Page:A voyage to Abyssinia (Salt).djvu/267

 Among the persons who visited me most frequently at this time, was a learned man, looked up to with much respect by the country, called Dofter Esther, who not only understood the Geez language, and possessed some knowledge of the Arabic, but, by the assistance of Mr. Pearce, had made himself acquainted with the Roman characters. He besides evinced, on all occasions, an uncommon desire for gaining information respecting the English, and in return, seemed to take great pleasure in answering my enquiries. During the whole time that Mr. Bruce remained in the country, Dofter Esther resided at Gondar, engaged in the pursuit of his studies, being intimately acquainted with the former, whom he was in the habit of visiting every three or four days. As he appeared to speak in very friendly terms respecting that traveller, and to possess a more perfect recollection of the events which occurred at that time, than any other of the natives I conversed with, I shall in this place introduce the information I received from him on these subjects; which, in reality, contains a fair abstract of what is recollected in Abyssinia respecting Mr. Bruce.

When Mr. Bruce first arrived in the country, Ras Michael, who was in possession of full power, was absent from Gondar; but on receiving intelligence of Mr. Bruce's arrival, he sent for Sidee Petros, and Paulus, two Greeks, who gave so favourable an account of him and "of his religion," which they affirmed "was the same with their own," that the Ras was induced to treat him with great attention. He also gained at the same time great reputation from curing one of Ras Michael's children, and Ayto Confu, who were then ill of the small-pox. Ayto Aylo, an elderly man, who uniformly shewed himself the friend of all white men, became his patron. The Iteghe also took him under her protection, and Ozoro Esther became much attached to him. Dofter Esther had heard of a quarrel which had occurred in the king's house, between Mr. Bruce and Guebra Mascal,