70 TRAVELS IN ABYSSINIA. 
not till the 10th of August that he was able to at- 
tend a public audience. He found the emperor 
seated on his throne ; it was a kind of sofa, the 
feet of which were of solid gold, and was covered 
with a carpet and cushions richly ornamented with 
gold. It was placed in an alcove at the upper end 
of the hall, under a dome glittering with gold and 
blue. His head was bare, with a large emerald 
above the forehead. The rest of his dress consist- 
ed of a vest and sash, both richly embroidered with 
gold. 
Poncet made three low bows to the emperor, and 
kissed his hand. The usual previous ceremony of 
a triple prostration, and kissing the feet, was dis- 
pensed with in his case, out of very peculiar favour. 
The never-failing ceremony of presents passed in 
a satisfactory manner ; the doctor was then made 
to sit down, and a magnificent collation served up. 
The emperor immediately placed himself under 
the course of medicine prescribed by our traveller, 
the effect of which was so happy, that in a short 
time he was perfectly cured ; a result which added 
greatly to the favour which he had previously en- 
joyed. That monarch, being extremely devout, de- 
termined now to take the sacrament according to 
the rites of his country ; and our traveller was in- 
vited to witness the ceremony. It was celebrated 
with a profuse display of worldly pomp. Twelve 
thousand men were drawn up in the court of the 
