394 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER
after this the glafs went chearfully about ; there was ex- cellent red wine, but ftrong, of the nature of cote-roti, brought from Karoota, which is the wine country, about lix miles fouth-eaft from the place where we then were ; good new brandy ; honey- wine, or hydromel, and a fpecies of beer called Bouza, both of which were fermented with herbs, or leaves of trees, and made very heady ; they are difagree- able liquors to ftrangers. Our kind landlady, who never bad quitted her fofa, preffed about the glafs in the very brifkeft manner, reminding us that our time was fhort, and that the drum would prefently give the fignal for Unking the tents. For my part, this weighed exceedingly with me the contrary way to her intentions, for I began to fear I ihould not be able to go home, and I was not prepared to go on with the army ; befides, it was indifpenfibly necefTary to fee both the king and Ras Michael, and that 1 by no means chofe to do when my prefence of mind had left me ; I therefore made my apology to Ozoro Efther, by a menage delivered by one of her women, and llipt out of the tent to wait upon the king.
I thought to put on my mod fedate appearance, that none of my companions in the king's tent mould fee that I was affected with liquor ; tho' intoxication in Abymnia is neither uncommon nor a reproach, when you are not en- gaged in bulinefs or attendance. I therefore went on as compofedly as poffible, without recollecting that I had al- ready advanced near a hundred yards, walking on that for- bidden precinct or avenue between the king's tent and Ras Michael's, where nobody interrupted me. The cafe with which I proceeded, among luch a crowd and buflle, foon
brought
