Note 13 — Chapter XXIX

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.