634 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



fectly with the magnificent finifhing of the room ; it was 

 the work of the Falaftia, and confiiled of painted cane, 

 fplit and difpofed in Mofaic figures, which produces a 

 gayer effect than it is poflible to conceive. This chamber, 

 indeed, was never perfectly finifhed, from a want of mirrors. 

 The king died ; tafte decayed ; the artifts were neglected, 

 or employed themfelves in ornamenting faddles, bridles, 

 fwords, and other military ornaments, for which they were 

 very ill paid ; part of the mirrors fell down ; part remained 

 till my time ; and I was prefent when the laft of them were 

 deflroyed, on a particular oceafion, after the battle of Ser- 

 braxos, as will be hereafter mentioned. 



The king had begun- another chamber of equal expence, 

 confiding of plates of ivory, with ftars of all colours ftained 

 in each plate at proper diltances. This, too, was going to 

 ruin ; little had been done in it but the alcove in which he 

 fat, and little of it was feen, as the throne and perfon of the 

 king concealed it, 



Ya sou-s was charmed with this multiplicity of works and: 

 workmen. He gave up himfelf to it entirely ; he evens 

 wrought with his own hand, and rejoiced at feeing the fa- 

 cility with which, by the ufe of a compafs and a few ftraight 

 lines, he could produce the figure of a fiar equally exact 

 with any of his Greeks. Bounty followed bounty. The bed 

 villages, and thofe near the town, were given in property to: 

 the Greeks that they might recreate themfelves, but at a 

 dirtance, always liable to his call, and with as little lofs of 

 time as poilible. He now renounced his favourite hunting- 

 matches and incurfions upon the Shangalia and Shepherds 

 of Atbara* 



Ths 



