2 7 o RECOLLECTIONS OF FORTY YEARS. 



province, who did not belong to the Solomon race, 

 revolted against his father-in-law, Eas Ali, who had 

 been reigning for a long time at Gondar. He over- 

 threw him, and after having vanquished first Cubic", 

 King of Tigre, and then the King of Shoa, proclaimed 

 himself Emperor under the title of Theodoros. But, 

 as we have seen was the case in previous ages, 

 Abyssinia, a mountainous country favourable for 

 defence as well as for attack, has been the scene of 

 many sudden changes in the fortune of war. In 1858 

 and 1859, Theodoros was in his turn defeated by 

 Negoucie-Mkar, a nephew of Oubie, who regained 

 possession of forty- four provinces forming part of the 

 kingdom of his uncle, while his brother Dedjam- 

 madje-Tassamma, took possession of Gondar, the 

 second city of the ancient empire. A relative of 

 Eas- Ali, named Amadin-Bechir, several times defeated 

 the army of Theodoros, and remained in possession of 

 the provinces of "Wollo, Warro-Cassou, and Warro- 

 Imanat; the King of Shoa recovered his independence 

 by forming an alliance with Amadin-Bechir and 

 another chief, named Tedela-Gualu, who governs the 

 provinces of Godjam, Damot and Agos-Meder, up to 

 the sources of the Blue Nile, while the Gallas tribes 

 are constituted into a kingdom and are hostile to 

 Theodoros. 



Thus, having regard to the number and importance 

 of the provinces which he has reconquered, King 

 Nikas seems to be the most powerful prince in Abys- 



