CHELICUT. 
283 
sequence this chief, after entertaining him for two days, gave 
him a letter of introduction to his brother, and sent a guide to 
conduct him on his way as far as Inchetkaub. 
On the 17th he got to Misliekka, where the report respecting 
an Abiina, raised by Dofter Asko, having by accident reached 
the place, the inhabitants, men, women, children, and even the 
priests came out to receive him, presenting him, as he passed, 
with a portion of the best things that the country afforded . Among 
the rest, the wife of an old priest brought out her daughter to 
receive his blessing, and an old man of seventy fell down and 
kissed his feet with transport at his arrival. Mr. Pearce felt, as 
may be well conceived, exceedingly distressed at the situation 
into which he had been drawn, and assured the good people, 
though in vain, that they were mistaken ; but his new guide, on 
the contrary, seemed so much to enjoy the consequences of the 
misunderstanding, that, by his assertions, he more strongly con- 
firmed them in their erroneous opinion. From this point of the 
mountain the road became extremely rugged and difficult of 
ascent ; and the snow and ice, which lay in every hollow, ren- 
dered the atmosphere piercingly cold, so much so, that his female 
servant actually cried, from the pain which the severity of the 
weather occasioned. 
On the following day, they passed over the summit of Amba- 
Hai, which was tremendously difficult of ascent, and at the same 
time they experienced a heavy fall of snow, which did not, as 
Mr. Pearce described it, come down with violence, but quietly 
descended in large flakes, like feathers." On the evening of the 
same day they arrived, after a gradual descent fpr five hpurs, at 
p o 
