hiftory, he never does); certain 

 mornings in the week, therefore, he fat publicly in the 

 market-place, and gave judgment foon after the break of 

 day. 



1 SAW 



