510 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER | 
Ir was now, however, near eight at night of the 3oth be- 
fore I received a meflage to attend him. I repaired imme- 
diately to his tent. After announcing myfelf, I waited about 
a quarter of an hour before I was admitted ; he was fitting 
upon a cufhion with a lion’s {kin upon it, and another 
ftretched like a carpet before his feet, and had a cotton cloth, 
fomething like a dirty towel, wrapped about his head; his 
upper cloak, or garment, was drawn tight’about him over 
his neck and fhoulders, fo as to cover his hands ; I bowed, 
and went forward to kifs one of them, but it was fo entan- 
gled in the cloth that I was obliged to kifs the cloth inftead © 
of the hand. This was done either as not expecting I fhould 
pay him that compliment, (as I certainly fhould not have 
done, being one of the king’s fervants, if the king had been 
at Gondar) or elfe it was intended for a mark of difrefpect, 
which was very much of a-piece with the reft of his beha- 
viour afterwards. 
‘THERE was no carpet or cufhions in the tent, and only 
a little ftraw, as if accidentally, thrown thinly about it. I fat 
down upon the ground, thinking him fick not knowing 
what all this meant; he looked fledfaftly at me, faying, half 
under his breath, Endett nawi? bogo nawi? which, in Am- 
haric, is, How do you do? Are you very well? I made the 
ufyal anfwer, Well, thank God. He again ftopt, as for me 
to fpeak4 there was only one old man prefent, who was {fit-. 
ting on the floor mending a mule’s bridle. I took him at 
firft for an attendant, but obferving that a fervant unco- 
vered held a candle to him, ! thought he was one of his 
Galla, but then I faw a blue filk thread, which he had about. 
his neck, which is a badge of Chriftianity all over Abyf- 
finia, and which a Galla would not wear. What he was I. 
I could 
