MESSAGE TO THE KING. 265 



of my country, and that Allah (God) would 

 punish me for it. He then asked me to give him 

 some poison ; but I refused, as I knew the pur- 

 pose for which he wanted it. He next requested 

 me to give him some to kill the vermin in his 

 head, which I did and saw it applied. A little 

 time after this delightful operation was conclud- 

 ed, he took his departure. I made him a present 

 of two half-barrels of powder, which he pro- 

 mised to use, if necessary, in our defence, and 

 also that he would send me some arrows for the 

 use of my black men. 



Friday, March 14th. — This morning I des- 

 patched Mr. Brown to the king, and desired him 

 to present him with the powder, and to say that 

 I had been informed of Gabbreducco's attempts 

 to induce him to make war upon me and 

 plunder the vessel : that I could not believe, after 

 signing the agreement for mutual protection and 

 peace, he would be the first to break it ; and that 

 after swearing on the Koran, it was highly cri- 

 minal in him to conceal from us his knowledge of 

 such a project. I likewise desired him to tell 

 the king, that if such a disgraceful attack was 

 really intended, I was quite prepared for them 

 either by day or night, and, as well as my men. 



