MASSOWAH. 
453 
delay, we should consider him as having forfeited his word, arid 
should employ such means as he well knew were in our power, to 
enforce the fulfilment of the contract. 
" The Nayib at length acceded to this latter proposal, after an 
ineffectual attempt to evade giving a written agreement. 
July 3. — The money was paid in the morning ; and the written 
agreement made out by Hamed Ghamie in Arabic, was signed and 
sealed by the Nayib ; in return, on his requisition, I gave him a 
counter-receipt. 
^' July 4. — Some difficulty arose about the bags of rice which 
Captain Court ojBPered to present to the Nayib. His people did not 
appear satisfied with the quantity, and therefore hesitated about 
accepting it ; so insatiable are their desires, and so little delicacy 
have they in making them known. Captain Court repeated to them, 
that the rice now landed was all that he could at present spare, 
but that if, by the Nayib's expediting the party to Abyssinia, his 
stay here should be shortened, he would double the quantity. It 
will scarcely be believed that, notwithstanding this refusal to ac- ' 
cept the generous offer of Captain Court, the people were at that 
time almost starving for want of grain. On account of a partial 
failure of the annual rains, not a drop of fresh water was left on 
the island, and that which came from Arkeko was every day be- 
coming more and more brackish. The boys and girls gather the 
root of a kind of sea weed to eat ; it is by no means unpleasant to 
the taste, and constitutes a great part of their food. 
" About six o'clock this evening an unpleasant circumstance 
occurred to Captains Court and Rudland. As they were walking 
through the town, an insolent fellow, lately arrived from Jidda, 
