come down at once, and demolish my whole camp.
They then demanded cloths for the trouble I had given
them, but, not receiving any, retired in huge disgust.
18 th.—In final despair I faced about, and marched
north-easterly, by a new route, to reach Bunder Gori
again, to ship for Aden, as there only could I be certain
of finding a vessel to convey me over the Gulf.
After six miles’ march across the head of the valley,
we arrived at Mirhiddo Kraal, on elevated ground,
and found a large party assembled there. Some of
them were the Rheer Hamaturwa, with whom I tried
again for permission to cross their hills, but this time
by the gap at the head of the valley in front of Bunder
Jedid. This they were ready to permit, and give
security of passage to my people, if I gave them all
my remaining cloths; but they thought I should not
find a vessel there, which settled the question. I had
no time to lose, and, moreover, should save my cloths
by continuing on the line I was travelling. For
though I should have to cross the hills where they
were occupied by the Habr Gerhajis, in the new way
my track would pass so near to the Warsingali frontier,
that that tribe would not have strength enough
to demand anything from me, and passport fees are
only given in such places to the extent to which they
can be enforced.
The other people I met here were some Dulbahantas
arming for the fight. They said they were 4000 strong
in cavalry, and were slaughtering sheep wholesale for
provision on the road. Each man carried a junk of
flesh, a skin of water, and a little hay, and was then
ready for a long campaign, for they were not soft like
the English (their general boast), who must have their
daily food; they were hardy enough to work without
eating ten days in succession, if the emergency required
it. Here a second camel was on the point of dying,
when his flesh was saved from becoming carrion by a
knife being passed across his throat.
21 st.—The Abban slipped away on the 19th, when
I was out specimen-hunting, and would not come
again till to-day, and then even returned to give his
wife a last salute, permitting me to advance to a watercourse
called Hanfallal, whilst he would join me on
the following day. This day we accomplished ten
miles, and made a kraal about four miles north of our
old line of march.
22d.—As the Abban did not keep his promise, and
none of us knew the road, I now tried to prevail on
his mother Awado, who was tending her flocks close
by, to be my guide, which she readily consented to do,
as she was anxious herself to go to Bunder Gori. The
water found here was in a circular cleft of limestone,
sixty feet below the surface, which was so sm a ll only
one person at a time could descend to i t ; and the
supply was so limited, I was obliged to keep my men
down there all night, to be the first for drawing in the
morning. Gazelles were very abundant, and in the
evening we were visited by a very singular-looking
canine animal, which unfortunately I could not get a
shot at. It was a little less in size than the Crocuta