306 INSPECTING FIREARMS. 



was brought and laid down for me to sit upon, and 

 his Majesty then began to examine me in my know- 

 ledge of his language, but he soon got tired of con- 

 versing with me in my halting Amharic, and 

 directing my attention to the guns, inquired of me 

 to tell him which was the best among them ; I 

 knew very well that he was a much better judge 

 than myself, and told him so, but unfortunately truth 

 will never be believed in a court, and he supposed 

 I was complimenting him, and insisted upon my 

 pointing out the strongest, that he might take it 

 with him on the next " zemitchar" or expedition 

 against the refractory Galla tribes, which would 

 be during the next month. 



On looking over the very decent collection which 

 he had made during his reign by the contributions 

 of various travellers, who had visited his kingdom, 

 I observed a rifle, manufactured by Theophilus 

 Richards, of Birmingham, and pointed it out to the 

 Negoos as having been made in the town I came 

 from, and as being one of the best. He took it out 

 of my hands as he said, " Agger sou ?" (townsman ?) 

 and cocking and uncocking it, as if there had been 

 music in the sound, remarked that it was his greatest 

 favourite, and, as if, because I had come from the 

 same neighbourhood, I must be a gunmaker, 

 added, " You know all about guns, and when you 

 are quite well, you must teach my servants how to 

 make them." 



After nearly an hour's conversation upon the 



