NEGOOS'S HOUSEHOLD. 141 



princes in Africa, who were friendly disposed to 

 England. This I had previously kept back from a 

 feeling of delicacy towards our representative at the 

 Court of Shoa, but now determined to forward it 

 to the Negoos by Sartwold, who readily consented 

 to carry it up to the palace, Walderheros accom- 

 panying him to bring me back the answer. 

 Waarkie, who could not read the Persian character, 

 in which the letter was written, went in search of 

 some Islam visitor at Court, who would be able to 

 translate it for the Negoos. 



As evening now closed in, I retired to rest; 

 sometime after which my servant returned with the 

 letter, and a couple of lemons sent by the Negoos, 

 with a message that I should be called on the 

 morrow to an interview with him. 



Long before it was light, I was awakened by 

 loud shouts of " abiacl," " abiad," raised at short 

 intervals, and apparently at some distance. On 

 applying to Walderheros for an explanation of this 

 uproar, he made me understand with some diffi- 

 culty, that it arose from the petitioners for 

 justice, calling upon the Negoos to hear them. It 

 appears that after a case has been heard in the 

 lower courts, if they may be so called, held before 

 the governors of the town in which the conflicting 

 parties reside, if either complain of his decision, 

 an appeal may be made to the king himself. A 

 company of the friends of the dissatisfied assemble, 

 in as great a number as the influence of the party 



