He had been
disappointed, he said, with all the Europeans that had entered his
country. None were good but Bell and Plowden; and he wanted to
know, by report, if the Englishman who had landed at Massowah was
like all the rest. His patience was such that he had believed him
to be a good man, and had, therefore, decided upon sending for him.
On the 4th he again sent for us. He was alone, sitting in the open
air. He made us sit down on a carpet near him,--and spoke at length
about his former career. He told us how he dealt with the rebels:
first he sent them word to pay tribute; if they refused, he went
himself and plundered their, country. On the third refusal, to use
his own words, "he sent their bodies to the grave; and their souls
to hell." He also told us that Bell had spoken to him so much about
our Queen, that for many years he had intended sending her an
embassy; he had even everything ready when; Captain Cameron made
him an enemy of his former friend. He had ordered, he said, some
tokens of his regard to be made for us, as he had nothing with him
fit to offer us; he had been pleased to see us, and considered us
as "three brothers." The interview was long; when at last his
Majesty dismissed us, he informed us that the following day he would
send us to Kourata to await there the arrival of our countrymen
from Magdala.
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