give an account of the arré, or "precious things," they had seen: on which they both went up to the goods and without further ceremony began to open them. Mr. Pearce, who at this time was sitting with the chief of the village, being informed of the circumstance, went out with his blunderbuss, and enraged beyond all endurance, that they should carry their presumption to such a pitch, desired them peremptorily to desist; declaring that he would instantly shoot the first man who should proceed to meddle with the goods. This threat producing no impression on his opponents, who coolly went on cutting asunder the hides which bound up the velvets, Mr. Pearce instantly levelled his piece, and discharged the contents of it among them; when Alli Manda's friend being wounded fell to the ground. The noise of the gun reverberated from hill to hill, and, on so unusual a noise being heard, the natives of the village rushed out in a body, armed with spears and shields, headed by Hamood, to the spot: at the same moment Alli Manda and his party, with their wounded companion, fled in great alarm to the plains below.[1]
Hamood, on hearing of the affair, applauded Mr. Pearce's conduct; and, though several of the Dumhoeta came up in the course of the day, demanding that he should be given up for the blood of their relation, this chief refused paying any attention to their complaints; and on the 1st of September carried Mr. Pearce forward with a large escort to the bottom of Senafé. Three days afterwards, some of the Ras's people came down to assist him in taking the goods up Senafé, which was effected on the 5th of September, and after four days march, by way of Asmé, Aikamussal and Dofa, he reached Chelicut; having, altogether, since he left the coast, been engaged twenty-seven days in accomplishing perhaps one of the most perilous undertakings ever attempted by an individual. On his return the Ras received him with extraordinary attention, and, when he mentioned the quantity of goods he had brought with him, the chiefs who were
- ↑ This is the circumstance referred to in Mr. Pearce's letter given in a former part of this work.
