CHELICUT. 329 
different dispositions, manners, and usages as the Abyssinians, 
requires a firmness of mind, and a vigour of constitution, rarely 
united in the same individual at his advanced age ; yet, when- 
ever I have seen him in the exercise of his power, he has shewn a 
vivacity of expression, a quickness of comprehension, and a sort 
of commanding energy, that over-awed all who approached him. 
During his continuance in power, he has made it his uniform 
practice to treat the different attempts at rebellion with perfect 
indifference ; so that when those concerned in such conspiracies 
have, in their own imagination, brought affairs to a crisis, he 
has constantly expressed contempt, rather than alarm at their 
machinations. 
After a second attempt against his life by the same persons, 
he has been repeatedly known to pardon, and even to permit the 
parties convicted to attend about his court, priding himself par- 
ticularly on having never been guilty of the cruelties of Ras 
Michael, and being led with reluctance to the condemnation of a 
common culprit ; while no possible provocation can induce him 
to cut off a limb, put out the eyes,'' or commit any other of the 
atrocious acts which stained the character of that extraordinary 
leader. His common mode of punishing those who conspire 
against him, is, by taking away their districts ; for, as I have 
heard him often declare, men are only saucy when their sto- 
machs are full a saying peculiarly applicable to the Abyssir 
nians, who, when ruled with a hand of power, make admirable 
subjects; but when left to their own wills, become intolerably 
presumptuous and overbearing. 
During the three weeks that we stayed at Chelieut, I generally 
