Having acknowledged with due respect
his courteous inquiries, we advanced towards the throne, and delivered
into his hands the letter from her Majesty the Queen. The Emperor
received it civilly, and told us to sit down on the splendid carpets
that covered the ground. The Emperor was seated on an alga, wrapped
up to the eyes in a shama, the sign of greatness and of power in
Abyssinia. On his right and left stood four of his principal officers,
clad in rich and gay silks, and behind him watched one of his trusty
familiars, holding a double-barrelled pistol in each hand. The King
made a few complaints about the European prisoners, and regretted
that by their conduct they had interrupted the friendship formerly
existing between the two nations. He was happy to see us, and hoped
that all would be well again. After a few compliments had been
exchanged, on the plea that we must be tired, having come so far,
we were allowed to depart.
The letter from the Queen of England, which we had handed over to
his Abyssinian Majesty, was in English, and no translation had been
affixed to it. His Majesty did not break the seal before us,
probably on account of the presence of his high officers; as he
would not have liked them to witness his disappointment had the
letter not suited his views. As soon as we had reached our tent,
the letter was sent to us to be translated; but as we had with us
no European who understood the language of the country, it had to
be rendered first by Mr.
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