Page:A voyage to Abyssinia (Salt).djvu/264

 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 stomachs are full;" a saying peculiarly applicable to the Abyssinians, 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 Chelicut, I generally spent a great part of each day with the Ras, being allowed free access to his presence, through a private door communicating between the gardens of our respective habitations. On these occasions I generally found him engaged in the administration of justice, or in receiving chieftains and ladies of consequence, who came from distant parts of the country to pay their duty; and when otherwise unemployed, invariably occupied in playing at chess, a game to which he appeared greatly devoted. I understood, indeed, that no surer method could be practised for attaining his favour, than that of acquiring a knowledge of this game, and when playing with him, ingeniously to contrive that he should never be the loser. Ayto Debib, who stood high in his favour, was particularly well skilled in this game. In addition, he had acquired, by playing with Mr. Pearce, a perfect knowledge of the game of drafts.

During this time our party received daily invitations to the Ras's evening repasts, and at such times, in the presence of his chiefs, he always paid us distinguished attention, constantly exhibiting, to their no small admiration, the pistols, spear, knife, and other presents which he had received from England; and the conversation generally turning on subjects in which we were principally concerned. At these meetings, a more than ordinary attention to decorum appeared to be kept up, and a much less quantity of maiz, than usual, was drank, owing to the continuance of Lent, a fast which is here observed, agreeably to the practice of some of the primitive Christians, for fifty-two days. Though every kind of flesh was excluded during this period, yet the table was plentifully served with wheaten bread, fish, dressed in