228 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
fame time that it puts your perfon in fafety ; that you will 
not be troubled with monks’ about their religious matters, 
or in danger from thefe rafcals that may feek to murder 
you for money.” | 3 
“ Wuar are the monks?” fays the fame voice from the 
corner ; “ the’ monks will never meddle with fuch a man as 
this.”—“ Therefore the king,” continued the Ras, with- 
out taking any notice of the interruption, “ has ap- 
pointed you Baalomaal, and to command the Koccob horfe,, 
which I thought to have given to Francis, an old foldier of 
mine ; but he is poor, and: we will provide for him better, for 
thefe appointments have honour, but little profit.” “Sir,” fays 
Francis, who was in prefence, but behind, “it isin much more 
honourable hands than either mine or the Armenian’s, or 
any other white man’s, fince the days of Hatzé Menas, and 
fo I told the king to-day.” “ Very well, Francis,” fays the 
Ras; “ it becomes a foldier to fpeak the truth, whether it 
makes for or againft himfelf. Gothen to the king, and kifs 
the ground upon your appointment. I fee you have already 
learned this ceremony of our’s; Aylo and Heikel are very 
proper perfons to go with you. The king expreffed his fur- 
prife tome laft night he had not feen you; and there too ts. 
Tecla Mariam, the king’s fecretary, who came with your 
appointment from the palace to-day.” The man in the cor- | 
ner, that I took for a prieft, was this Tecla Mariam, a f{cribe.. 
Out of the king’s prefence men of this order cover their 
heads, as do the priefts, which was the reafon of my mifi 
take., 
I THEN gave him a prefent, which he fcarce looked at, as: 
a% number. of people were. prefling in at the door from cue. 
. riofity: 
