50 MEMOIR OF BRUCE. 



India trade, but it had long fallen into decay. At 

 the period of his arrival the place was in a disturbed 

 state, in consequence of the Naib having monopolized 

 the customs of the port, and refused to surrender 

 any portion of them, either to the Pasha of Jidda 

 or the king of Abyssinia. This dispute had nearly 

 proved fatal to Bruce, and deliberations were held 

 whether he should not be put to death and his 

 property divided among them; but the advice of 

 Achmet, nephew to the Naib, prevailed ; and it was 

 agreed that the fate of " the English prince" should 

 be placed at his disposal. "With this personage 

 Bruce contrived to ingratiate himself, chiefly through 

 the influence of his sincere friend Mahomet Gibberti, 

 who had been sent by the Pasha of Jidda to 

 demand payment of the tribute ; and also to request 

 Eas Michael, prime minister of Abyssinia and 

 governor of the great province of Tigfe* to lend his 

 aid in compelling the refractory Naib of Massuah 

 to perform his engagement. 



The good will of Achmet was easily secured by 

 the compliment of a brace of pistols, and by the 

 adroit representation of Gibberti, who had impressed 

 his mind with magnificent ideas of Bruce's im- 

 portance, and of the amazing wealth and power of 

 his nation. But it proved a more difficult task to 

 conciliate the old Naib, who was as remarkable for 

 his malicious cruelty as for his insatiable avarice. 

 On his return from Arkeeko, Bruce had an interview 

 with him, to deliver his firman and letters of safety 

 It soon became evident that the design of this func- 



