ger, he should experience. For some time after I had left the country, it appears that the Ras had strictly adhered to the good intentions which he then expressed, and, at his particular desire, Mr. Pearce continued to remain attached to the service of Ozoro Setches, the legitimate wife of the Ras. This lady bore a very high character, being descended from one of the first families in the country, and by a stipulation, made at her marriage, claimed a right of receiving a tenth of every musket and cow paid in tribute to the Ras. It may be necessary to observe, in this place, that, although the chiefs of the country by ancient custom assume the privilege of marrying several wives, yet, that one alone is considered legitimate by the church. The only marriage, regarded as indissoluble by the priests, being that in which the parties have taken the sacrament together, subsequently to the celebration of the rites. This ceremony the Ras had gone through with Ozoro Setches, and, in consequence, notwithstanding that his affections had been long weaned from her, yet he found it impossible to dissolve the tie.
With this lady, Mr. Pearce remained, as a sort of confidential friend, for about half a year, through whom the Ras conveyed his wishes, when, owing to the influence of Basha Abdalla, who appears to have been in the interests of the Nayib of Massowa, and some other persons, who regarded his residence at the court with suspicion, the Ras began to view him with a jealous eye, and treated him with indifference and neglect. He still, however, continued to attend the Ras in all his excursions, and to eat at his table; but about the latter end of 1806, the last-mentioned privilege was refused him, owing to his having remonstrated, perhaps, in somewhat too violent terms,[1] respecting the ill treatment he had experienced,
- ↑ Mr. Pearce in one of his letters gives the following description of a dispute he had at this time. "The Ras, when he saw that I was wickedly bent upon his enemies, took a great liking to me, and gave me ten pieces of cloth; these being in nine months expended, I went to the Ras and told him I wanted a fresh supply: in answer, he said, that his own people only had ten dollars for two years, and that he would not give me any more for the present." I then told him, that "he was more like a beggar than a governor, and that I would not stay any longer with him." On this he bid me depart,
