THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 273 



It is the conftant practice in Abyflinia to befct the king's 

 doors and windows within his hearing, and there, from 

 early morning to night, to cry for juflice as loud as pofliblc, 

 in a diftreffed and complaining tone, and in all the different 

 languages they are mailers of, in order to their being ad- 

 mitted to have their fuppofed grievances heard. In a coun- 

 try fo ill governed as Abyflinia is, and fo perpetually invol- 

 ved in war, it may be eafily fuppofed there is no want of 

 people, who have real injuries and violence to complain of: 

 But if it were not fo, this is fo much the conftant ufage, 

 that when it happens (as in the midft of the rainy feafon) 

 that few people can approach the capital, or Hand without 

 in fuch bad weather, a fet of vagrants are provided, main- 

 tained, and paid, whofe fole bufinefs it is to cry and lament, 

 as if they had been really very much injured and oppre fled ; 

 and this they tell you is for the king's honour, that he may 

 not be lonely by the palace being too quiet. This, of all their 

 abfurd cuftoms, was the moil grievous and troublefome to 

 me ; and, from a knowledge that it was fo, the king, when 

 he was private, often permitted himfelf a piece of rather 

 odd diverfion to be a royal one. 



There would fometimes, while I was bu-fy in my room in 

 the rainy feafon, be four or live hundred people, who all at 

 once would begin, fome roaring and crying, as if they were 

 in pain, others demanding juitice, as if they were that mo- 

 ment fullering, or if in the inilant to be put to death; and 

 fome groaning and fobbing as if juft expiring ; and this 

 horrid fymphony was fo artfully performed that no ear 

 could diflinguiih but that it proceeded from real diflrefs. 

 I was often fo furprifed as to fend the foldiers at the door to 

 bring in one of them, thinking him come from the country, 



Vol. III. M m t0 



