The

The Badjerund of the lion-house. It was customary to have four lions accompanying the royal camp in all its movements. place where they were stationed was near the common prison. The overseer of this has command over the officers who superintend executions.'

• The ceremonies performed at the creation of Abyssinian great officers, are singular, and throw considerable light on the national character. Before the war of Adel, and the division of the empire in the reign of David III. all was splendour and ceremony. Gold wrought into chains, cups, and other articles of use and luxury, were every where common; the finest brocades, silk, and cotton cloths were worn by the king's servants; the apartments in the palace and camp were ornamented with the most precious metals, and with beds of state, called menstaffs; they were hung with the richest Indian stuffs, and paved with the finest carpets of Persia. All the great officers of the crown ate out of vessels of gold and silver, and most of their furniture displayed the utmost height of barbaric pomp.

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A Kasmati (governor) is made in public, generally at the Adebebaye, or market-place, of Gondar. The servants of the king, under the direction of the Badjerund of the Zeffanbet, put around his head the Ras Werk, a circle of gold, and clothed him with the kaftan, a white robe, sometimes lined with blue. The Abyssinian MSS. mentions another gift, by the words sinomu mai, the meaning of which is uncertain, but seems to be a pitcher for water. of the people employed in the ceremony, then proclaims him, in the following manner: "Hear, hear, hear! We make our servant, *** Kassinati of -"The kettle-drums immediately beat, the trumpets are sounded, those who are present raise loud shouts of congratulation. He is then mounted on a horse of the king's, splendidly caparisoned, and rides to the outer gate of the palace, where, alighting, he is admitted into the presence chamber, and, after having prostrated himself on the ground, kisses the king's hand. He is conducted out with sandic, nagareet, and nesserkano ; that is, with the royal standard flying before him, and the drums and music, above-mentioned. The basha is also invested with, the Ras Werk and Kaftan. He receives gold chains for his legs and arms, called amber werk and zinar, with a gold hilted sword, and a shasha, a kind of turban, wound about his head. He is presented to the king on the throne, and allowed to sit at the foot of it, with carpets spread under his feet. He is there served with drink, in a golden cup; after which he is conducted by all the nobles and army at Gondar, in full procession, to the house allotted to his office. The musqueteers, with sandic, nagareet, and nesserkano, fire repeated peals of musquetry, and the rejoicing in this, as indeed in all cases of that nature, is noisy and riotous beyond des scription. All the great officers are invested in this manner, if fering, however, in the degree of honor which is paid to their

and that amity may be between our house and your house; and let us not be deprived of letters from you, for correspondence is half an interview.

No. XXXIX. contains two letters from Dr. Blair to Mr. Bruce; in the first of which there are some judicious observations on the travels of Mr. B. The following remark, with respect to the appearances of egotism which there are in that work, seem sensible and discriminating.

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With regard,' says the Doctor, to your being so much the hero of your own tale, which all the petty critics will be laying hold of, this is what I find not the least fault with. On the contrary, I have been always of opinion, that the personal adventures of a traveller in a strange country, are not only the most entertaining, but among the most instructive parts of the work, and let us more into the manners and circumstances of the country, than any informa tion and general observation can give us.'

No. XLIV. is a short but apparently copious account of the Abyssinian court and government. The civil list of the Abyssinian court hardly appears to yield to those of Europe in the variety or frivolity of the appointments. We shall extract a few particulars of the domestic establishment of Abyssinian royalty.

"The Serach Maseri, or chamberlain, who sets the crown on the king's head, sees his apartments properly ordered, and awakens him early in the morning, by his servants cracking their whips around his tent or palace.'

'The Hazgue or Lik Magwass, who has the charge of the king's mule, an office of great honour. The Negus rides usually on that animal, making a point never to alight while out of doors, except on extraordinary occasions. He even rides into the presence chamber to the foot of his throne,'

All the household officers were formerly created in pairs, one for the right hand, and another for the left.'

The king usually appointed two Bahwudels, each of whom was his lieutenant-general over half the troops in the kingdom. The word signifies the only gate, or by him alone the gate, as the army had access to the sovereign through the medium of this officer only.'

In a full council of the nation, or business of importance, the king sits in an alcove adjoining to the council room, behind a lattice called shekshck. An officer, called the Af-negus, or mouth of the king, carries to him the deliberations, and receives his answers,

The

The Badjerund of the lion-house. It was customary to have four lions accompanying the royal camp in all its movements. place where they were stationed was near the common prison. The overseer of this has command over the officers who superintend executions.'

The ceremonies performed at the creation of Abyssinian great officers, are singular, and throw considerable light on the national character. Before the war of Adel, and the division of the empire in the reign of David III. all was splendour and ceremony. Gold wrought into chains, cups, and other articles of use and luxury, were every where common; the finest brocades, silk, and cotton cloths were worn by the king's servants; the apartments in the palace and camp were ornamented with the most precious metals, and with beds of state, called menstaffs; they were hung with the richest Indian stuffs, and paved with the finest carpets of Persia. All the great officers of the crown ate out of vessels of gold and silver, and most of their furniture displayed the utmost height of barbaric pomp.

