430 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



feemed as if a great many of them had formerly been def- 

 tined as barracks for foldiers, of whom I did not fee above 

 fifty on guard. The king was in a fmall room, not twenty 

 feet fquare, to which we afcended by two fhort flights of 

 narrow Heps. The floor of the room was covered with 

 broad fquare tiles ; over it was laid aPerflan carpet, and the 

 walls hung with tapeflry of the fame country ; the whole 

 very well kept, and in good order. 



The king was fitting upon a matrefs, laid on the ground, 

 which was likewife covered with a Perfian carpet, and 

 round him was a number of cufliions of Venetian cloth of 

 gold. His drefs did not correfpond with this magnificence, 

 for it was nothing but a large, loofe ftiirt of Surat blue cotton 

 cloth, which feemed not to differ from the fame worn by his 

 fervants, except that, all round the edges of it, the feams 

 were double-Hitched with white filk, and likewife round the 

 neck. His head was uncovered ; he wore his own fliort black 

 hair, and was as white in colour as an Arab. He feemed 

 to be a man about thirty-four, his feet were bare, but co- 

 vered by his fliirt. He had a very plebeian countenance, on 

 which was ftamped no decided character ; I fliould rather 

 guefs him to be a foft, timid, irrefolute man. At my co- 

 ming forward and kifling his hand, he looked at me for a 

 mmute as if undetermined what to fay. He then aflced for 

 an Abyfiinian interpreter, as there are many of thefe about 

 the palace. I faid to him in Arabic, " That I apprehended I 

 tinderftood as much of that language as would enable me 

 to anfwer any quefl.ion he had to put to me," Upon which 

 he turned to the people that were with him, " Downright 

 Arabic, indeed! You did not learn that language in Habefli?'* 

 faid he to me. I anfwered, " No ; I have been in Egypt, 

 I Turke/j 



