288 
CHELICUT. 
This alarming intelligence occasioned Mr. Pearce to hasten 
his progress, and early on the morning of the 30th, he arrived at 
the gateway of the Ras. 
The followers of this Chief, who met Mr. Pearce, expressed 
great astonishment at his coming back, and many urged him not 
to venture into the presence, but Mr. Pearce felt too proudly con- 
scious of the motives which prompted him to return, to feel for a 
moment any dread of the consequences that might ensue, and, 
therefore, instantly sent in, to request an audience ; when he was 
immediately admitted. As he approached the old man, he 
found (as he expressed it) something pleasant in his counte- 
nance," and he turned to Gusmati Aylo, of Lasta, who was sitting 
beside him, and, pointing to Mr. Pearce, said, look at this 
man ! he came to me, a stranger, about five years ago, and not 
being satisfied with my treatment, left me, in great anger ; but 
now that I am deserted by some of my friends, and pressed upon 
by my enemies, he is come back to fight by my side.'' He then, 
with tears in his eyes, told Mr. Pearce to sit dow^n, ordered a 
cloth of the best quality to be immediately thrown over his 
shoulders, and gave him a mule, and a handsome allowance of 
corn for his support. 
About a week after this the troops of the provinces of Tigre, 
Enderta, Wojjerat, Salowa, Shire, Haramat, Giralta, and Tem- 
ben, having assembled, the Ras commenced his march against 
the enemy. His force, on this occasion, is said to have amounted 
to thirty thousand men, among whom might be reckoned about 
one thousand horsemen, and upwards of eight thousand soldiers 
armed with matchlocks. This may be considered as the largest 
