534 
beating of a drum, At hearing 
this, he represented the chief, as 
beginning to be a little cautious, 
and to ask questions of those 
around him, whether they thought 
the enemy were strong. This 
alarm he continued to heighten 
in proportion as the enemy ad- 
vanced, until at last he depicted 
the hero as nearly overcome by 
his fears ; the musquet trembling 
in his hand, his heart panting, 
and his eyes completely fixed, 
while, without being conscious of 
it, his legs began to make a very 
prudent retreat. This part of his 
acting excited among the specta- 
tors its due share of contempt, 
when, dexterously laying hold of 
the circumstance, he affected to 
be ashamed of his cowardice, 
mustered up his whole stock of 
courage, and advanced, firing his 
matchlock at the same moment in 
a direction exactly contrary to 
that in which the enemy was sup- 
posed to stand, when, apparently 
frightened at the noise of his own 
gun, he sank down on his knees 
and begged for mercy: during 
this time the expression of his 
face was inimitable, and at the 
conclusion, the whole of the spec- 
tators burst into a shout of ad- 
miration. 
In another representation, he 
imitated the overstrained polite- 
ness of an Amharic courtier, pay- 
ing a first visit to a superior. On 
coming in, he fell on his face and 
kissed the ground, paying most 
abject compliments to the chief, 
and, on being invited to sit down, 
placed himself with well-feigned 
humility close to the threshold of 
the door : shortly afterwards, on 
the supposition of a question being 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1815. 
asked him by the chief, he arese, 
and still carrying on the farce; 
prostrated himself the second 
time, and gave an answer couchs 
ed in very polite and artful phra~ 
ses, advancing cautiously at the 
same time into the middle of the 
room. In this manner he con- 
tinued to take advantage of the 
attentions paid to him, gradually 
stealing along, till he got close to 
the side of the chief, when he as- 
sumed an extraordinary degree of 
familiarity, talked loudly, and, to 
complete the ridiculous effect of 
the whole scene, affectedly shoved 
his nose almost in contact with 
the other’s face. This species of 
satire afforded great delight to the 
Tigrians ; as they pretend on all 
occasions to despise the submis- 
sive and effeminate manners of 
the people of Amhara, whom 
they invariably describe, as ‘ pos- 
sessing smooth tongues and no 
hearts.” 
In addition to his other repre- 
sentations, Totte Maze gave a 
most admirable imitation of the 
mincing step and coquettish man- 
ners of the women of Amhara, 
and of their extreme affectation in 
answering a few of the most com- 
mon questions. In all these re- 
presentations, the tones of his 
voice were so perfectly adapted 
to the different characters, and 
his action so thorougly appropri- 
ate, that it gave me very unex- 
pected gratification. 
The following instance may be 
related, as a specimen of the wit 
usually practised by the jesters of 
this country; who, like the fools 
of old times, exercise their inge- 
nuity upon persons of every de- 
scription, without regard to rank 
