120 



TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



But what defervedly interefted us moft was, the appear- 

 ance of our kind and hofpitable landlord, Janni. He had 

 fent fervants to conduct us from the paffage of the river, 

 and met us himfelf at the outer-door of his houfe. I do 

 not remember to have feen a more refpeftable figure. He 

 had his own fhort white hair, covered with a thin muflin 

 turban, a thick well-fhaped beard, as white as fnow, down to 

 his waift. He was clothed in the Abyflinian drefs, all of white 

 cotton, only he had a red filk fafh, embroidered with gold, 

 about his waift, and fandals on his feet ; his upper garment 

 reached down to his ancles. He had a number of fervants 

 and flaves about him of both fexes ; and, when I approach- 

 ed him, feemed difpofed to receive me with marks of hu- 

 mility and inferiority, which mortified me much, confider- 

 ing the obligations I was under to him, the trouble I had 

 given, and was unavoidably ftill to give him. I embraced 

 him with great acknowledgments of kindnefs and grati- 

 tude, calling him father; a title I always ufed in fpeaking 

 either to him or of him afterwards, when I was in higher 

 fortune, which he conitantly remembered with great plea- 

 fure. 



He conducted us through a court yard planted with jef- 

 famin, to a very neat, and, at the fame, time, large room, fur- 

 niflied with a filk fofaj the floor was covered with Perfian car- 

 pets and cufhions. All round, flowers and green leaves 

 were ftrcwed upon the outer yard ; and the windows and 

 fides of the room fluck full of evergreens, in commemora- 

 tion of the Chriflmas feflival that was at hand. I ftopt at 

 the entrance of this room ; my feet were both dirty and 

 bloody ; and it is not good-breeding to fhow or fpeak of 

 your feet in Abyflinia, efpecially if any thing ails them, 



2 ant * 



