TRAVELS IN ABYSSINIA. 
99 
sion of victories rendered him completely master. 
It was considered now a regular system that the 
governor of Tigre should supply a king to Abys- 
sinia, and Welle t a Selasse readily undertook that 
office. It was necessary to select one who should 
be of some personal talent and consideration, and, at 
the same time, entirely subservient to himself. The 
latter object being more carefully attended to than 
the former, the Ras found his kings unable to sup- 
port the dignity to which he had raised them. Af- 
ter successive trials, he found it prudent to make a 
compromise with Guxo, governor of Begemder, 
his rival in king-making ; and a joint one was ap- 
pointed between them, a species of neutral sub- 
stance, which interrupted neither in the uncon- 
trolled exercise of their respective authorities. 
Even this arrangement, however, could not long 
preserve harmony between these rival chiefs ; and, 
when Mr Salt was last in Abyssinia, they were 
again preparing to take the field against each 
other. 
All Mr Bruce's great friends, Ayto Aylo, Ayto 
Confu, Ozoro Esther, and Tecla Mariam, were 
dead. The family of the last, however, was living 
in splendour at Gondar. 
From Antalo, Mr Salt set out on an excursion 
to Axum. In his way he passed through Adowa, 
a large town, and the capital of Tigre. It contains 
an extensive manufactory of coarse cotton cloths, 
