644 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



cretion. He then hurried them on board a vefTel, giving 

 Michael and the Baharnagalh notice that they were gone in 

 fafety, and that he had obeyed the king's orders in all re- 

 fpefts. Michael was at that time in the llrideft friendfliip 

 with the Naybe, who was his principal inftrument in col- 

 lecting lire-arms in Arabia to ftrengthen him in the quar- 

 rel he was then meditating againft his fovercign. 



On the Sth of Februaiy 1744 the priefts and their guides 

 failed from Mafuah ; and they did not arrive at Jidda till 

 the 14th of April. There they found that the fhips for Cairo 

 were gone, and that they had loft the monfoon ; and, as no 

 misfortune comes fmgle, the Sherriffe of Mecca made a de- 

 mand upon them for as much money as they had paid the 

 Naybe ; and, upon refufal, he put Abdelcader in prifon, 

 nor was he releafed for a twelvemonth after, when the 

 money was fent from Abyffinia ; and it was then agreed, 

 that 75 ounces of gold * fliould in all future times be 

 paid for leave of pafTage to thofe who went to Cairo to fetch 

 the Abuna ; and 90 ounces a- piece to the Sherriffe, and to 

 the Naybe, for allowing him to pafs when chofen, and 

 f urnifliing him with neceffaries during his ftay in their re^ 

 f|)e(51:ive government ; and this is the agreement that fubfills 

 to this day. 



In this interim, Likfanos of Azazo, one of the pricft^r, 

 weary of the journey and of his religion, and having quar- 

 relled with Abdulla, renounced the Cla-iftian faith, and em- 

 braced that of Mahomet ; and Theodorus, Abdulla, and Ha* 

 met Ali, being tlic only three remaining, hired a veflcl at 

 Jidda to carry them to the port of Suez, the bottom of the 



Arabic 



•Aii.ut ote hundred andiiglity-JLt pounds, an ounce cf £,i;!d at a medium being lo ciowna. 



