94 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



Mariam and Giiebra Menfus KctUis, and prevented from kiHl 

 ing the ground ; the king held his hand uncovered, but not 

 extended, that is, as if he did nq^ intend or exped that he 

 fhould kifs it. Amha Yafous, after the ftruggle was over 

 about the proftration, fuddenly feized the king's hand and 

 kifled it, with fome refiftance on the part of the king, who, 

 when he had kiffed the back of his hand, turned the 

 palm likewife ; a great mark of familiarity and confidence 

 in this country. There was a fmall ftool, about half a foot 

 from the ground, covered with a Perfian carpet. Amha 

 Yafous attempted to fpeak (landing, but was not fuffered, 

 but conftrained by the two noblemen to fit down on the 

 iittle ftool ; they then deluged him fo with rofe-water, that 

 I do believe he never in his life was fo wet with rain. Af- 

 ter fome general queftions the tent was cleared. All this ce- 

 remonial was premeditated and fludied ; the etiquette could 

 not have been more pundlually and uniformly obferved 

 in any court of Europe, and would have juft fignified what 

 it did here. - 



Amha Yasous was a man from twenty-fix to twenty-eight 

 years of age, tall, and of a juft degree of corpulence, with 

 arms and legs finely made ; he had a very beautiful face, 

 fmall features, and the moft affable manners. I have thought, 

 when I have feen them together, that the king, Engedan, 

 and himfclf, were three of the handfomcft men I had ever 

 beheld in any country ; befides this, all three had fine under- 

 ftandings, noble fentiments, and courage fuperior to the 

 greateft danger ; charitable too, and humane incHnations, 

 were it not for that accurfed indifference, or rather pro- 

 penfity, one of them had to fhed human blood ; this the 

 A young 



