TRAVELS IN ABYSSINIA. 
a prince, at the very time when an English vessel was 
lying off the harbour of Jidda. The Naybe there- 
upon half consented to spare this victim. 
Mr Bruce arrived at Massuah on the 20th of 
September, and immediately waited on Achmet, 
whom he found sitting in the market-place dressed 
in a large white muslin frock, similar to those worn 
in Europe by children ; an attire neither suited to 
his figure nor character, but which formed his full 
dress. Mr Bruce saw him afterwards at his house 
in undress, when he wore only a pair of calico 
drawers. He questioned him strictly if he really 
was of that exalted rank, reported by Mahomet 
Ghiberti. Our traveller frankly told him the real 
state of the case, which did not cause any coolness 
in Achmet's friendship, On the °Z\ st, the Naybe 
arrived at Massuah, and Mr Bruce was introduced. 
He found him sitting in a large wooden elbow chair, 
at the end of two files of naked attendants, and with 
no other dress than a cotton shirt so dirty, that all 
hope seemed over of its ever again being clean. The 
letters were presented, to which he paid very little 
attention, but merely laid them beside him, saying, 
that it would require a month to read them all. 
On receiving the presents, a gleam of satisfac- 
tion appeared, which he did not, however, deign 
to express. Mr Bruce retired, on the whole, 
very little content with this interview. He soon 
after received an immense list of presents, that 
