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377 
Ethiopic language, which he requested me to deliver to His 
Majesty, or his minister, and at the same time he presented to 
me a gold chain, with a medallion suspended lo it, on which were 
engraved the armorial bearings of the Abyssinian emperors, 
which he begged me to accept, as the highest honour that it was 
in his power to confer. At this conference, I was also requested 
by the Ras, to take with me Ayto Debib as his envoy to England, 
that he might express more particularly the Ras's sentiments to 
His Majesty's government, which offer I felt myself under the 
necessity of declining. He likewise mentioned, that he had two 
small lions, which he wished me to carry as a present to His 
Majesty ; but the distance which I had to return, rendered their 
conveyance totally impracticable. One of these animals was oc- 
casionally brought by his keeper into the room where we sat, but 
during the course of my stay he became so fierce and intractable, 
that it became necessary to confine him, and in a short time 
afterwards he died. 
On the following night the Ras, as a distinguishing mark of 
attention, had us called up at midnight to partake of a small 
repast. We found him seated, as usual, on his couch, by the 
side of an excellent fire, attended by some of his confidential 
people, and a few Shangalla slaves. In the course of the short 
period that the repast occupied, two applications were made at 
his gateway for justice, the parties crying. out, Abait, abait 
Master, master ! which is the usual mode in which supplicants 
address their chiefs on such occasions. Immediately on his 
hearing this appeal, he ordered the applicants to be admitted, 
and after listening to their complaints^ and enjoining secrecy. 
I 
