this Cnee his return frofn Tigré, was the reafon o f coldnefs
between him and the Ras, and o f Michael’s putting the
k in g o n fo ih o r t allowance on his firft. coming to Gondar :
but all that was now removed by the neceflities o f the times;
gold came from Tigré in plènty ; even Powufien had fent
fome o f the revenue o f Begemder, all the other provinces, a
proportion, with butter, cattle, and cotton cloths, for the
maintenance, o f the. k in g ’s houfehold and troops : for my
part, though I enjoyed the name o f feveral pofts, I had partaken
fincé this laft revolution' o f a very fmall part o f their
revenues ; I had been liberally fupplied in the k in g ’s abfence
b y Ozoro Eftffer and the queen. I had few fervants, and lived
cheaply in the Iteghé’s palace at Kofcam ; but after my arrival,
the king, on purpofe I believe to difconcert my journey,
ran me grievoufly into debt with the foldiers, and other
expences that were, as I was told, abfolutely neceffary ; it is
true, thefe were paid in part at times, but very irregularly.
Ras Michael was not a man to be craved, nor was my temper
fuch as could be brought to crave him ; from this it
arofe that often I had been in great ilraits, and obliged to
live fparingly, which lu ck ily was never a great hardlhip upon
me, in order to fulfil my promil'c to others. And now the
campaign was beginning, horfes, and mules, and every
thing neceffary were to be purehafed, and I was in debt a-
bove one hundred pounds, nor would it have been poffible
I ever Ihould have cleared myfelf, for my daily expences
were enormous, i f it had not been for the fituation that a
certain Greek, named Petros, was in, from whom I borrowed
about three hundred pounds, as I ihall after mention. With
regard to Kafmati Eafil, he fent me, twice, two large jars o f
honey from my lordihip o f Geefh, at two different times ::
the firft was taken by Coque Abou Barea, the laft tailed fo bitter
tep o f lupines, that no ufe could be made o f it. I was a Sovereign
,it is true, and my revenue was what wife men have faid
is the belt,— the love o f the people. It went, however, but
little way towards fupporting m y dignity.
W h ile the k in g was at Kahha, keeping the feftival o f
the Epiphany, he received a very extraordinary vifit from
Amha Yafous, fo n o f the governor o f Shoa, offering his per-
fonal fervice and affiftance to the king, and brought with,
him, as a prefent, yoo ounces o f gold, and a thoufand excellent
horfemen ready equipt at all points. Upon his being
prefented to the king, two young noblemen were inftruc-
ted to be ready to; lay hold o f him b y the arms, and prevent
his throwing himfelf upon the ground i f he intended fo to.
do. The k in g was feated upon the throne, very richly
dreffed in brocade, a very fine' mullin web wrapt loofely a-
bout him, fo as to hang in plaits, and in fome parts ftiow,.
and in fome conceal, the flowers o f the cloth o f gold o f
which his waiftcoat was compofed. His hair was loofe,
combed out at its fu ll length, and fa llin g about his head in
every direction, and a fork, like a ikewer, made o f a rhinoceros
horn, with a go ld button or head upon it, ftuck thro.’
his hair near his temples ; he was all'perfumed with rofe
water, and two people flood on the oppofite fides o f the,
tent, each o f th a n with a filver bottle fu l l o f it.
A m h a Y a sq u s w ith his thoufand horie prefented himfe
lf before the door o f the tent, and rode on till he was.
compleatly in it ; he then defcended as in a great hurry or
furprife, and ran forward, Hooping, to the fo o t o f the
th'rone, inclining his body lower and lower as he approached;,
and,juft before the a i l o f proftration, he was feized by Tecla
r Mariam.