406 
MOCHA. 
June 3. — I received a letter from Currum Chund, saying that he 
had forwarded my message to the Ras Welleta Selasse, who had sent 
the accompanying answer. This was in Arabic, expressing his wish 
that I would come up myself, or send some one to him ; but it 
seemed doubtful whether he had not confounded me with Mr. 
Pringle the Resident at Mocha, as the address would suit either, or 
rather neither, of us. As, however, I considered it an object of the 
greatest importance, as well as interest, to obtain some positive 
information of the state of a country, which during a century had 
been yisited only by Mr. Bruce, I determined to send Mr. Salt, with 
such presents as I could procure at Mocha. Captain Rudland and 
Mr. Carter having expressed a wish to accompany Mr. Salt, I con- 
sented most willingly; and every thing was hurry and preparation 
for their departure, as the season was so far advanced, and it 
was necessary they should be back by the end of October, to take 
advantage of the monsoon, which is for so short a time favorable 
in the upper part of the Red Sea. 
On consulting Captain Court and the rest of our party, it was 
decided that they should go up to Massowah in the Panther, to 
protect them from the impertinence of the Dola of Arkeko, and to 
give them more importance in the eyes of the natives ; and that 
Captain Court might afterwards examine the north of Dhalac. 
Andrew, a renegado boy, who had formerly attempted to escape to 
the Fox frigate, was, nevertheless, permitted by the Dola to attend 
Mr. Salt as his servant. He spoke good English, Hindostane, and 
tolerable Arabic. An Arab, by name Hamed Chamie, was hired 
to act as interpreter, a very respectable man, born at Mecca, and 
for some time in the service of Mr. Pringle^ When he applied to 
