ABYSSINIAN SUPPER. 173 



Abta Mahriam, one of the King's gunmen, who 

 had come in during the preparation of the meal. 

 Musculo took the straw seat, the rest squatted 

 around the table upon their heels, and formed 

 altogether a good picture of an Abyssinian family. 



Eichess commenced by dipping several folds of 

 the thin bread into the cayenne pottage until well 

 saturated with the condiment. With a quantity of 

 this she supplied each individual, taking for that 

 purpose the topmost layer of the heap of bread 

 assigned to them, which, after sopping, was returned 

 to its previous situation. The party now pro- 

 ceeded on their own account, tearing off portions 

 of the under bread, and wiping it upon the 

 moistened morsel above, by the contact giving to 

 it the required hot relish, in a manner somewhat 

 analogous to our putting mustard upon meat. 



The "wort," or cayenne pottage, may be termed 

 the national dish of the Abyssinians, as that or its 

 basis, " dillock," is invariably eaten with their 

 ordinary diet, the thin crumpet-like bread of teff 

 or wheat flour. Equal parts of salt and of the 

 red cayenne pods are well powdered and mixed 

 together with a little pea or bean meal to make 

 a paste. This is called " dillock," and is made in 

 quantities at a time, being preserved in a large 

 gourd-shell, generally suspended from the roof. 

 The " wort " is merely a little water added to this 

 paste, which is then boiled over the fire, with 

 the addition of a little fat meat and more meal, to 



