JOURNEY OF FERNANDEZ* 
45 
their charge. Those dreadful enemies, however, 
did not appear, and a ford was afterwards found 
in a neighbouring valley, over which the cattle 
were driven. This danger past, they were not 
long of arriving at the capital of Gingiro. Their 
arrival was immediately announced to the king ; 
but that monarch was so deeply employed in ope- 
rations of witchcraft, which forms here the maia 
engine of state policy, that he could not receive 
them into his presence for eight days. They 
were then sent for, and found the king seated on 
a scaffold twenty-five palms high, and which was 
ascended by steps in front. His courtiers stood 
on foot upon the ground, to whom, says the 
writer, he issued his orders from this lofty height 
like a thundering Jupiter. As soon as the letter 
of the king of Abyssinia was shewn to him, h© 
came down from the scaffold, received it on foot, 
and inquired for the health of the emperor, after 
which he reascended, and conversed for some 
time through the medium of an interpreter. This 
interpreter, whenever the king spake, kissed the 
tips of his fingers, and then stooping, kissed the 
ground, and when he had received Fernandez's 
answer, went through the same salutations before 
delivering it to the king. That prince made 
many inquiries about the health of the king of 
Abyssinia j said that the object of the letters was 
to request him to use them well^ and to supply 
