122 
MOCHA. 
In a short time after this the Ras had sent over one of the 
Mahomedan traders in his employ, named Hadjee Hamood, 
who had returned with a few other articles by way of Massowa, 
but of his arrival at Chelicut no intelligence had been received, 
and Captain Rudland seemed to entertain the opinion, that he 
was likely to meet with serious obstacles in passing Massowa, 
owing to a Sirdar, named Omar Aga, having arrived at the latter 
place from Jidda, who had dispossessed the Nayib of his authority, 
and taken upon himself the command. It may be necessary to 
observe, that at this time our relative situation with Jidda was 
extremely precarious, owing to the unprincipled character of its 
chief, who had very lately committed an act of great injustice 
against the British, in detaining some goods belonging to them, 
which had been landed under particular circumstances in his port. 
This state of affairs rendered it incumbent on me to obtain, if 
possible, a communication with the Ras previously to my attempt- 
ing to penetrate into Abyssinia, I therefore hired at Mocha a 
trusty servant, named Hadjee Alii, and sent him over imme- 
diately to the Abyssinian coast with letters for the Ras and Mr. 
Pearce, in a countr;y boat belonging to Yunus Beralli, a 
faithful Somauli, who had before rendered important services to 
the English. In these letters I announced my arrival with his 
Majesty's letter and presents for the Emperor Ayto Egwala Sion, 
(or Ayto Gualo, as he is commonly called) expressing my anxiety 
to advance as soon as possible to the presence ; and requesting 
that the Ras would send down Mr. Pearce, with a proper number 
of mules and people, to whatever point of the coast he might 
judge it most advisable for me to land. 
