made considerable progress in his education; and was remarked for the propriety and steadiness of his conduct. About two years after I left the country, he became so distinguished among his companions for the prudence of his conduct, and the superiority of his manners, that he rose into favour with the Ras, and was employed on several missions to the Governor of Samen, and other chiefs. This kind of trust is attended with great advantage; as on the departure of a messenger, the Ras generally presents him with a dress and a mule; and the chief to whom the message is sent, takes an opportunity always of expressing his attachment to the Ras, by the present which he makes his messenger in return. Debib's success in these missions brought him into more distinguished notice, and, as a reward, the Ras made over to him his paternal district, which the young man wisely placed under the care of his father, who had turned priest, he himself remaining attached to the Ras's household, with the titles of Selafé, Chelika, and, by courtesy, Balamaal.
On many occasions he has been known to argue on affairs of great consequence with the Ras, when no one else had dared to interpose: his manner being peculiarly prepossessing, and having gained the especial favour of the old man, by his possessing a noble spirit of independence, which would not let him stoop to any thing below, what he himself conceived, the dignity of a chief. In his character, he was extremely proud; but his pride was of a nature to be admired, since it excluded even the thought of asking for presents.—"No!" I have often heard him say, in the mixed dialect, which Mr. Pearce and a few of his friends exclusively understood, "ana meschine,[1] subook,[2] lakin ana maufish,[3] beg.[4]" "I may be poor; it is well; but I will never beg." During my stay in the country, I often observed his anxious wish to possess an English gun; yet, until towards the departure of Mr. Pearce, he never made his desire known; and then he expressed it through him in the most delicate way, intreating that it might appear to be a suggestion of his own. I have seldom felt myself more gratified, than in being able to present him, a few days before I departed,
