326 CHE LI CUT. 
an office always conferring considerable consequence on its pos-- 
sessor, owing to his being entitled to a duty on every load of salt 
imported into the country, and from the power which it gives him 
of withholding this very necessary article of consumption as well 
as of barter, from the interior provinces. This situation he received 
during the short government of his father, Kefla Yasous, over the 
province of Tigre. On the return of Ras Michael * to the com- 
mand he fled to the fastnesses bordering on the salt-plain, where 
he remained, carrying on a predatory warfare until the death of 
the old lion," as the former is emphatically styled in the country. 
During this period, while Ras Michael was seeking his life, he 
challenged any two chiefs in the army opposed to him to fight on 
horseback ; and, two men of distinguished bravery having been 
made choice of for the purpose, he went down into the plain to 
* The following anecdotes respecting this extraordinary man may prove acceptable to 
every reader, who admires the very ably drawn character given of him by Mr. Bruce. 
On one occasion, when playing at chess, he hastily made out an order for five thousand 
dollars to be given to a chief, for some service that he had performed, instead of five hun- 
dred, which was the usual allowance : and, on the circumstance being mentioned to him 
by his steward, he turned round quickly and answered, ' I have said it, — let it be so, — 
the angel Michael hath sent it to him.'" A chief of some note having confessed to a 
priest that he had committed a murder; the latter, in hopes of receiving a reward, dis- 
closed it to the relations, and, in consequence, the former was seized and taken before 
Ras Michael. What is the evidence ? said the Ras. The priest stepped forward, and 
declared that he had repeatedly confessed the fact to him. Ras Michael, witliout hesita- 
tion, gave the order, ' take him to his death.' The relations immediately laid hold of the 
• chief, and were in the act of forcing him aw^y,when the old man, with one of his terrible 
looks, cried out, ' not that man, but the priest, who has dared to reveal the secrets disclosed 
to him in confession,' and he was instantly led out to execution." Ras Michael had so 
poor an opinion of what the priests could do for a man in his last moments, that he said, 
when on his death bt d, " Let not a priest come near me : if a man cannpt make up his 
f)wn account, how shall weak men like these do it for him ? " • 
