CHAr. LXXVIII. PROPOSAL OF THA'KKEFI. 
233 
strength and remarkable intelligence, and had the 
most ardent wish to see more of our ingenious manu- 
factures. I was very sorry that I was able to show 
him so little, as almost the whole of my supplies were 
exhausted. A spear had been thrust through his neck 
from behind, in the sudden attack by the Kel-geres 
at Tin-taMit, where his father was slain, and he was 
very anxious to obtain some efficacious plaister for 
his wound. Everything went on so well in my inter- 
course with this chief, that in the afternoon of the 
day following his arrival the letter of franchise was 
written by Daniel, the secretary of Alkuttabu, and 
the day after Thakkefi himself called upon me in my 
tent. He appeared to have some particular object in 
view, and, having carefully secured the entrance of 
the tent, in order to prevent other people from over- 
hearing our conversation, he expressed his desire and 
that of his uncle, that the English might send three 
well-armed boats up the river, in order to establish 
intercourse with them. I took care to point out to 
him, that however anxious the English were to es- 
tablish commerce and an exchange of produce with 
this region, yet the success of their endeavours was 
dependent on the circumstance whether they would 
be able to cross the rapids and the rocky passage 
which obstructed the river lower down, between 
Biisa and Raba, and that therefore I was unable to 
promise him anything with certainty. I gave to this 
chief, who, besides being possessed of great vigour, 
had a good deal of good-nature about bim, one tobe 
