164 REQUEST FOR MEDICINE. 



town, had now called to make inquiries after the 

 health of his old friend and intimate acquaintance, 

 the " Aliu Amba ahkeem." 



Among the things Sartawold wanted, was some 

 medicine for the Negoos, whom he did not hesitate 

 to assert, had a most disreputable complaint ; but 

 as I did not think proper to understand him until 

 I knew something more of the particulars of the 

 case, he soon ceased making the request. Our 

 halting conversation terminated at length by his 

 getting up from the floor, where he had been 

 sitting upon an ox hide, and telling me that the 

 King desired me to remain at Aliu Amba till I 

 was quite well, and, in the meantime, I must learn 

 to speak Amharic. After recommending each 

 other a dozen times to the care of heaven, Sarta- 

 wold retired, but it was some time before I could 

 get the talkative Islam to leave me to my much- 

 required repose. 



After an early breakfast next morning, Walder- 

 heros prepared for our departure, rolling up my 

 plaid, Arab cloak, and two large Abyssinian tobes 

 that formed my bed clothes, and putting them all 

 into a large goat skin bag, in which they were 

 usually carried on occasions of leaving home for a 

 time. 



I presented my female friends with a few small 

 strings of blue and gold coloured beads, which are 

 the kind most preferred by the Christian inhabit- 

 ants of Shoa. Of these beads they construct the 



