40^ 
MOCHA. 
a great degree cut off the supply from Mocha, Mr. Pringle de- 
termined to comply with the request of the Dola of Hodeida to 
send there and purchase. On Mohammed Ali's attempting to 
embark, he was put in irons by the Emir Bahar. I instantly sent to 
the DoJa to demand his release as a British subject, and to ask by 
what right he prevented any of our nation from going where they 
pleased. He immediately liberated the man, who he said had 
been arrested by mistake; but added, that he had positive orders 
from the Imaum, not to permit any one to go to Hodeida ; that, as 
he was but a servant, and must act as he was ordered, he hoped 
I would not be angry with him. I believe he spoke truth, and 
consequently felt no resentment against him; but as I consi- 
dered the Imaum's orders as a violation of the neutral privi- 
leges of the British flag, I thought it my duty to send off a dow 
to Aden, where she would certainly overtake the Alert, communi- 
cating the whole business to the Governor General of India and 
Mr. Duncan. It would seem, from the conduct of the Imaum, that 
he considered Hodeida as lost to him ; or determined, in spite of all 
difficulties, to keep up the old custom of not permitting any coffee 
to be exported through the Straits, except from Mocha. 
The Americans by no means feel themselves bound by the orders 
of the Dola. There are no less than eleven vessels of this nation in 
the harbour ; for, as each captain kept his destination a profound se- 
cret, they were not aware of the intentions of each other. The arrival 
of so many vessels raised the price to fifty dollars per bale, and only 
about one hundred and fifty bales a week are procurable, chiefly 
from Oudein, in consequence of the conquests of the Wahabee in 
the neighbourhood of Beit-el-Fakih. The Americans have a private 
