MASSOWA 
215 
coast, we were under the necessity of using great expedition in 
landing and arranging the conveyance of our baggage. The 
light packages and boxes were soon allotted to the respective 
bearers, and in the course of two days all the mules were laden ; 
the gun carriages being taken to pieces and divided into sepa- 
rate lots : while, for the conveyance of the heavier articles, as 
well as that of the guns, as far as Taranta, we hired camels from 
the Nayib. 
During this time the difficulty of satisfying all the various par- 
ties concerned was inconceivably great. One complained that his 
load was not heavy enough, another wanted his changed, merely 
because his neighbour's burthen weighed half a pound lighter ; 
some were sick, others lame ; one discontented with the form of 
his package, it was sharp-cornered and hurt his own or his mule's 
back, others grumbled that their' s were too loosely packed ; and 
in this manner they continued to torment us, from earliest dawn 
till the final close of day. During this period, we had to endure 
a thousand impertinences, besides^ from the Kaimakan's slaves 
and soldiers, each of whom in his turn gave us all possible trouble, 
in hopes at last of being bribed ; and to complete our distress, 
we suffered all this on a sandy beach, under a broiling sun. At 
length, what with coaxing, menacing and bribing, everything, 
except a few of the heavy packages which were to be carried in 
a boat to Arkeeko, was satisfactorily adjusted, and I formally 
delivered the whole over in charge to Ay to Debib and Hadjee 
Hamood, the Ras's agents. On the evening of the 22d, the 
Kaimakan sent me a parting letter to solicit another hundred 
dollars, which I positively refused, at the same time to soften 
