MASSOWAH. 
549 
his brother both came on board in the evening. We have had re- 
gular land and sea breezes with very fine weather. 
January 50. — The Banian came off in the morning, and informed 
me he had receiv^ed a letter from the Nayib, declaring that he and the 
Dola solemnly agreed no anchorage should ever be demanded from 
English ships; that the English had ever behaved well ; that Mas- 
sowah was theirs to come to whenever they pleased ; and that they 
begged every thing might be friendly between us. The Nayib would 
come to Massowah when I pleased, and would come on board and 
settle the duties. I had much conversation with the Banian respect- 
ing the political situation of this country, and the probability of 
danger to any vessel that might come loaded to it. He assured me 
from himself, that they would certainly be satisfied with the duties, 
and would do her no injury. He informed me that the Dola was not 
dependent on his brother, but shared the power with him, though 
the latter was first in rank; that they divided the duties between 
them ; and that the real cause of the late disputes was a suspicion on 
the part of the Dola, that the Nayib had concealed the cash he had 
received from us. Dhalac and other places are the Nayib 's private 
property, in which his brother does not share. The third brother is 
Sirdar of the Askari. They are first paid out of the duties: the 
amount is one thousand five hundred dollars per month, and when 
there is a deficiency the Dola first is obliged to make it good, and 
then the Nayib ; and about this there are frequent hostilities. 
The Nayib used to receive his khelaut from Jidda, and still, no- 
minally owns the Sultaun of Rome as sovereign. He is therefore 
certainly the sovereign of the country, though controlled by the in- 
fluence of his brother. Something of this kind seems to have been 
