CHE Lieu T. 
331 
ferent modes, and other warm dishes, made of various grains, 
mixed up with a most immoderate quantity of garlic, which, 
nevertheless, the guests seemed to devour with a keen and rave- 
nous appetite. This last circumstance could not excite much 
astonishment, when itwas considered that this unconscionablylong 
fast had already lasted upwards of a month, and that the Abyssi- 
nians, during its continuance, never touch a morsel of food till 
after sunset, so that many of the stoutest, at this time, began to 
look pallid, and to express an anxious desire for its conclusion. 
I have before omitted to mention, that at the commencement of 
Lent, the priest Guebra Mariam, who attended us from Mas- 
sowa, had proved of great service, owing to his having kindly 
absolved the whole of our party from the necessity of keeping 
it, a privilege which it appears the priests of the country 
are entitled to grant to all persons engaged in travelling, or 
similar pursuits. Some little difficulty had been experienced in 
persuading Ay to Debib to accept this indulgence ; but, after 
seeing us eat meat for a few days, his inclination got the better 
of his scruples, though I subsequently observed, that he was 
rather ashamed of having complied with our solicitations, when 
any person of rank spoke to him on the subject ; and I believe 
that the circumstance was carefully concealed from the know- 
ledge of the Ras. 
Several of the principal chieftains in the country at this time 
visited me, particularly Palambarus Toclu, Ayto Guebra Amlac, 
and Shum Michael of Temben, which latter appeared likely to 
possess great weight in the country, in the event of any accident 
occuring to the Ras. As all these chiefs had sent me presents of 
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