16 
TRAVELS IN ABYSSINIA. 
trance to the arches, where the ambassadors also 
stopt. Under shadow of these arches were found 
the Betudete, or grand captain, and a priest called 
Cabeata, said to be the second person in the king- 
dom. The Cabeata came immediately from the 
tent of the Prete, and demanded whence they 
came. They answered, that they came on an em- 
bassy from the Captain General of India, under 
the king of Portugal. The Cabeata went to the 
Prete, and returned three times with the very same 
question, to which the same answer was always re- 
turned. At last he invited them to say what it 
was they wished. The ambassador replied only by 
a compliment, importing that they kissed his ma- 
jesty's hand, and felt great satisfaction at being 
the first Europeans who had visited him. The 
priest soon returned, saying, that they were wel- 
come, and might go home to their lodging. No- 
thing was seen of the Prete at this interview. 
As the embassay left the palace, a band of thieves 
carried off a number of valuable articles, while a 
servant, who attempted to defend them, was wound- 
ed in the leg. The ambassadors, inquiring the 
mode of obtaining redress for this outrage, were 
assured that these thieves formed a regular part of 
the court establishment, and that officers were ap- 
pointed, who levied a proportion of the articles 
stolen for behoof of his imperial majesty. It 
was judged prudent, therefore, to abstain from all 
