  We discuss the emergent spectra from accreting black holes, considering in
particular the case where the accretion is characterized by relativistic bulk
motion. We suggest that such accretion is likely to occur in a wide variety of
black hole enviroments, where the strong gravitational field is expected to
dominate the pressure forces, and this likely to lead to a characteristic
high-energy spectriscopic signature; an extended power tail. It is in the high
(soft) state that matter impinging upon the event horizon can be viewed
directly, and intrinsic power-law seen. A test of the model is presented using
observational data from the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory and the Rossi X-ray
Timing Explorer, covering 2- 200 keV for recent galactic black hole X-ray nova
outbursts.
