Their fiddles were clumsy-looking affairs, consisting of a long handle, a lozenge-shaped parchment body, and one string formed of a loose bundle of horse-hairs, that at the upper extremity of the handle were secured to a moveable pin of wood three or four inches long, and after being carried over a bridge which stood upon one of the parchment faces, were looped down to a little projection beyond. The string thus formed, was tightened at pleasure, by simply twisting it upon the stick pin. The bows were caricatures of the European ones, being little tough boughs of some tree or other, bent into a semicircle, the two ends being connected by a loose band of horse-hair of the same character as the fiddle-string. A piece of _attan_, or the frankincense of Arabia, served the musicians instead of resin, and was kept in little bags that were suspended by strings from the handles of their instruments. A sharp pointed stick being pushed into the ground, the doll was fixed upon it so that it could move freely about. It was then connected by a long string with the bow of the fiddle, the motion of the one whilst playing, making the other jump about in the most approved Jim Crow fashion, to the great delight of the naked, chattering, dark-skinned children, who pushed their faces and little limbs among their equally amused, but more staid elders, who thronged the house to witness the performance. When the musicians departed, a present of two ahmulahs made them quite happy, and after they were gone, and the greater part of the company with them, Sheik Tigh and Hadjji Abdullah came in to ask the news, and to hear about the success of my journey to Angolahlah. Miriam, by dint of a great deal of puffing at a little stick fire, before which she knelt, managed at length, to prepare some coffee. My pipe was filled, and Walderheros, who in the mean time had come in, was sent to borrow another for Hadjji Abdullah. Sheik Tigh, having some Wahabbee notions, did not indulge in the fumes of tobacco, so he sat upon one of the boxes, commenting upon and endeavouring to explain by sundry guesses, the motives that could have induced the Negoos, in the first place, to order me out of the kingdom, and then treating me so well when I went up to see him. It was concluded, at last, that I was on the high way to state preferment, which was presently confirmed by my balderabah Tinta, much to my surprise, making his appearance, bringing a message, not only to me, but to Sheik Tigh. Three affaroitsh, or distributors of durgo, accompanied him, bringing presents of white wheaten bread, honey, and butter. The two latter were in large earthenware jars containing ten or twelve pounds each. The message from the Negoos for me was to the effect that I must learn the Amharic language as quickly as possible, and to take plenty of medicine so that I might be quite well to visit his majesty, on the occasion of his visit to “Michael wans,” which