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378
BERBERA. [CH.

terior of Abyssinia. This was the ostensible
object of Lord Valentia’s visit to the Red
Sea in 1800, but his lordship failed to effect
his purpose, from causes that it would be

both tedious and unnecessary to detail here.
I may, however, just mention that Mr. Salt,
his lordship’s secretary, having been fur­
nished with letters and presents for the
Abyssinian monarch, deemed it, in conse­
quence of the unsettled state of the country,
not advisable to proceed beyond Antalow,
where he concluded an agreement with its
Rais, who appeared desirous of forwarding

the mission, that a port called Beni, about
four days’ journey from Antalow, should be
selected as the entrepdt for receiving and
exporting the merchandise; but nothing be­
yond this appears to have been arranged. A
second mission from England, conducted also
by Mr. Salt, from similar causes met with no
better success. In 1833, the country was, if
possible, in a more disturbed and convulsed

state than before.
Prior to opening an extensive and general

intercourse with the interior of Abyssinia,
the sanction and co-operation of the king
and principal chiefs would doubtless be ne-