Alvarez's narrative. 
15 
summit are other mountains with valleys, rivers, 
and streams. There is particularly one valley 
closely guarded by natural barriers, in which the 
blood royal are confined. Several attempts had 
been made by those confined to escape, but had 
always proved unsuccessful. 
After passing through part of Amhara and 
Shoa, the embassy arrived at the camp of the 
emperor, who is still called Prete JannL The 
tents and pavilions, seen from a distance, ap- 
peared to be infinite in number, and to cover all 
the fields. On arriving, they were met by the 
Adrugaz, or master of the household, who con- 
ducted them to a goodly tent, and supplied libe- 
rally all their wants. On the 28th October, 
about three o^clock, they were told that the Prete 
had called for them. They were ushered by a 
gate, within which they beheld an infinite number 
of pavilions and tents, like a great city. The 
tents immediately attached to the Prete were in 
a field by themselves, and were all white ; but 
the emperor's tent of state, set up only on great 
occasions, was red, and before it were two rows 
of arches, covered with silk cloth. A vast multi- 
tude, which appeared to our author to exceed 
40,000 persons, stood on both sides ; the princi- 
pal people, and those most splendidly drest, near 
to the arches, the rest at a greater distance. In 
order to preserve order among this multitude^ 
S3 
