Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, Volume 4 (of 5): In the years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772 and 1773Bruce, James
History
Travels to Discover the Source of the Nile, Volume 4 (of 5): In the years 1768, 1769, 1770, 1771, 1772 and 1773
Bruce, James
Egypt -- Description and travel; Ethiopia -- Description and travel; Ethiopia -- History; Natural history -- Ethiopia; Nile River
After the king returned to the palace, great diversion was made at
Guangoul's appearance, in so much that Ozoro Esther, who hated the
very name of Galla, and of this race in particular, insisted upon
seeing a representation of it. Doho, accordingly, a dwarf belonging
to Ras Michael, very ugly, with a monstrous big head, but very sharp
and clever, and capable of acting his part, was brought to represent
the person of Guangoul: a burnt stick and a bad shield were provided;
but the great difficulty remained, how to persuade Doho the dwarf to
put on the raw guts about his neck and waist, and, above all, to plait
them in the hair, which he absolutely refused, both from religious
and cleanly motives; as for the butter, it was no objection, as all
the Abyssinians anoint themselves with it daily, after bathing.
Here we were very near at a stand, all the ladies having in vain
supplicated him to suffer for their sakes a temporary pollution,
with promises that oceans of rose and scented water should be poured
upon him afterwards, to restore his former sweetness. Doho was a man
who constantly spent his time in reading scripture, the acts of the
councils, the works of St John Chrysostom, and other such books as
they have among them. He remained inflexible: at last I suggested
that several hanks of cotton, dyed blue, red, and yellow, should be
got from the weavers in the Mahometan town, and these oiled, greased,
and knotted properly, and twisted among the hair, well-anointed with
butter, would give a pretty accurate resemblance of what we saw in the
king's tent. All hands were immediately set to work; the cotton was
provided; Ozoro Esther's servants and slaves decked Doho to the life.
I spotted his face with stibium, and others anointed him with butter:
an old milk-cow was found, contrary to my expectation, that suffered a
rider without much impatience, and in came Guangoul into a great hall
in Ozoro Esther's apartment.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account