486 HOSPITABLE RECEPTION. 



opened it required to be lifted up, and a stick prop 

 was placed under the lower edge to support it. It 

 shut down something like a trap door. 



Some of the best known of my escort I called 

 into the house to converse with, whilst, in the 

 meantime, proclamation was being made through the 

 village for the food to be prepared, with which to 

 supply the strangers ; each householder being called 

 upon to bring in two large round crumpets, a foot 

 and a-half in diameter, as the contribution for that 

 purpose. I was much pleased with this evidence 

 of the hospitable character of my new friends, it 

 being an invariable custom, on the arrival of any 

 traveller in Abyssinian towns, to supply him with 

 food at the public expense for the first few days, or 

 until the pleasure of the King can be known, who 

 then generally takes upon himself the maintenance 

 of his visitor, during the remainder of his stay in 

 the country. It added to my gratification, also, 

 to observe that this duty was attended to promptly, 

 and with apparent good will, by the inhabitants. 

 Had it been otherwise, I should certainly have 

 refused such a kind of supply; but not the least 

 evidence of disinclination afforded me the oppor- 

 tunity of offering to pay for our entertainment. 



In less than an hour I saw realized the picture 

 of Abyssinian peace and plenty, which had been 

 frequently described in the Adal country, by the 

 admiring Bedouins and Kafilah men, who used to 

 enact the carrying of bread on their head, and large 



