2'^8 THEODORE II. AND THE 



A woman cnme to complain of excesses committed by the soldiers; he told her 

 with ironical abruptness ; " I care nothing for such trifles, you had better complain 

 to God." " He is too far away to hear me," replied the woman, " he is at God- 

 jam," that is to say with the rebel Tedla-Gualu. This man had shaken off since 

 the campaign of Feb. 1863, the involuntary terror with which the Negus had 

 inspired him until then, and sent to him ironical and provoking messages which 

 exasperated him to frenzy. From this violent and tragical condition originated a 

 measure foreseen long before, and one of the most deplorable of the reign. By a 

 decree of April, 1864, Theodore II. proscribed Islamism throughout the whole 

 extent of his empire, and declared all the Mussulmans rebels who did not apos- 

 tatize by eating meats called impure by the Koran. This measure was so much 

 in accordance with Theodore's policy that we are surprised at its not being 

 passed before. Yet this act, even laying aside the question of toleration, was 

 extremely impolitic and unjust. The Mussulmans in Abyssinia occupied the same 

 inferior condition as the Chiistians of the East do in the Mussulmanish states. 

 Strangers for centuries to the use of arms, they had taken no share in the 

 troubles of the empire, and were satisfied to enrich themselves by commerce 

 which they had partly monopolized. Therefore, almost all the towns of Abyss- 

 inia were Mussulmanish, either wholly as Derita, Empras, Haussa, or partially 

 as Gondar or Mahdeva-Mairam. The private character of the Mussulmans was 

 in general superior to that of the Christian population. They could be reproached 

 only with the trade of slaves, which is perhaps the basis of Islamism. If the 

 Negus had the right of punishing those convicted of trading in slaves, he had not 

 that of pToscribiug entirely a religion. Besides, by his injurious repeal of the 

 laws against this trade, he had shown himself the first upholder of this social 

 crime. 



' However this may be, the decree met with no armed resistance anywhere, aa 

 the Mussulmans did not think for a moment of the possibility of such a struggle. 

 The greater part submitted as at Gondar; others (the people of Derita for ex* 

 ample) left their homes and their little fortunes painfully gaine 1, and took refuge 

 in the woods. I knew at Miissaona a good Mussulman of Gondar, called Adem- 

 Kourman, whom I saw last July a prey to sorrow which was explained to me. 

 He had left at Gondar considerable property and a very pretty wife whom he 

 loved very much. Theodore, seeing that he persisted in not returning to Abyss- 

 inia, found amusement in punishing this exile by eonfiseating his property and 

 seieing his wife. What seemed to grieve the unhappy Kourman was, not that 

 his wife had passed into the hands of the emperor, but- that he had converted 

 and baptized her. . 



III. 



The events which I have just related have sufficiently shown the character of 

 Theodore, so that at the end of this history I need not dwell long upon hie 

 physical and moral character. The man on whose head rests to-day the fate of 

 Abyssinia is 46 years old. He is of medium size, has an imposing carriage, with 

 an open and sympathetic countenance. His features, less regular than those of 

 most Abyssinias, are expressive and moving, and have nothing of that borrowed 



