The 15th May, The King Of Rahayta, A Petty Prince On The African Coast
Of The Red Sea, Came To Assab To Visit Sir Henry And Me, Riding Upon A
Cow.
He had a turban on his head, from which a piece of periwinkle shell
hung down on his forehead instead of a jewel.
He was entirely naked,
except a piece of painted cloth about his loins, and was attended by 150
men, armed with darts, bows and arrows, swords and targets. Sir Henry
and I went ashore, taking with us a guard of 100 men, shot and pikes, to
prevent treachery, lest the Turks might have planned any trick through
his means, under cover of courtesy, and we were loth to let him go back
without an interview, lest we might lose his friendship, and the
refreshments we procured at the port of Assab, which is in his
dominions. We gave him several presents, and, at his particular
entreaty, gave him his fill of aquavitae, so that he could hardly stand.
These people are Mahometans, being black and hard-favoured, with crisp
hair. The king presented us with five bullocks, and promised every
assistance in his power.
This day I got a note of the prices of commodities, as lately bought and
sold at Surat, of the following tenor: - Broad-cloth of twenty pounds
each piece, of several colours, twenty mahmudies the conido, of
thirty-five inches; five mahmudies being equal to one rial of eight,
or Spanish dollar.
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