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adopted for this purpose, and the correspondence and transac- 
tions which had consequently taken place. Immediately on his 
arrival in the Red Sea he had, in May 1809, dispatched letters 
to Ras Welled Selasse, in which he informed him of his 
arrival at Mocha, as agent to the East India Company, and ex- 
pressed the desire of the Indian Government to keep up a regular 
communication with Abyssinia. He also had written at the 
same time to Mr. Nathaniel Pearce, the person whom I had left 
in the country on my former expedition. 
In July 1809, Captain Rudland received a very satisfactory 
answer from Ras Welled Selasse through Mr. Pearce, who in a 
very simple, clear, though singular narrative, gave a general 
account of the adventures he had encountered. He mentioned 
the disappointment which the Ras had unceasingly expressed 
at not hearing for so long a time from the English, and 
strongly confirmed his anxiety to encourage an intercourse with 
our nation : Mr. Pearce also added many useful observations on 
the description of articles likely to answer for the Abyssinian 
market. 
In consequence of these letters. Captain Rudland soon after- 
wards had sent over his assistant, Mr. Benzoni, in a country boat, 
with some articles of commerce, and a few presents, to Madir, a 
village in the Bay of Amphila on the Abyssinian coast, to which 
place he had appointed Mr. Pearce to come down and receive 
them. The difficulties which Mr. Benzoni met with, and the 
dangers to which this ill-concerted expedition exposed Mr. Pearce> 
will be given in a subsequent narrative of transactions, which 
the latter related to me at Chelicut. 
