kakissa's proposal. 399 



subjects, as the day was drawing to a close, Karissa 

 took up bis musket, and made preparations for 

 departing ; but before he went insisted upon my 

 promising to ask the Negoos that he might be 

 allowed to accompany me to Enarea when I 

 went, to which place he undertook to conduct me, 

 through Gurague, with perfect safety, and would 

 only require such a present as I could give him, 

 upon our return to Shoa. The journey would not 

 require more than one month to accomplish it, 

 including all detentions and necessary delays. It 

 only required, he said, the permission of the 

 Negoos ; who, in that case, would send an affaro, 

 or servant, to see me safe upon my journey, and to 

 bear the royal commands for assistance to his 

 governors or friends. It was this appointment of 

 affaro Karissa desired, and none other could have 

 been better qualified, had circumstances been 

 so ordered as to have admitted of my proceeding 

 farther ; but situated as I was, worn out by disease, 

 and reduced to my last seven or eight dollars, I 

 could hold out no hope to Karissa beyond saying 

 that I should apply to the Negoos for permission 

 to go to Enarea, and if I went he should be sure to 

 accompany me. 



I learned from this man that Sahale Selassee 

 possesses at least one thousand firearms, of which 

 three or four hundred are European muskets. Of 

 these the British Embassy had presented three 

 hundred, and before its return one hundred and 



