142 COURT OF APPEAL. 



or the justice of the case can collect. These 

 sometimes, so early as midnight, take up a position 

 on a height overlooking the town, and opposite to 

 that on which the palace stands. Half-a-mile, at 

 least, intervenes between the two places. Here 

 they keep up a continual shouting " abiad," 

 " abiad," (justice,) until a messenger from the 

 Negoos comes to know the nature of their com- 

 plaint, and to introduce them into his presence. 

 On this occasion, I did not understand sufficient of 

 the language to learn the particulars of the case, 

 but as the Negoos is the most easily accessible, the 

 most patient listener, and the most upright judge 

 that I ever heard praised by word of mouth, or 

 read of among the most laudatory history of kings, 

 I have no doubt that the cry of his people that 

 awoke me this morning was duly attended to, the 

 case investigated, and the strictest justice awarded. 

 The Dankalli may well style Sahale Selassee, " a 

 fine balance of gold," for even now, when thinking of 

 his character, the most lively pictures recur to my 

 mind of instances of his kindness and feeling for 

 the happiness of his subjects, which I have 

 witnessed myself. Excepting the cruelty, and 

 dissimulation, practised towards the unfortunate 

 tribes of Gallas who surround his dominions, and 

 which he has been taught to consider from his 

 childhood, to be praiseworthy acts, which will 

 secure the approbation of God ; excepting this, 

 nothing in his character can, I think, be justly 



