U TAKOTA. 
» 
. chief of the village of Takota, whom we were going to visit, was 
out on a warUke expedition against Sahana, a town belonging to 
Thadoo. In a few minutes we saw him coming down a hill to the 
east, with, I suppose, at least one thousand followers, horse and 
foot, thronging round their Chief in most unmilitary confusion, 
like the attendants of an Eastern prince on a visit of ceremony. A 
few were armed with matchlocks, and the rest with spears and 
shields. When they came abreast of us, they divided off into two 
parties, one of which consisted of Welleta Michael's own troops, and 
the other of his auxiliaries, led by Ayto Guebra, and the chiefs of 
some distant villages. Welleta Michael himself proceeded toTakota. 
" Guebra Welleta Selasse, a messenger from Antalow, had met 
us on the hill with a grey mule belonging to the Ras, which he had 
sent for my own riding. This man we dispatched to the Chief of 
Takota, to inform him of our approach : but he returned with so 
unsatisfactory an answer, that it was judged prudent to proceed 
about four miles farther, to a village belonging to Ayto Guebra, 
where we at length procured a small though tolerably comfortable 
room for the Ras's mule and ourselves for the night. 
" August 23. — Last night we were presented by the Chief of the 
village with a bullock and two sheep, a part of one of which was 
made into a country curry, with bread and maise, for our supper. 
1 was informed this morning, that the present dissensions between 
Thadoo and Ayto Welleta Michael, arose from the plundering dis- 
positions of the people subject to the former, who had been con- 
stantly in the habit of coming openly in the day time, and carrying 
away the cattle belonging to the latter. In order to put a stop to 
this, Ayto Welleta Michael assembled all his friends and followers. 
