HAZORTA ENCAMPMENT^ 483 
down the hill with his attendants, muttering threats as he went. 
Being unwilling needlessly to hazard the serious consequences 
which this affair might produce, I sent after him, and in an amicable 
conference explained the mistake, and gratified him with the 
trifling presents required. In the evening the Hazorta chiefs all re- 
turned, accompanied by an old man of great authority among them* 
This venerable patriarch, who was said to have around him three 
hundred relations, placed himself on a rising ground, and having 
raised his garment on . the end of a spear, and demanded silence, 
made a speech to the following effect. 
^' Be it known to all, that these people who are passing are great men, 
friends of the Nayib of Massowah, friends of theSultaun of Habesh, 
friends of the Ras Welleta Selasse, and friends of the Baharnegash 
Yasous; we have received and eaten of their meat, drank of their 
coffee, and partaken of their tobacco, and are therefore their friends ; 
let no man dare to molest them." On this there was a general 
buzz of approbation, and all was quiet and settled. We were how- 
ever again disturbed by the Nayib s people in the evening, who 
made fresh demands upon us, backed with threats ; to these, how- 
ever, we paid no farther regard than arming ourselves as usual for 
the night, which we passed without molestation. The thermometer 
in the evening was 76°. . 
" July 26. — The Hazorta chief being this morning in a very 
friendly humour, 1 availed myself of the circumstance to make 
some enquiries concerning the tribe to which he belonged. He 
told me that they married four wives ; that he himself had that 
number, and nine children, five girls, and four boys ; that the po- 
pulation of the tribe amounted to about five thousand ; that they 
VOL. II. 3 Q 
