g TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
ready fhed at Mafuah, for the purpofe'of rapine,'and he be- 
lieved a curfe and poverty had followed it; that it was im- 
-poflible for thofe who had heard the firing’ of thofe fhips to 
-conjecture whether I had letters to Abyffinia or not ; that it 
-would be better to confider whether I was held in efteem 
by the captains of thofe fhips, as half of the guns they fired 
in compliment to me, was fuflicient to deftroy them all, and 
lay Arkeeko and Mafuah as defolate as Michael Suhul had 
threatned to do; nor could that vengeance coft any of the 
fhips, coming next year to Jidda,a day’s failing out of their 
way; and there being plenty of water when they reached 
Arkeeko at the fouth-weft of the bay, all this deftruction 
might be effected in one afternoon, and repeated once a- 
year without difficulty, danger, or expence, while they were 
owatering. 
AcuMet, therefore, declared it was his refolution that I 
fhouid be received with marks of confideration, till upon 
infpecting my letters, and converfing with me, they might 
fee what fort of man I was, and upon what errand I was 
come; but even if I was a trader, and no prieft or Frank, 
fuch as came to difturb the peace of the country, he would 
not then confent to any perfonal injury being done me; if 
Iwas indeed a prieft, or one of thofe Franks, Gehennim, they 
might fend me to hell if they chofe ; but he, for his part, 
swould not, even then have any thing to do with it. 
Berore our veflel appeared, they came to thefe conclu- 
fions; and though I have fuppofed that hoifting the colours 
and faluting me with guns had brought me into this dan- 
ger, onthe other hand it may be faid, perhaps with greater 
reafon, 
