A Narrative Of Captivity In Abyssinia With Some Account Of The Late Emperor Theodore, His Country And People By Henry Blanc
- Page 330 of 373 - First - Home
He Ordered Him To
Be Put In Chains, Sent To The Amba, And For Seven Days Not To Be
Allowed Either Bread Or Water.
Another priest, who had also on a former occasion grossly insulted
his Majesty, was sent up to the prison at the same time.
That priest
had said to some of the Emperor's spies that their master wore three
matabs: [Footnote: Matab: a string made of blue silk, and
worn round the neck as the sign of Christianity in Abyssinia.] one,
because he was a Mussulman, having burnt the churches; the second
because he was a Frank, never observing the fast days; the third,
to make the people believe he was a Christian.
The following morning we were awoke by the merry elelta - the
shrill cry of joy uttered by the Abyssinian beau sexe on
great and happy events. On this occasion a peculiar mixture of
joyous and plaintive strains slightly modified its usual character,
and it was a sharp but also tremulous sound that greeted the arrival
of the Emperor Theodore on the Amba. Carpets were at once spread
on the open space in front of his house, the throne was brought out
and decked with gorgeous silks, and the state umbrella unfolded to
protect the reclining Emperor from the hot rays of the sun. We
expected, on seeing all these preparations made and the large number
of courtiers and officers assembled in front, that before long we
would be called for, and that something similar to the trial and
reconciliation of Zage was going to be acted over again.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 330 of 373
Words from 90771 to 91034
of 102802
