360 
CH EL I OUT. 
was engaged at tbe moment in finishing one of my drawings^ 
when I heard a great bustle below, and Mr. Pearce almost at 
the same instant came running, out of breath, to acquaint me that 
the Has was coming to the house. I immediately went down to 
receive him^ and found him looking at the European vegetables 
in the garden, and making many inquiries respecting their use. 
He stood supported at this time by Mr. Pearce and Ayto Debib, 
having no one else with him except one of his Shangalla 
slaves, who carried his state sword. On seeing me he smiled, 
and, pointing to the cabbages, said, are they good ? and then 
turning round, laid his hand on my shoulder, and walked with 
me to the house. Here he continued for more than an hour, 
looking at some drawings of our buildings, carriages, ships, and 
other curiosities, which I brought forward to amuse him, and, 
conversing with me in the most familiar manner respecting the 
English customs. Mr. Pearce was exceedingly delighted at this 
visit, and I understood afterwards that it made a great noise 
throughout the country as, for some years before, he had hot paid 
a similar compliment to any other person, except the high priest 
and some of his nearer relations. Nothing afforded me greater 
pleasure on this, and other occasions, than my being able to con- 
firm the accounts which Mr. Pearce had before given, respecting 
the superiority of the English in the mechanical arts. The Ras 
was particularly shrewd in his questions on these subjects, and 
often, when I explained any thing more than usually extraordi- 
nary, turned round to Mr. Pearce, and said, You used to tell 
me this before ; but I did not then know how to believe you." 
There was at this time a Greek at Antalo, called Nus'r Alii, 
