On the 3d of February, the day after our arrival at Kubit Sarif, a Turk in the service of the sheikh of Zabid[236] revolted with fifty horse and came to the Pacha, who received him kindly and gave him presents.  This man encamped with his followers on the shore, and we noticed that in this country they had their horses in armour, to defend them against darts and arrows which are their chief weapons.  The Pacha landed on the fourth, ordering his men to be got ready with provisions and ammunition, in order to march for Zabid, and directed some light pieces of artillery to be put on carriages to accompany him.  The Pacha set out on his march on the 19th, three hours before day on horseback, and was joined on the road by another Turk with fifty horse, who had deserted from the sheikh.  Him the Pacha made free, and continued his march.  He encamped on the 20th on the outside of the city of Zabid, and sent a message to order the sheikh to wait upon him.  Seeing himself betrayed by many of his own people, and distrusting the fidelity of the rest, the sheikh came forth with a cord about his neck, as the slave of the grand signior, and presented himself before the Pacha, who immediately commanded his head to be cut off.  On this the people of the city, to the number of three hundred men, fled to the mountains, among whom were three chiefs with all their riches, which were very considerable, yet knew not where to go.  The Pacha sent to tell those who had escaped, that they ought to return and join him, promising to enroll them among his troops and to give them good pay.  Accordingly there came back 200 black Abissins[237], who had been soldiers in the service of the sheikh.  These were valiant desperate fellows almost naked, who did not value their lives, and were almost as swift as horses.  For arms, some carried clubs of the cornel tree headed with iron, others had pointed stakes which they used like darts, others again had short swords, a span shorter than those used by the Christians, and everyone had a dagger at his girdle, bent like those used, by the Moors and Arabs.  The Pacha asked every one his name, which he caused to be written down, and with higher pay than they had received before.  He then dismissed them, with orders to return next morning without arms to receive their pay, when they were all to be admitted to kiss his hand, on which occasion they would have no use for their arms.  The Abissins accordingly presented themselves at the time appointed, and being ordered to lay down their arms, they went to wait upon the Pacha who was sitting near his tent on the plain, surrounded by his Turks under arms.  They were no sooner within the circle, than a previously concerted signal was given, and they were all instantly cut to pieces.

[Footnote 236:  This name is differently written Zibit, Zebit, and Zebeyd.  It is a town of the Tehamah on the western coast of Arabia, in lat. 15 deg. 2O’, about 30 miles from the Red Sea, inland from the large bay formed by the isle of Khamaran.—­E.]