of disjointed masses were numerous villages. The
bottom of the valley was a meadow, in which grew
several enormous fig-trees by the side of a sluggish,
and in some places, stagnant brook. The valley was
not more than half a mile wide, and was also walled
in by mountains on the west, having the appearance
of a vast street.
We were now about a mile ahead of our p a rty ;
but accompanied by our two Latooka guides, and upon
descending to the valley and crossing a deep gully,
we soon arrived beneath a large fig-tree at the extremity
of the vale. No sooner was our presence observed
than crowds of natives issued from the numerous
villages among the rocks, and surrounded us. They
were all armed with bows and arrows and lances, and
were very excited at seeing the horses, which to them
were unknown animals. Dismounting, I fastened the
horses to a. bush, and we sat down on the grass under
a tree.
There were five or six hundred natives pressing
round us. They were excessively noisy, hallooing to
us as though we were deaf, simply because we did not
understand them; Finding that they were pressing
rudely around us, I made signs to them to stand off',
when at that moment a curiously ugly, short, humped-
back, fellow came for ward and addressed me in broken
Arabic. I was delighted to find an interpreter, and
requesting him to tell the crowd to stand back,. I
inquired for their chief. The humpback spoke very
little Arabic, nor did the crowd appear to heed him,
but they immediately stole a spear that one of my
Latooka guides had placed against the ,tr<5e under
which we were sitting. It was getting rather unpleasant
; but having my revolver and a double-
barrelled rifle in my hands, there was no fear of their
being stolen.
In reply to a question to the humpback, he asked
me “ Who I was ? ” I explained that I was a traveller.
“ You want ivory ?” he said. “ No,” I answered, “ it
is of no use to me.” “ Ah, you want slaves! ” he
replied. “ Neither do I want slaves,” I answered.
This was followed by a burst of laughter from the
crowd, and the humpback continued his examination.
“ Have you got plenty of cows?” “Not one; but
plenty of beads and copper.” “ Plenty ? Where are
they ? ” “ Not far off; they will be here presently
with my m en; ” and I pointed to the direction from
which they would arrive. “What countryman are
y o u ? ” “ An Englishman.” He had never heard of
such people, “You are a Turk?” “ All right,” I
replied; “ I am anything you like” “ And that is
your son?” (pointing at Mrs. Baker.) “ No, she is
VOL. i . m