I 
MASSOWAH. 461 
could spare: on leaving the ship we were highly gratified at being 
cheered by the ship's company, a pleasing testimony of its good 
wishes. In the mean time I sent Hamed Chamie to the Nayib, to 
inform him that the day fixed upon for our departure having 
arrived, we were all in readiness, that we wished to know if the 
mules were at Arkeko, otherwise the ship would proceed thither to- 
morrow, and that we should go on to Dixan, with the asses and camels 
only, as before stated : to this he answered that there would be no 
necessity for the ship's going, that he himself would conduct us in 
the course of the day, and begged that we would get all things 
ready for our departure : he added, that it would be necessary to 
prepare provisions for our guard ; beside which, if we gave them 
five dollars each, they would, he thought, be satisfied. 
" To this I replied, he might rest assured, that I would never give 
his Ascari a single dollar more, nor would I provide them with 
provisions on the road. 
Captain Court at the same time told the Nayib, that he had but 
one word to say on the occasion ; if we were not at Arkeko by the 
day after he had once taken us in charge, he should go down 
thither with his ship. The Nayib now took up another ground ; 
he said the road was extremely bad, that the Simooms were raging ; 
and that a great many people were dying daily from these causes ; 
if we therefore persisted, he must detain Emir Hamed as a witness 
to Lord Valentia, if any accident occurred : that the mules would be 
ready in three or four days, and that if that were not the case, he 
would then collect his Ascari, and conduct us himself. We replied^ 
that he knew our minds, and we had no more to say. In the evening 
we again demanded at what time he proposed to be ready, and after 
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