sion of some head men, appointed, by joint consent, umpires between them: though, in spite of this variance, both parties considered themselves equally subject to the jurisdiction of the Ras.
As no positive direction had been given to our guides which road they were to pursue, it became somewhat difficult to form our decision on the subject. Mr. Pearce and Debib were inclined to the road by Halai, which was to be readily accounted for from the latter possessing a district adjoining Shum Woldo; while on my own part, I felt a strong predilection in favour of the way by Dixan, owing to the high opinion I entertained of Baharnegash Yasous, and the friendship which existed between us during my former journey. The latter, on inquiry, proved the more prudent plan, as the party commanding the route was admitted to be the stronger, and our going the other way would have embroiled us in the consequences of an unpardonable offence; besides, as the Chelika Havea judiciously observed, "it could not be pleasant for the people to pass through the other district, with the inhabitants of which they had so recently been engaged in decided hostility." For these reasons, after a long conference, it was amicably settled that we should take the route by Dixan, and Kantiba Ammon himself confessed that my determination was right.
About mid-day Guebra Michael, the son of the Baharnegash, arrived, and, at my desire, made the necessary preparations for our passage over the mountain. As the camels left us at this station, a number of additional bearers was hired from among the Hazorta and other natives who had joined our party; in engaging which a serious disturbance took place that appeared likely to have produced very alarming consequences. We had offered two of the Hazorta a dollar to carry a box to Dixan, which they hesitated to accept, when two Abyssinians came up and expressed their inclination to take it for the sum proposed. This gave rise to a warm altercation between the parties, in which Omar (the rascal I have before described) petulantly interfered, and so provoked one of the Abyssinians, a youth about nineteen years of age, by his conduct, that he imprudently lifted up his hand to strike; a violent scuffle in consequence ensued between them,
