people depending entirely upon its herds for support. Mr. Pearce accompanied this expedition, mid he gave me an entertaining account of the wild antics and exultation of the Ras's soldiers when they arrived at the spot where we were standing; mentioning at the same time, that one of their leaders, Ayto Tesfos, was so enthusiastic on the occasion, as to be with difficulty restrained from proceeding onwards, and affording the Nayib a little wholesome instruction at Arkeeko. A little beyond this point we halted, by the advice of our guides, and waited to give protection to our cafila. We took up our position on a steep jutting rock, completely commanding both the ravine and the road by which we had to pass; and, as we stood resting with our arms on its brow, the wildness of the group, together with the straggling parties coming up from among the broken rocks beneath, presented altogether an assemblage of objects worthy the pencil of a Salvator.
It was amusing at this moment to hear the above-mentioned expedition canvassed by the parties concerned in the transaction: Mr. Pearce, Chelika Havea, and others present had been with the assailants; Kantiba Ammon, Baharnegash Isgé, and the Hazorta, among the sufferers; and as Mr. Pearce was giving me his account, Kantiba Ammon, good-naturedly interrupting him, said, "how dare you tell this in the face of those whose brothers and sons you were instrumental in killing?" "And you also were one among them," said Sheik Ummar to the Chelika, "as I recollect seeing you from yonder hill; but you missed the best plunder, for in a deep nook not a mile from this, six hundred oxen were concealed." When this singular conversation had ended and our baggage had passed, we fired a general volley, and then proceeded on our way in the rear of our people, till half past eight, when we arrived at the foot of the mountain Taranta.
Here we encamped, close to two daro trees, in one of the most picturesque situations that I ever beheld, called Tak-kum-ta, under the shelter of a high overhanging rock, forming the angle of meeting to two immense ravines, one of which leads up in a westerly direction to the central summit of Taranta, and the other in a more
