TRAVELS IN ABYSSINIA* 
15 
After passing through part of Amhara and Shoa, 
the embassy arrived at the camp of the emperor, 
who is still called Prete Jannu The tents and 
pavilions, seen from a distance, appeared to be in- 
finite in number, and to cover all the fields. On ar- 
riving, they were met by the Adrugaz, or master of 
the household, who conducted them to a goodly tent, 
and supplied liberally all their wants. On the 
28th October, about three o'clock, they were told 
that the Prete had called for them. They were 
ushered by a gate, within which they beheld an 
infinite number of pavilions and tents, like a great 
city. The tents immediately attached to the Prete 
were in a field by themselves, and were all white ; 
but the emperor's tent of state, set up only on great 
occasions, was red, and before it were two rows of 
arches, covered with silk cloth. A vast multitude, 
which appeared to our author to exceed 40,000 
persons, stood on both sides ; the principal people, 
and those most splendidly drest, near to the arches, 
the rest at a greater distance. In order to preserve 
order among this multitude, above a hundred persons 
carried whips, which they continually lashed in the 
air, producing a noise which rendered all hearing 
impossible. As the embassy came within bow-shot 
of the imperial tent, sixty porters or mjicers, ap- 
parelled in silk, with skins of lions, and chains of 
gold, came running to meet them. They parted 
into two bands, and waited upon them at the en- 
