of oxen, admitted of its being so used. The cimbyllal grass is cultivated in inferior soils, where grain will not grow; but this convenience, I should suppose, is not a sufficient recommendation for its introduction into England, as an economical substitute for straw for the purposes of thatching cottages or littering cattle.

For some days I continued closely at my studies, having procured, through the kindness of Dr. Roth, some Amharic school-books, published by the Church Missionary Society, and which were compiled by the industry and the very creditable zeal of the Rev. Messrs. Isenberg and Krapf, in the discharge of their duties as missionaries of the Gospel, and as agents for the diffusion of Christian civilization. A geography which had been written by the former gentleman in the Amharic language, was particularly useful to me in acquiring a knowledge of the meaning of many words, which would otherwise have been a difficult business with a native teacher, who knew nothing of English, and but very little Arabic; although much more, certainly, of the latter, than myself. The Amharic signification of Arab words familiar to Sheik Tigh, I soon learnt, and other names of visible objects were as readily gained, but words expressive of abstruse qualities I only acquired by reading with him the geography; descriptive terms of wellknown subjects, conveying by a little exercise of mind, the required words for other purposes of

BOOKS IN THAT LANGUAGE.

197

application. With this work I therefore got on very well, for one great advantage was, the interest my teacher took in the subject, which, of all others, next to sacred writings, is most calculated to excite the attention of an active but ignorant mind. Long after Sheik Tigh had given up his duty of attending me, when he returned again to Aliu Amba from Bulga, he reminded me of my promise to bestow upon him my geographical lesson-book, and I was pleased to see with what reverence he received, and the care with which he prevented it from receiving any injury, by making a strong leathern case, in which he deposited it when not in

use.

This was not the only instance, I observed, of the desire on the part of the people of Shoa, both Christians and Mahomedans, to possess the Amharic translations published by the Church Missionary Society. The Christians, of course, generally asked for the books of Moses, and of the four Evangelists. Tinta, in return for some trifling memolagee, or gift, desired me to procure him both these works, but before I could oblige him, an opportunity offered, of purchasing the latter in the market. He immediately bought it, and the next time he called upon me, one of his servants carried the purchase before him in triumph, and I was desired to get him a geography instead of the book he had procured himself.

Tinta, in his character as my "balderabah,"

very

frequently brought me messages from the Negoos, sometimes asking about my health, or wishing to know if I required anything, "for was not Sahale Selassee my father?" to supply me with whatever I wanted in his country. .After one of these visits, Walderheros put me in mind, that a house of my own would be desirable. A very A very decent one was vacant in the town, and the owner had offered to sell it to me for five dollars, but not having any to spare, I was obliged to decline purchasing it. Walderheros' suggestion, that I should ask the Negoos to give me one, was a very sensible idea, as I certainly felt I should be much more comfortable in a house I could call my own, without interfering with the ways and the convenience of others. Miriam was particularly anxious that I should make myself as much "at home" with her, as possible; still I found, that Walderheros and myself occupied the whole house, to the exclusion of her and her two children. For the accommodation thus afforded me, I paid a rent treble the amount of what she would have received from any one else; three ahmulahs a-week is considered a most extravagant price for lodgings in Shoa, and I gave Miriam two dollars a month, being ten ahmulahs a-week. Unfortunately for me, Lieut. Barker had resided in the same house nearly four months, and having always had a plentiful supply of cash, I could see my economical house-keeping greatly disappointed the expectation of Miriam's

NOT VERY COMFORTABLE.

199

friends, who, on my taking up my quarters in her house had congratulated her on the favour of Allah, which was so evidently shown to her by another "Gypt" coming to reside with her.

The poor woman herself, however, was very thankful for the few salt pieces I could offer her weekly, and being sensible that it was only because I had not more to give, she never annoyed me with hints of disappointed expectations, or invidious comparisons with the habits of my predecessor; although others, who had no business to expect anything from me, were much less delicate in their allusions to the liberality of the " Kapitan," who, to judge by the kind inquiries respecting him, made by male and female, old and young, seemed to have been a universal favourite among the inhabitants of Aliu Amba.

Walderheros, whose greatest weakness was to be considered the servant of a most powerful and influential master, felt any sneers at my poverty a great deal more acutely than myself, and which, after all, he generally excited himself, by his assumption of importance, and the affectation of swearing by my name, "Ahkeem e moot," "may the doctor die," if a thing was not so and so, as if I had been a magnate of the land; for besides swearing by the life of the Negoos upon all important matters, the dependents of Abyssinian noblemen are accustomed, in private life, or on trivial occasions, to asseverate the truth of anything by similar

This

imprecations upon the lives of their masters. practice has not a bad effect upon a listening stranger, being a very pleasing characteristic of the natural affection that ought to exist between master and servant.

Several affronts that Walderheros had received about my economy, and the small establishment I kept up, determined him at length to put it to Tinta himself, if such a scandalous little place I lived in was fit for a friend of the Negoos, and as I supported this expostulation by a direct request to have a proper domicile appointed for me during my stay in Shoa, my worthy balderabah undertook to see the Negoos next day about the matter. This was so far satisfactory to Walderheros, who could now talk about nothing else but my new house, and a large garden which was to be attached to it, and where, according to his account, teff grass, jowarhee, and cayenne pepper plants would all flourish most advantageously, especially as regarded my expenditure. According to his account, there could be no question about the success of my housekeeping. Everything was propitious, and he amused me by the manner in which he used to endeavour to convince me how comfortable we should be. He had a wife, and he had a slave girl, caught by himself on some Galla expedition; besides these, I was to buy a donkey, and then there was himself, all of whom were to work like horses, and save me