Page 487 - Travels in Arabia (Vol 2)_Neat

454 SOUTHERN ARABIA. [CH.

order to make arrangements respecting a
sum of money our government had resolved
to offer him for ceding to us the island of
Socotra. Although possessing scarcely a

shadow of authority, or even the means of
procuring a scanty subsistence, the old Chief
manifested a greatness of soul worthy an
emperor. Perfectly blind from extreme age,
he was led into the room by a little boy.
After listening to my proposals with affected
composure, when I had concluded, he sprang

on his feet, and exclaimed with bitter energy,
“Your Government wish to purchase Socotra,
do they? Socotra! which for so many ages
has been the heritage of my fathers? Never!
Were they to heap this room with gold, they
should not obtain a space equal to its floor’s
breadth.”
When the British force landed there with­
out his permission, he collected and headed
a body of Bedowins, to cut them off, but want
of money prevented his hiring vessels to carry
them across the sea; he has, however, since
seized on two vessels trading under the
British flag.
Previously to this occurrence, several officers