CHELICUT. 345 
lika Negusta, holding a district in the part of the country through 
which our road lay, and whom the Ras had appointed to attend 
us with an escort. I had a short time before been made acquainted 
with some circumstances relating to the life of this young man, 
which are so characteristic of the manners of the country, that I 
shall here mention them by way of introducing him to the know- 
ledge of the reader. 
Chelika Negusta had early in life inherited the possession of 
a small district in the neighbourhood of the Tacazze, on the 
borders of which resided a more powerful chief, who, taking ad- 
vantage of the superior number of his troops, was continually in 
the habit of plundering the domains of his neighbour. Chelika 
Negusta, then a young man of only nineteen years of age, was of 
too proud a disposition to let such outrages pass with impunity ; 
and, therefore, took occasion, the first time he met his opponent, 
personally to affront him, and, with more courage than prudence, 
challenged him to single combat. The elder chief, who had be- 
fore been distinguished in battle, accepted the challenge, express- 
ing, at the same time, great contempt for his antagonist ; but in 
the contest which ensued, as the battle is not always to the 
strong,'' he fell a just victim to his own misconduct, being killed in 
the first onset by the very person whom he had aiFected to despise. 
In consequence of this act, Chelika Negusta was soon after- 
wards laid hold of by the more powerful relations of the deceased, 
and carried before the Ras. Whatever might have been the 
inclinations of the latter, as complete proof was adduced of the 
fact, he was compelled by the custom of the country (which on 
this point is absolute) to condemn the young warrior to death ; 
