TRAVELS IN ABYSSINIA. 
49 
the whole was of the same colour. Being enraged 
by the rash speech of a Portuguese, they brandish- 
ed their swords, and threatened to k'ill the whole 
party ; but a seasonable display of the power of 
fire arms soon reduced them to mildness and sub- 
mission. 
Lobo found it necessary, with a view to his ob- 
ject of inquiring the road to Abyssinia, to wait 
upon their king, He found that monarch in a 
straw hut, somewhat larger than those of his sub- 
jects. His courtiers surrounded him, all bearing 
staffs, that were long or short in proportion to 
their rank. As Lobo entered, these staffs were 
instantly employed in beating him back to the door ; 
and on his inquiring the motive of such uncourte- 
ous usage, he was assured, that this, was the invari- 
able mode in which the Galles received a stranger, 
thereby proving at once their respect for him, 
and their own prowess. Our traveller then thought 
fit to take it in good part, though he inwardly griev- 
ed that he should have placed himself in the power 
of men, who testified their hospitality by such 
tokens. He contrived, however, to draw from them 
an oath, made in their most sacred manner, by pla- 
cing their hands over the head of a sheep smeared 
with butter, that no injury should be done to him. 
Inquiring then the route to Abyssinia, he was as- 
sured that that country lay at an immense distance, 
and that nine barbarous nations intervened, among 
vol. n. d 
