bruce's travels. 
77 
saying, that it would require a month to read 
them all. On receiving the presents, there ap- 
peared a gleam of satisfaction, whic|i he did no% 
however, deign to express. Mr Bruce retired, on 
the whole, very httle content with this interview. 
He soon after received an immense list of pre- 
sents, which were to be given to the chief in his 
various characters ; as Naybe of Arkeeko, as a 
Turkish Aga, and as having abstained from 
searching the baggage. Mr Bruce, emboldened 
by Achmet's protection, peremptorily refused to 
give any thing in any of these capacities. He 
was immediately sent for, and a violent alterca^ 
tion ensued ; though, at the end of it, the Naybe, 
learning that he had letters to Michael Suhul, 
governor of Tigre, growled a species of consent 
to his departure. He afterwards, however, again 
attempted, by the most violent threats, to extract 
presents and sums of money, and attempts were 
even made by his emissaries to break into the 
house in the night time ; but Bruce being sup- 
ported not only by Achmet, but by the Sardar of 
the Janissaries, at length succeeded in effecting 
his departure. 
Our traveller now ascended the vast chain of 
mountains, over which the road into the interior 
of Abyssinia is conducted. The pass of Taranta 
was particularly formidable, from the difficulty of 
conveying over it the quadrant and other astro- 
