76 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



There is an officer named Kal Hatze who (lands always 

 upon ileps at the fide of the lattice-window, where there is 

 a hole covered in the infide with a curtain of green taffeta ; 

 behind this curtain the king fits, and through this hole he 

 fends what he has to fay to the Board, who rife and receive 

 the meilenger (landing: he had not interfered till now, when 

 the officer faid, addreffing himfelf to Abba Salama, " The 

 king requires of you to anfwer dirc6lly why you perfuaded 

 the Abuna to excommunicate him ? the Abuna is a Have of 

 the Turks, and has no king; you are born under a monarchy, 

 why did you, who are his inferior in office, take upon you 

 to advife him at all ? or why, after having prefumed to ad- 

 vife him, did you advife him wrong, and abufe his ignorance 

 in thefe matters ?" This queflion, which was a home one, 

 made him lofe all his temper ; he curfed the Abuna, called 

 him Mahometan, Pagan, Frank, and Infidel ; and was go- 

 ing on in this wild manner, when Tecla Haimanout *, the 

 eldeft of the judges, got up, and addreffing himfelf to the Ras, 

 It is no part of my duty to hear all this railing, he has not 

 fo much as offered one fadt material to his exculpation. 



The king's fecretary fent up to the window the fubflance 

 of his defence, the criminal was carried at feme diftance 

 to the other end of the room, and the judges deliberated 

 whilft the king was reading. Very few words were faid 

 among the reil; the Ras was all the time fpeaking to other 

 people : after he had ended this, he called upon the young- 

 ell judge to give his opinion, and he gave it, 'He is guilty, 

 and ffiould die ;' the fame faid all the officers, and after 

 them the judges, and the fame faid Kafmati Tesfos after 



thenio 



•*The lame whole foot uashurt hy £tratci's,r:ule in the canpnign of Maitfl.a. 



