66 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER | 
ed that, crofling the deep bed of a broek: a plant of the | 
kantuffa hung acrofs it. I had upon my fhoulders a white 
goat {kin, of which it did not take hold; but the king, 
who was dreffed in the habit of peace, his long hair float- 
ing all around his face, wrapt up in his mantle, or thin cot- 
ton cloak, fo that nothing but his eyes could be feen, was 
paying more attention to the horfe than to the branch of 
kantuffa befide him; it took firft hold of his hair, and the 
fold of the cloak fae covered his head, then fpread itfelf 
over his whole fhoulder in fuch a manner, that, notwith- 
ftanding all the help that could be given him, and that I had, 
at firft feeing it, cut the principal bough afunder with my 
knife, no remedy remained but he mutt throw off the up- 
per garment, and appear in the under one, or waiftcoat, with 
his head and face bare before all the {pectators. - 
Tuisisaccounted great difgrace to a king, who always 
appears covered in public. However, he did not feem to be - 
ruffed, nor was there any thing particular in his counten- 
ance more than before, but with great compofure, and in 
rather a low voice, he called twice, Who is the Shum of 
this diftrict?) Unhappily he was not far off. A thin old man 
of fixty, and his fon about thirty, came trotting, as their 
cuftom is, naked to their girdle, and ftcod before the king, 
who was, by this time, quite cloathed again. What had 
ftruck the old man’s fancy, I know not, but he pafled my 
horfe laughing, and feemingly wonderfully content with - 
himfelf. I could not help confidering him as a type of . 
mankind in general, never more confident and carelefs than 
when on the brink of deftruction; the king afked if he was 
Shum of that place? he anfwered in the affirmative, and 
added, 
