lxxii INTRODUCTION. 



of being a companion to the firft of their nobility, and the 

 king's ftranger and guefl, which is there a character, as it 

 was with eaftern nations of old, to which a certain fort of 

 confideration is due. It was in vain to compare myfelf 

 with them in any kind of learning, as they have none ; 

 mufic they have as little ; in eating and drinking they were, 

 indeed infinitely my fuperiors ; but in one accomplishment 

 that came naturally into comparifon, which was horfeman- 

 fhip, I ftudioufly eftablifhed my fuperiority. 



My long refidence among the Arabs had given me more 

 than ordinary facility in managing the horfe ; I had brought 

 my own faddle and bridle with me, and, as the reader will 

 find, bought my horfe of the Baharnagafh in the firft days 

 of my journey, fuch a one as was neceflary to carry me, 

 and him I trained carefully, and ftudied from the begin- 

 ning. The Abyflinians, as the reader will hereafter.fee, are 

 the word horfemen in the world. Their horfes are bad, 

 not equal to our Welfli or our Scotch galloways. Their 

 furniture is worfe. They know not the ufe of fire-arms on 

 horfeback ; they had never feen a double-barrelled gun, nor 

 did they know that its effect was limited to two discharges, 

 but that it might have been fired on to infinity. All this 

 gave me an evident fuperiority. 



To this I may add, that, being in the prime of life, of no 

 ungracious figure, having an accidental .knack, which is 

 not a trifle, of putting on the drefs, and fpeaking the lan- 

 guage eafily and gracefully, I cultivated with the utmofl 

 afliduity the friendfhip of the fair fex, by the moft modeft, 

 refpedful diftant attendance, and obiequioufnefs in public, 

 3 abating 



