7^ 
TRAVELS IN ABYSSINIA. 
he continued to see almost daily ; but it was not 
till the 10th of August that he was able to attend 
a public audience. He found the emperor seated 
on his throne : it was a kind of sofa, the feet of 
which were of solid gold, and was covered with a 
carpet and cushions richly ornamented with gold. 
It was placed in an alcove at the upper end of 
the hall, under a dome glittering with gold and 
blue. The monarch's head was bare, with a large 
emerald above the forehead. The rest of his 
dress consisted of a vest and sash^ both richly 
embroidered with gold, 
Poncet made three low bows to the emperor, 
and kissed his hand. The usual previous cere- 
mony of a triple prostration, and kissing the feet, 
was dispensed with in his case, out of very pecu- 
liar favour. The never-failing ceremony of pre- 
sents passed in a satisfactory manner ; the doc- 
tor was then made to sit down, and a magnificent 
collation served up. 
The emperor immediately placed himself under 
the course of medicine prescribed by our traveller, 
the effect of which was so happy, that in a short 
time he was perfectly cured ; a result which add- 
ed greatly to the favour which Poncet had previ- 
ously enjoyed. The monarch, being extremely 
devout, determined now to take the sacrament 
according to the rites of his country ; and our 
traveller was invited to witness the ceremony. 
