self, and not fearing contagion, I went to her and administered
some medicine, which she took without any
hesitation; and I hoped to cure her, for she was really,
barring the blackness, a very pretty creature, but the
disease was beyond my skill to relieve. I then took
her to a room in the tomb of an Arab sheikh, gave her
some rice-water, and bade her keep out of the sun, but
it was no use. She took fright at the idea of living
with the dead, and wandered into the desert no one
knows whither, and was seen no more. So completely
was Berbera cleared out now, that even the matting
and sticks which formed the booths, with two or three
exceptions, were packed on the camels and carried
away. We were now alone, and nobody came near
u s ; our two Abbans had begged and obtained permission
to go with their families to their homes in the
hills close by, in company with the retiring caravans,
leaving their sons for the time being, as substitutes,
until we marched past their abodes.
In this isolated position we felt no alarm for our
safety, as long at least as we remained upon the seashore,
deeming the Somali would never be so imprudent
as to attack us in such a vital place to them as Berbera,
where their whole interests of life were centred, and
where, by the simple process of blockading, we could so
easily take retribution in any way we liked.
So confident were we in this assumption, that we
did not take the precaution of standing sentry ourselves
at night, thinking it more prudent to nurse our
strength whilst here, to be better able to hold out
when it would become necessary after our leaving the
sea-shore.
Though Somali are cunning as foxes, they are not
wise.
On the 18 th April, by a providential coincidence, a
small Arab vessel came into the deserted harbour to
see if anything still remained of the fair. In her there
were several men and four women, Somali, desirous
of going to their homes. Finding we were the only
people left, and not daring to travel in that country
alone, they petitioned us to take them with us. It
was hard to refuse these poor creatures; but fearing
our supply of dates and rice would not hold out with
so many additional mouths to eat it, we reluctantly
refused the men. The four women, however, on their
engagmg to do the minor offices of the camp, to bring
water, and lead the camels, were permitted to remain
with us. • That evening we invited the captain and his
crew to dine in the camp; and it was fortunate that
we did so, as the sequel will show. Shortly after sundown,
as we were all sitting in our usual way, on an
extempore divan in front of the tents, drinking coffee,
telling stories, and enjoying the cool sea evening
reezes, a challenge was heard by the sentinel placed
on the rear right of the camp, followed by a sudden
and rapid discharge of musketiy, which took us by
surprise. I had previously given strict orders that no
ammunition was to be wasted in firing to frighten or
giving false alarms; therefore, hearing this, I instantly
ran to the spot to see what was the matter, and found
I