THE HAREEM OF THE NEGOOS. 79 



slaves are employed, who receive daily the most 

 wretched fare, either a few handsful of parched 

 wheat, or else, the sour and coarse refuse from the 

 gunmen's table. Still, these, I found, were far from 

 being over-worked ; for three days are allowed to 

 each for the conveyance of the load, and the return 

 back from the distant palaces to their homes, which 

 even these are provided with for themselves and 

 their families. 



The female slaves are still more numerous; 

 independent of the two hundred employed in 

 supplying the King's household with water, there 

 are, at least, one hundred more, who assist in 

 grinding flour, brewing, and making the " dillock," 

 or pepper-paste. 



There are, however, belonging to this class, a 

 more interesting party of female slaves, who are 

 kept in the strictest seclusion ; for Sahale Selassee, 

 a descendant of Solomon, continues, as regards 

 his wives and concubines, the customs of his 

 ancestor's court. Two hundred of these young 

 ladies are placed in charge of several eunuchs, and 

 the establishment, in fact, corresponds in every 

 respect with the hareem of an oriental monarch. 

 It is not very easy to obtain information respecting 

 the habits or occupations of these immured 

 beauties ; but the more elaborately-spun cotton 

 thread, that is used for the finer descriptions of 

 cloths, which are presented by the Negoos to his 

 greatest favourites and governors, is all made by 



