1843.] and the Abyssinian Church. 631 



each other the brutal feelings to exercise an entire predominance, res- 

 trained by the wholesome law of blood for blood, and life for life. 



18. The principal men of the country who are not entrusted with go- 

 vernment, spend their time in utter idleness, lounging about the purlieus 

 of the court, or gambling for hours at the game of gibbeta, leaving the 

 management of their houses to their 'women, and the direction of their 

 farms to their servants and slaves. All, however, end their day at 4 o'clock, 

 when the king's table is thrown open to men of rank, and when the king's 

 potent hydromel very soon incapacitates them for any further thought or 

 deed. The most slovenly appearance marks the interior of their houses, 

 and dirt and filth choke up the surrounding enclosure. The furniture 

 is confined to a rickety bedstead, a bullock hide, and a small wicker 

 table ; the necessary wood fire in the centre of the solitary apartment 

 blackens every article within the walls with a thick crust of smoke, pre- 

 senting a most gloomy vista on entering the doorway, and the universal 

 objection to the use of water, either as regards their person or clothes, 

 renders the foul tableau still more disgusting. 



19. Water as well as coffee and tobacco are studiously avoided, as 

 savouring too strongly of Islamism, and the Christian inhabitant contents 

 himself with rubbing his eyes in the morning with the dry corner of his 

 dirty robe, and pouring a stream of rancid butter over his matted locks. 



The dress of the men, from the king to the peasant, consists in a large 

 loose robe of thick cotton cloth, enveloping the body in graceful folds ; 

 but nearly incapacitating the wearer from any great exertion on foot ; 

 frequently disconcerted and falling upon the ground, the wearer is every 

 moment obliged to tuck up this most troublesome garment, and fold it 

 anew about his body ; a cotton waist cloth of many yards encircles the 

 loins, and a pair of very wide trowsers hanging barely to the knee, sum 

 up the ordinary toilet ; although during journeys and expeditions, the 

 skin of some wild animal fashioned somewhat into the form of a cloak is 

 worn over the shoulder. 



20. All carry a short crooked sword bound tight on the right side, 

 which requires constant oiling, and some portion of personal strength to 

 extract from the sheath ; and entertaining a wonderful affection for the 

 stick, no man ever stirs from the house, either mounted or on foot, with- 

 out the long thin wand. Too lengthy to be of any use in urging on 

 his animal, and too thin to support any weight as a staff, the inconveni- 



