I declined taking a seat in the waiting-room outside the palace-courts, as I thought that by being reported waiting at the gate, I might be called sooner to an audience with the Negoos. It was not long before Tinta, who had already arrived at the palace, came to inform me that after some little business was concluded with the superior of the Church in Shoa, the Negoos would see me. A crowd of idle courtiers had now surrounded me, amusing themselves with the gunpowder, tasting it, smelling it, and giving their opinion, and questioning Walderheros how it was made. A judicious silence, however, obtained for my servant the credit of knowing fully how it was prepared; he was wise enough to keep his ignorance to himself, and then, as he remarked afterwards, nobody knew anything about it. Tinta had also got something to ask me, but as it was very private, and there was no other place to retreat to, he spoke to the outer gatekeeper, who admitted us both into the intervening space between the only two stockades which surround the palace of Myolones. Walderheros and the King’s scribe, who had been sent to take notes of the process and relative weights of the different articles used in manufacturing gunpowder, also accompanied us, and I then found that my system of weights and measures, by leaden bullets and table-spoonsful had quite bothered them; and a most extraordinary report of the business had been drawn up, which the Negoos soon detected to be erroneous, and had expressed himself very dissatisfied with them. They therefore now applied to me to assist them in their dilemma, and we accordingly sat down upon some large stones, and occupied ourselves for some time in getting a proper statement written down to restore the Negoos to good humour, and my two friends again into favour. A scribe, or “duptera,” as he is called in Shoa, appears to be an inferior order of priest, at least it is their first degree, and which is acquired by merely being able to read and write; nor is it requisite to pay a visit to Gondar, the seat of the Abune, or Bishop of all Abyssinia, as is the case when priests are to be ordained. The usual occupation of the scribes is principally to transcribe manuscripts for the Negoos, who has a most extraordinary desire to be possessed of copies of all the works in the Geez language, and to procure which, or, if possible, the originals themselves, he expends annually a considerable sum. These manuscript books are all written upon parchment, and bound, most frequently, into a volume about the size of a folio. The backs are made of two thin boards, covered with red leather, which is ornamented very tastefully by borders and designs impressed by iron stamps; and for the means they have at their disposal, the Abyssinians produce in this manner very creditable specimens of book-binding. For farther protection, it is usual to have a small leathern case, which receives the book, and a flap strapped down then secures it from all accidents.