CHAPTER XII 



The Emperor — Gorgeous vestments — Dancini; before the Ark — The 

 Emperoi-'s courtesy — The private chapel -The audience chamber — 

 The great hall — A royal lunch — 12,000 guests — Mighty drinking- 

 horns — An Al)yssinian band. 



SrMiA\-, 7th January, the second day of the Abyssinian 

 Christmas, was the day on which we were invited to 

 lunch with the Emperor. We left the British Agency 

 compound at 8.15 in the morning under a dull, cloudy 

 sky. Captain Harrington in infantry levee kit and Mr. 

 Baird in full diplomatic dress, while we four travellers 

 were in evening dress, muffled up in wraps and coats, 

 for the air was raw after heavy rain. We had been 

 invited to lunch at the Gebi at ten (or, as the Abyssinians 

 reckon time, at four o'clock), but Captain Harrington, 

 knowing the Emperor's great punctuality, decided to be 

 there an hour earlier. 



After half an hour's ride, during which we crossed 

 several gullies and streams, we were approaching the 

 plain at the foot of Selassee Hill, when we saw the 

 I'^mperor coming from the palace enclosure, surrounded 

 by his officers and a large following. Mounted men, 

 blowing shawms, preceded his immediate body-guard, the 



