the scorn with which their king was entitled to treat all the nations of
the world.

The residence of the mission in this comfortless place, however, gave a
opportunity of acquiring considerable knowledge of the habits and commerce
of the interior. The chief traffic is in slaves, but coffee is exported
extensively from Hurrna, and large caravans three times in the year visit
the ports, Zeyla and Barbara, laden with ivory, ostrich feathers, ghee,
saffrons, gums, and myrrh. In return are brought blue and white calicoes,
Indian piece goods, Indian prints, silks, and shawls, red cotton yarn,
silk threads, beads, frankincense, copper wire, and zinc.

A fortnight rolled away painfully in this detestable place, which was
named Alio Amba, when a summons came from the monarch in these formal
words:--"Tarry not by day, neither stay ye by night; for the heart of the
father longeth to see his children, and let him not be disappointed."

They now ascended through a country of romantic beauty, to Machalwan, the
place appointed for the interview. The Abyssinian in charge of the embassy,
was now sent forward to obtain permission to fire a salute of twenty-one
guns on the arrival of the troop at the royal residence. This request
seemed to have alarmed his majesty in no slight degree. The most romantic
reports of the ordnance had gone before them. It was currently believed
that their discharge was sufficient to set fire to the ground, to shiver
rocks, and to dismantle mountain fastnesses. Men were said to have arrived,
with "copper legs," who served those tremendous engines; and in alarm for
the safety of his palace, capital, and treasures, the suspicious monarch
still peremptorily insisted on withholding the desired license, until he
should have seen the battery "with his own eyes." It rained incessantly
during the night which preceded the day of presentation, and until the