-450 MASSOWAH. 
that both Massowah and Arkeko will be answerable for our return. 
In one word, if you will provide us with every convenience to 
pass through your country, we will agree to give you five hun- 
dred dollars, which sum nothing shall induce us to exceed. If 
this offer be not accepted, there are other places through which we 
can communicate with the Ras, and all the fault of our not reaching 
him must rest with you. We expected that you would have 
acted as our friend, instead of which you place every obstacle in our 
way. We have been here three times ; have we not always shown 
ourselves your friends ? This conduct of yours, however, if persisted 
in, may bring upon you a very different treatment from what you 
have hitherto experienced from the English. 
*' This address seemed not a little to alarm our interpreter, for 
while translating it, he turned round and called upon. Andrew 
to say whether each word, as he again repeated it aloud in Arabic,, 
were not precisely what we had ordered him to deliver ; to which 
Andrew made his repeated affirmations, " just so." The Nayib's 
countenance shewed that he felt the force of our remonstrance ; he 
was silent for a short time, then turning to his people, he spoke in 
the language of the country for upwards of five minutes : his 
manner was persuasive, his action apparently just, and upon the 
whole he seemed no inconsiderable orator. Afterwards, turning to 
us, he said, that upon consideration of his friendship for Lord 
Valentia, and on consultation with his people, he would reduce his 
demand to seven hundred dollars, which being paid, every thing 
should be arranged to our satisfaction. We again assured him that 
we should not in the least vary from our original proposal. After 
some words between Currum Chund, Hamed Chamie, and the 
