He had aflxield o f a E n gle hide, warped by the heat in feve.
ral directions, and much in the ihape o f a high-crowned,
large, ftraw-hat, with which the faihionable women in our
own country fometimes difguife themfclves. He carried a.
fliort lance in his right hand, with an ill-made iron head,
and a ihaft that feemed to. be o f thorn-tree, but altogether
without ornament, which is feldom the .cafe with .the arms,
o f barbarians. Whether it w,as neceCary for the poizing;
himfe lf upon the lliarp ridge .of the beaft’s back, or wliether-
it was meant as graceful riding, I do.not know,beingcquite:
unfkillsd in eowmanfhip; hut h e leaned exceedingly backwards,
pufliing his belly forwards, and hokling his.left arm
and fliield ftretched out on one fide o f him, anal h is right:
arm and lance in the fame w ay on the o ther, like wings.
T h e k in g was feated on his ivory chair, to; receive him;,
abnoft in the middle o f his tent ; the day was very hot, tank
a n infufferabk flench o f carrion foon made every one in,
the tentfenfibleof the approach,of this.nafty fovereign, even,
before they faw him.. The k in g, when he perceived him,
coming, was fo ftruck with the whole figure and appear-,
ance, that he could not-contain himfelf from an immoderate
fit o f laughter, which finding it impofiible to ftifle, he-
rofe fBom his chair, and ran as hard as he cou ld into another
apartment behind the throne..
T h e favage g e t off from his cow at the door o f the tentr
with all his tripes about h im ; and, while we were admiring
him as a monfter, feeing the kin g’s feat empty, he
took it far his own, and down be fat upon the crimfon filk
eufhion, with the butter running from every part o f
him. A general cry o f aftonilhment was made by every perion
in the tent: he ftarted up I believe without divining the
caufe, and before he had time to recolletft: himfelf, they foil
all-upon him, and with puflies and blows drove this greafy
chieftain to the door o f the tent, flaring with wild amazement,
not knowing what was next to happen. It is high
treafon, and puniihable by immediate death, to fit down upon
the k in g ’s chair. Poor Guangoul owed his life to his
ignorance. The k in g had beheld the whole fcene through
the curtain; i f he laughed heartily at the beginning, h e
laughed ten times more at the cataftrophe ; lie came out
laughing, and unable to fpeak. The eufhion was lifted and
thrown a way,.and a yellow Indian fhanl tprcad on the ivory
fiool ; and ever after, when it was placed, and the k in g not
•there, the ftool was turned on its face upon the carpet to»
prevent fu ch like, accidents..
GuANeotn., cHfàppointed o f having an audience o f thé;
t in g , went to the Ras, where he was better received, but
what paffed I know not. His troops, armed like himfe lf,
with fhields o f no refiflance, and hedge-ftakes burnt and-
flaarpened at the end inftead o f lances, were no acquifitio»
to, any party, efpecially in th e prefent quarrel, where dll the
veteran troops in Abylfinia were nearly equally divided on-
oppotite fides ; befides, the Shoa horfe had taken the eyes o f
people fo much, that they began to think little o f any cavalry
that was not in fome degree equipped like them.
A f t e r the k in g returned to the palace, great diverfion
was made at Guangpul’s. appearance,'in fo much that Oz-o-
to Either, who hated the very name o f Galla, and o f this
race in particular, infilled upon feeing a repreientation of.
it. Doho, accordingly, a.dwarf belonging to Ras Michael,
very