THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 633 



He had built a large and very coftly church at Kofcam* 

 and he was ftill engaged in a more expeniive work in the 

 building of a palace at Gondar. He was alfo rebuilding his 

 houfe at Riggobee-ber, (the north end of the town) which 

 had been demoliihed by the rebels ; and had begun a very 

 large and expenfive villa at Azazo, with extenfive groves, or 

 gardens, planted thick with orange and lemon trees, upon 

 the banks of a beautiful and clear river which divides the 

 palace from the church of Tecla Haimanout, a large edi- 

 fice which, fome time before, he had alfo built and endow- 

 ed. Befides all thefe occupations, he was deeply engaged in 

 ornamenting his palace at Gondar. A rebellion, maffacre, 

 or fome fuch misfortune, had happened among the Chrif- 

 tians of Smyrna ; who, coming to Cairo, and finding that 

 city in a Hill lefs peaceable ftate than the one which they 

 had left, they repaired to Jidda in their way to India ; but 

 milling the monfoon, and being destitute of money and ne- 

 ceiTaries, they crofied over the Red Sea for Mafuah, and 

 came to Gondar. There were twelve of them filver-fmiths, 

 very excellent in that fine work called filligrane, who were 

 all received very readily by the king, liberally furnifhed 

 both with necefiaries and luxuries, and employed in his 

 palace as their owntafte directed -them. 



By the hands of thefe, and feveral Abyffinians whom 

 they had taught, fons of Greek artifts whofe fathers were 

 dead, he finiihed his prefence- chamber in a manner truly 

 admirable. The Ikirting, which in our country is generally 

 of wood, was finiihed with ivory four feet from the ground. 

 Over this were three rows of mirrors from Venice, all join- 

 ed together, and fixed in frames of copper, or cornices gilt 

 with gold. The roof, in gaiety and taite, correfpooded per- 

 Vol. II. 4 L fectly 



