Page:Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile - In the Years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772, and 1773 volume 3.djvu/534

 fi.o TRAVELS TO DISCOVER

It was now, however, near eight at night of the 30th be- fore I received a meflage to attend him. I repaired imme- diately to his tent. After announcing myfelf, I waited about a quarter of an hour before I was admitted ; he was fitting upon a cufhion with a lion's fkin upon it, and another ftretched like a carpet before his feet, and had a cotton cloth, fomething like a dirty towel, wrapped about his head; his upper cloak, or garment, was drawn tight about him over his neck and moulders, fo as to cover his hands ; I bowed and went forward to kifs one of them, but it was fo entan- gled in the cloth that I was obliged to kifs the cloth inftead of the hand. This was done either as not expecting I mould pay him that compliment, (as I certainly mould not have done, being one of the king's fervants, if the king had been at Gondar) or elfe it was intended for a mark of difrefpeet, which was very much of a-piece with the reft of his beha- viour afterwards.

There was no carpet or cufhions in the tent, and only a little ftraw, as if accidentally, thrown thinly about it. I fat down upon the ground, thinking him fick not knowing what all this meant; he looked lledfaftly at me, faying, half under his breath, Endett nawi ? bogo nawi ? which, in Am- haric, is, How do you do? Are you very well? I made the ufual anfwer, Well, thank God. He again flopt, as for me to fpeak ; there was only one old man prefent, who was fit- ting on the floor mending a mule's bridle. I took him at firft for an attendant, but obferving that a fervant unco- vered held a candle to him, I thought he was one of his Galla, but then I faw a blue filk thread, which he had about his neck, which is a badge of Chriftianity all over Abyf- iinia, and which a Galla would not wear. What he was I 1 could