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CHAPTER VII. 
The direct communication between Abyssinia and other Chris- 
tian nations may be considered as again opened, by the visit of Mr. 
Salt toTigre, after having been closed since the year 1558, when 
Soolimaun Basha conquered Massowah, Dhalac, and Suakin, and 
deprived the Abyssinians of all access to the Red Sea. In the course 
of the two succeeding centuries, the power of the Turks declined 
more rapidly than that of their Christian opponents ; and the want 
of provision from the more fertile table land, induced the possessors 
of the ports in the Tehama to permit a trade to be carried on 
through their country, though they loaded it with the most oppres- 
sive duties. 
Within the last fifty years the Turkish power has been little felt, 
even at Jiddah, and at Massowah not at all. The Nayib, unable by 
himself, to resist his more powerful neighbours, prudently yielded 
to the stream, and used some degree of moderation in his de- 
mands of duty on the goods imported into his harbour. Still the 
gate of Habesh was considered by him as his ; and he probably 
entertained a hope, that he might one day have it again in his power, 
to raise the duties to an height, that would liberate him from his 
pecuniary embarrassments. Abyssinia itself was torn by intestine 
broils, and Arabia was more violently convulsed by the civil and 
religious hostilities of the Wahabee, against the followers of 
Mohammed. That, under such circumstances, the Nayib should 
