The Emperor
was dressed very simply: the only difference in his attire from the
chief in attendance standing some ten yards on his side, was in the
silk border of his shama: he held a spear in his hand, and two long
pistols were fixed in his belt. He greeted us cordially and made
us sit down _behind him_: a proof of confidence, he would
certainly not have accorded to his dearest Abyssinian friend, as
we had only to give him a sudden push, and he would have rolled
down the precipice below.
The road he had made on the side of Islamgee was broad but very
steep on the average at a gradient of one in three; half way an
almost straight angle intersected it, and we feared that there might
be some difficulty in turning the heavy waggons without upsetting
them. He did not speak much at first, being intent on examining the
waggons below; but as soon as the big mortar came in sight he pointed
it out to us, and asked Mr. Rassam his opinion about it. We all
admired the huge piece, and Mr. Rassam, having complimented his
Majesty on his great work, added, that before long he hoped that
our people would have the same pleasure of admiring it as we did.
Samuel, who translated on that occasion, turned quite pale, but as
the Emperor understood a little Arabic he was obliged to render the
sentence, though he evidently did not like it.
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