ed him that every thing had happened according to my wishes, and I presented him, for his services, forty dollars and ten pieces of cloth, with which he appeared tolerably well satisfied. Some spruce-beer, an additional present of tobacco, and a few flattering compliments put him into such complete good humour that he declared himself ready to undertake any other commission with which I might entrust him; and to confirm his fidelity laid his hand on the Koran, a circumstance which gave me assurance, notwithstanding the character given of him by Mr. Pearce, that he might prove a valuable assistant in promoting my future plans.
Alli Manda had found the Ras at Chelicut, who the instant he saw the cross with the Æthiopic characters at the top of my letter exclaimed, "Saul[1]—Saul—nobody can have written this letter but Saul." He was equally delighted at its contents, and ordered a fine mule and thirty pieces of cloth to be given to the young man as a recompense for its delivery. Immediately after this Mr. Pearce wrote his first letter in answer, subsequently to which some altercation took place between him and the Ras, the former being very averse from my attempting the road by Buré, and it was in consequence of what passed on this occasion that Mr. Pearce wrote the second letter, in which he consents to attempt the passage if I should be "determined" to prefer it to that by Massowa. As this was a point which required serious consideration and a fresh interview with Alli Govéta and the other Danákil chiefs, I appointed to meet them at the tents on the following Monday.
Accordingly on that day I went on shore, but found only Alli Manda waiting to receive me. He informed me, that Alli Govéta and the other chiefs were so much incensed at his having brought my letter without their consent, that they had resolved not to meet me at the island, and had desired him to say, if I had any propositions to make, that I must come over to Madir, otherwise I was welcome to leave the place. I sent them word in answer, that I certainly should adopt the latter
- ↑ This was the appellation by which I was generally known in Abyssinia on my first visit.
