bahantas forgot their occupations in war, and flocked
around my camp all day and night, bothering my
servants incessantly whilst cooking, and begging presents
from me every moment. I remained here three
days, trying to negotiate with the head men for permission
to advance, but obtained no practical result.
They insisted, for even coming thus far, that I should
give them as many cloths and material as I had given
to the Warsingali, for they would take no less. When
told all my worldly goods did not admit of such a
payment, they quietly said, I had come there against
their will; they did not believe me; and if I did Hot
open my boxes to their inspection, they would smash
them up and help themselves. This was an everyday
occurrence, which became only insignificant, as it was
repeated without being carried into execution. Most
of the time the Abban was away, stopping at his home,
and no business could be done. I therefore took short
excursions about the valley shooting, and inspecting
the various habitations.
Animals were more abundant, in consequence of
the greater extent of water; and I shot gazelles, little
saltiana antelopes, hares, Egyptian geese, rock-pigeons,
ducks and teal, and snipe and partridge, besides a
choice collection of small birds. In one place I
found a small stone hut, occupied by an old man who
had once been on a pilgrimage to Mecca, and had
seen the art of cultivating ground. He was now turning
his experience to account by growing jowari (a
species of millet), and effected it with some success ;
for he had two small enclosures, which he irrigated
by cuts from the nullah, that produced grain, which
grew from eight to nine feet high. He was loud in
praise of the advantages which he derived from his
farm, saying it saved his flocks, and assisted him in
the means of food when his ewes were pregnant, or
giving lamb. I patronised this farmer, and offered to
lend him some tools for digging with, when he said he
did not want that so much as some hints about sowing,
and wished I would send a man to instruct him.
Farhan, who was with me, delighted at the prospect
of showing his skill in any manner—for he styled
himself professor of all things—at once took the hint,
and bargained to do a day’s work, and furnish him
with some wrinkles for his future guidance, for the
payment of a goat, which was readily agreed to.
The people here were highly superstitious, and, like
all ignorant races, very punctilious in their ceremonies
of worship. As true Mussulmans, they were constant
in their time of prayer, and abused my interpreter for
never saying his. When I made him cut the deer’s
throats a little lower down the throat than their
canons permit, to save the specimen, they spat on
the ground to. show their contempt, and abused him
heartily. If I threw date-stones in the fire (the seed
of paradisiacal food), they looked upon it as a sacrilege.
They were also very suspicious. If I walked
up and down the same place to stretch my legs, they
formed councils of war on my motives, considering I
must have some secret designs upon their country, or