THE SOURCE OF THE NILE 93 
ter of lupines, that no ufe could be made of it. I was a Sove- 
reign, it istrue, and my revenue was what wife men have faid 
is the beft;—the love of the people. It went, however, but 
little way towards fupporting my dignity. ~ 
Wuitz the king was at Kahha, keeping the feftival of 
the Epiphany, he received a very extraordinary vifit from 
Amha Yafous, fon of the governor of Shoa, offering his per- 
fonal fervice and afliftance to the king, and brought with 
him, as a prefent, soo ounces of gold, and a thoufand ex- 
cellent horfemen ready equipt at all points. Upon his being 
prefented to the king, two young noblemen were inftruc- 
ted to be ready to lay hold of him by the arms, and prevent 
his throwing himfelf upon the ground if he intended fo to 
do. The king was feated upon the throne, very richly 
dreffed-in brocade, a very fine muflin web wrapt loofely a- 
bout him, fo as to hang in plaits, and in fome parts fhow, 
and in fome conceal, the flowers of the cloth of gold of 
which his waiftcoat was compofed. His hair was loofe, 
combed out at its full length, and falling about his head in 
every direction, and a fork, like a {kewer, made of a rhino- 
ceros horn, with a gold button or head upon it, fluck thro’ 
his hair near his temples; he was all perfumed with rofe 
water, and two people ftood on the oppofite fides of the 
tent, each of them with a filver bottle full of it.. 
Amua Yasous with his thoufand horfe prefented him- 
felf before the door of the tent, and rode on till he was 
compleatly in it; he then defcended as in a great hurry or 
. furprife, and ran forward, ftooping, to the foot of the 
throne, inclining his body lower andloweras he approached; 
and, juft before the act of proftration, he was feized by Tecla. 
oz ri Mariam. 
