The other slaves I examined at Musculo’s, were a few Amhara from Gurague, but who contributed but little to my previous information, upon the subject of their character and country. I noticed there were no Dankalli among those brought down for my inspection; and was given to understand that none of these people were ever brought into Abyssinia as slaves; and if they were, no one would purchase them, for they would neither remain with their masters, nor would they work. Even in this, their true Circassian origin is betrayed; for, although their morality does not prevent them from selling their own daughters, this caste of mankind cannot be enslaved. The superiority of this mentally endowed race is manifest, even in their most barbarous state; and I have been led, therefore, to disbelieve the general presumption, that the Negro is universally the type of man in his most degraded condition. From what I have observed myself, the Dankalli, the Shankalli, and the Bushmen, are the lowest grades of the three varieties of the human race, the Arian, or Circassian, the Amhara, or Negro, and the Gonga, or Mongolian, all of whom have a height of civilization, and a depth of barbarism distinct from each other; and that, however, the Bushman may be improved, he will only become a civilized Chinese, and that a Negro may by education be made an ancient Egyptian, but would never by that alone become the enlightened Circassian, that his neighbour, the Dankalli, could, certainly, be made.
I have now exhausted, not my subject, the numerous ideas upon which I have latterly been most inconveniently obliged to crowd together, but the very limited space that I had proposed to myself in my ignorance of book-making, as being sufficient to contain all I had to say respecting my journey, and the ideas and incidents which occurred to me during my sojourn in Abyssinia. Much to my surprise, the manuscript has grown under my hand, and the greatest difficulty that I have had, has been to arrive at the period I have done, before I laid down the pen.
From this date, however, September the 3rd, having returned to Aliu Amba, from Ankobar, I was confined some time entirely to my bed, during which period my note-book presents such a series of entries, “no better to-day,” that I have taken the opportunity thus afforded me of concluding my narrative.
FOOTNOTES:
[13] About two months after this interview the captive princes of the blood Royal were liberated from Guancho, in accordance with a vow made by the Negoos whilst lying upon a bed of sickness, under the impression that death was approaching, and that such an act would propitiate heaven favourably for his recovery. It was a spontaneous act, nor can any just claim be made by any one to have instigated the Negoos to take this step. During his illness he refused the aid and medicine of the Embassy, and it was a topic of public conversation, that a monarch possessed of such abilities, and so excellent a disposition as Sahale Selassee, should be so under the influence of suspicion, as even in the extremity of his illness on this occasion, he should have refused the proffered assistance of European skill and knowledge, of which he had had such evidences of superiority.
The attention of our Embassy was first called more particularly to the subject when the Ambassador and Captain Graham were desired to attend at the palace the day when the liberated captives came before their generous king. During that interview, when his heart felt naturally the pride of having acted in the manner he had done, Sahale Selassee turned to the English officers, whom he knew were compiling a book, and asked for a compliment, by saying, “Will you write this down?”
I shall make but one more remark, that if indirect influence is to be exaggerated into direct instigation, then I certainly claim to be considered as the liberator of the Shoan princes; for I possess evidence of the regard entertained for me by Sahale Selassee, and I have more than once hinted to his Majesty the difference that existed between the policy of European courts, as regarded the younger branches of royalty, and that which was observed in Shoa. To his courtiers, also, who conveyed to his ears every word that was said, I always denounced the custom of imprisonment as most absurd and cruel.
[14] Cosmas, pp. 138, 139. This author wrote about A.D. 535.
[15] Abi was also the title of prince among the ancient Himyaritic nation, and, slightly changed, is still given to the kings of the countries to the south of Shoa; for example, Aboo Bogaboo, king of Enarea; Abba Wabotoo, king of Kuchah.