394 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
after this the glafs went chearfully about; there was ex- 
cellent red wine, but ftrong, of the nature of cote-roti, 
brought from Karoota, which is the wine country, about fix 
miles fouth-eaft from the place where we then were; good 
new brandy ; honey-wine, or hydromel, and a fpecies of beer 
called Bouza, both of which were fermented with herbs, 
or leaves of trees, and made very heady; they are difagree- 
able liquors to ftrangers. Our kind landlady, who never had 
quitted her fofa, preffed about the glafs in the very brifkeft 
manner, reminding us that our time was fhort, and that the 
drum would prefently give the fignal for ftriking the tents. 
For my part, this weighed exceedingly with me the contrary 
way to her intentions, for I began to fear I fhould not be 
able to go home, and I was not prepared to go on with the 
army; befides, it was indifpenfibly neceflary to fee both 
the king and Ras Michael, and that I by no means chofe 
to do when my prefence of mind had left me ;.I therefore 
made my apology to Ozoro Efther, by a mefiage delivered 
by one of her women, and flipt out of the tent to wait upon 
the king. 
I rHoucutT to put on my moft fedate appearance, that 
none of my companions in the king’s tent fhould fee that I 
was affected with liquor; tho’ intoxication in Abyflinia is 
neither uncommon nor a reproach, when you are not en- 
gaged in bufinefs or attendance. I therefore went on as 
compofedly as poffible, without recollecting that I had al- 
ready advanced near a hundred yards, walking on that for- 
bidden precinct or avenue between the king’s tent and Ras 
Michael’s, where nobody interrupted me. The eafe with 
which I proceeded, among fuch a crowd and buftle, foon 
| ~ brought 
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