228 
AS SUB A. 
Massowa. Ras Welled Selasse, in the campaign of 1809, sent a 
party from Zewan Bure, about fifteen miles distant, down to this 
place. The soldiers composing it met with but few of the natives, 
as they had retired to their fastnesses ; bnt in one day they 
plundered them of upwards of two thousand goats, which proved 
a very serious loss to a people depending entirely upon its herds 
for support. Mr. Pearce accompanied this expedition, and he 
gave me an entertaining account of the wild antics and exulta- 
tion of the Ras's soldiers when they arrived at the spot where 
we were standing ; mentioning at the same time, that one of th eir 
leaders, Ayto Tesfos, was so enthusiastic on the occasion, as to 
be with difficulty restrained from proceeding onw ards, and afford- 
ing the Nayib a little wholesome instruction at Arkeeko. A 
little beyond this point we halted, by the advice of our guides, 
and waited to give protection to our cafila. We took up our 
position on a steep jutting rock, completely commanding both 
the ravine and the road by which we had to pass ; and, as we 
stood resting with our arms on its brow, the wildness of the 
group, together with the straggling parties coming up from 
among the broken rocks beneath, presented altogether an assem- 
blage of objects worthy the pencil of a Salvator. 
It was amusing at this moment to hear the above-mentioned 
expedition canvassed by the parties concerned in the transaction : 
Mr. Pearce. Chelika Havea, and others present had been with 
the assailants; Kantiba Ammon, Baharnegash Isge, and the 
Hazorta, among the sufferers; and as Mr. Pearce was giving 
me his account, Kantiba Ammon, good-naturedly interrupting 
him, said, how dare you tell this in the face of those whose bro- 
