Page:A voyage to Abyssinia (Salt).djvu/230

 by his assertions, he more strongly confirmed them in their erroneous opinion. From this point of the mountain the road became extremely rugged and difficult of ascent; and the snow and ice, which lay in every hollow, rendered the atmosphere piercingly cold, so much so, that his female servant actually cried, from the pain which the severity of the weather occasioned.

On the following day, they passed over the summit of Amba-Hai, which was tremendously difficult of ascent, and at the same time they experienced a heavy fall of snow, which did not, as Mr. Pearce described it, "come down with violence, but quietly descended in large flakes, like feathers." On the evening of the same day they arrived, after a gradual descent for five hours, at Inchetkaub, where they sat down, according to custom, at the gate of Ras Gabriel's mansion, and had not waited more than an hour, before his servants came and led them to a hut, provided them with plenty of bread and meat, and furnished them with a jar of maiz, a beverage to which they had for a long time been strangers.

On the 19th, Ras Gabriel expressed a desire to see Mr. Pearce, who was accordingly introduced into his presence. This chieftain was a tall fine-looking man, about forty years of age, of a dark complexion, having a Roman nose, open features, and a remarkably strong expression in his eye. When Mr. Pearce entered he was seated on his couch, surrounded by priests; and after the first compliments, he began to question the former very mildly respecting his quarrel with the Ras. As Mr. Pearce perceived that the intelligence of this difference had previously arrived, he told his whole story without hesitation, stating his causes of complaint against Ras Welled Selassé, and declaring, that it was his wish to proceed to Gondar, and to enter into the service of Zoldi of Gojam, or some of the chiefs in Amhara. Ras Gabriel listened to him with great attention, but made no immediate reply, saying, "he would converse with him another day," and desired him to retire to his supper.

Two days after, Mr. Pearce was admitted to a second audience, when he found Ras Gabriel again encircled by priests, who, at his desire, began to ask a number of questions respecting his religion and his country. In