A Kasmati (governor) is made in public, generally at the Adebebaye, or market-place, of Gondar. The servants of the king, under the direction of the Badjerund of the Zeffanbet, put'around his head the Ras Werk, a circle of gold, and clothed him with the kaftan, a white robe, sometimes lined with blue. The Abyssinian MSS. mentions another gift, by the words sinomu mai, the meaning of which is uncertain, but seems to be a pitcher for water. One of the people employed in the ceremony, then proclaims him, in the following manner: Hear, hear, hear! We make our servant, **Kassmati of The kettle-drums immediately beat, the trumpets are sounded, those who are present raise loud shouts of congratulation. He is then mounted on a horse of the king's, splendidly caparisoned, and rides to the outer gate of the palace, where, alighting, he is admitted into the presence chamber, and, after having prostrated himself on the ground, kisses the king's hand. He is conducted out with sandic, nagareet, and nesserkano; that is, with the royal standard flying before him, and the drums and music, above-mentioned. The basha is also invested with, the Ras Werk and Kaftan. He receives gold chains for his legs and arms, called amber werk and zinar, with a gold hilted sword, and a shasha, a kind of turban, wound about his head. He is presented to the king on the throne, and allowed to sit at the foot of it, with carpets spread under his feet. He is there served with drink, in a golden cup; after which he is conducted by all the nobles and army at Gondar, in full procession, to the house allotted to his office. The musqueteers, with sandic, nagareet, and nesserkano, fire repeated peals of musquetry, and the rejoicing in this, as indeed in all cases of that nature, is noisy and riotous beyond de scription. All the great officers are invested in this manner, dif fering, however, in the degree of honor which is paid to their

respective ranks. The tenor of the proclamation is the same. It is the perpetual custom of the king to bestow new robes, and other articles of dress, not on the nobility alone, but every person in his court or army, who has performed any action of note. A quantity of provisions from the palace is also bestowed at the same time. These customs are all of Persian origin.'

The sovereigns of Abyssinia usually passed the nine fair months of the year in the field, engaged in war with the Manometans, Galla, and other tribes on the frontiers of the kingdom.

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Long practice made encampment an easy regular matter, every part of the army knew its particular station; when the king's tent was pitched, the places of all the rest were relatively determined. In au expedition, it was usual for the king to carry his wife's household servants, clergy, and treasures along with him. These are mentioned together because they were exceedingly numerous, and formed a proportionable incumbrance to the march, which was very hard, at the rate of ten or fourteen miles a day.'

The whole camp is called Cattama,' and when extended in the manner that was usually done, on continuing long in one place, it occupied a space of several miles in circumference. The king's tents, five or six in number, were placed on a little eminence, on the east side of it, the doors of them being always to the east. The name of the place in which they stood was called Margáfs, which was surrounded with long palisades, hung with checquered curtains, named Mantulot, that completely hid the tents from the army without. In this enclosure (Megardj) were twelve doors, or entrances, occupied by the guards, the principal of which looked. to the east. It was known and determined at which of these certain persons should enter, for instance, the cooks at one door, the Betweidets at another, the clergy at a third and so on, throughout the whole number. The principal gate was called the wudunsha dadje, the names of the rest were the sargwan dadje, shalemat dadje, megardja dadje, mebleá dadje, blaaltihat dadje, which were double, one of each name on the right, and another on the left, of the principal entrance.'

No. XLV. XLVI. give a particular account of the Ethiopie MSS. from which Mr. Bruce composed the history of Abyssinia, inserted in his travels. The style and manner of these Abyssinian annals bear a very close resemblance to the books of Kings and Chronicles in the Old Testament, Among the officers of the royal household who are enumerated in No.XLIV.we find two, Tsafat Tasazi,' secretaries. We shall give two specimens of these Abyssinian annals. In the eighth year of the reign of Yasous, he made an excursion to Teerkin,and amongst other game, collected a number

of apes, which he and his courtiers drove into Gondar, and exhibited in the public square. The historian of his reign records this action as follows:

In the eight year, in the month Yacatil, the king, went out to hunt as usual, and found in the way a flock of apes; and he drove them, as a shepherd doth his flock, into Gondar, and put them into the Ashoa,' (public square or area before the palace,)' And they who saw that miracle wondered and were astonished, and said; we have not heard,nor seen,neither have our fathers told us a sign or a wonder like this. And all that was done by the strength of the Lord.

When Mariam Barea governor of Begemder, who had been deprived of his government, and declared a traitor was delivered up to Ras Michael, the chronicle says,

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'That Michael would not see his face, because he pitied him, and remembered the scripture, which forbids us to insult those whom the Lord hath delivered into our hand.' He sent the prisoner to the king and refused to sit upon his trial, saying, It is not proper that I pronounce upon him the sentence of death, for we are enemies. But Kasmati Luto stood before the king in rage and said, I judge him with the sentence of death, for my brother Kasmati Brule died without judgment.' They pronounced the sentence and took him out of the tent; and Kasmati Luto lifted his lance and pierced him first, and after him all the Galla stabbed him and butchered him (tabahwo)like an ox,and cut off his head and brought it to Ras Michael, and threw it down before him as they do spoils; but he did not rejoice at the deed but said, take it out of my sight.'

The following is the conclusion of one of the books of Abyssinian annals:

'Month of Ginbot. On the first day he (the new king) entered Gondar; and the nobles and judges received him, and also the priests of the hills(hermits and monks) with psalms and music of joy and exultation. And, on the 2d day, he was made king with the crown as kings are, and the book of his history we will also write as the holy spirit shall direct us. And that king who was deposed, while he was in the palace by the king's permission, grew a little sick. And, on Monday, 8th at midnight, died Joas, king of kings. We have finished the history of king Yasous, and king Joas, and the queen Welleta Georgis, by the help of the Lord. Amen and amen. So let

it be.'

We find that the Abyssian chroniclers who have seldom any thing else to relate than turbulent periods of violence, eruelty and bloodshed,can still use the name of the Lord with very little ceremony; and can also lay claim to the super

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