drels filed by us within a few feet, without making the
customary salaam; neither noticing us in any way,
except by threatening to shoot the Latooka, our guide,
who had formerly accompanied them.
Their party consisted of a hundred and forty men
armed with guns; while about twice as many Latookas
acted as porters, carrying beads, ammunition, and the
general effects of the party. I t appeared that we were
hopelessly beaten.
However, I determined to advance, at all hazards,
on the arrival of my party ; and should the Turks
incite the Ellyria tribe to attack us, I intended, in the
event of a fight, to put the first shot through the
leader. To be thus beaten, at the last , moment, was
unendurable, Boiling with indignation as the insolent
wretches filed past, treating m e . with the contempt of
a dog, I longed for the moment of action, no matter
what were the odds against us. At length their leader,
Ibrahim, appeared in the rear of the party. He was
riding on a donkey, being the last of the line, behind
the flag that closed the march.
I never saw a more atrocious countenance than that
exhibited in this man. A mixed breed, between a
Turk sire and Arab mother, he had the good features
and the bad qualities of either race. The fine, sharp,
high-arched nose and large nostril; the pointed and
projecting chin; rather high cheek-bones and prominent
brow, overhanging a pair of immense black eyes
full of expression of all evil. As he approached he
took no notice of us, but studiously looked straight
before him with the most determined insolence.
The fate of the expedition was, at this critical
moment, retrieved by Mrs. Baker. She implored me
to call him, to insist upon a personal explanation, and
to offer him some present in the event of‘establishing
amicable relations. I could not condescend to address
the sullen scoundrel. He was in the act of passing
us, and success depended upon that instant. Mrs.
Baker herself called him. Bor the moment he made
no reply; but, upon my repeating the call in a loud
key, he turned his donkey towards us and dismounted.
I ordered him to sit down, as his men were ahead and
we were alone.
The following dialogue passed between us after the
usual Arab mode of greeting. I said, “ Ibrahim, why
should we be enemies in the midst of this hostile
country ? We believe in the same God, why should
we quarrel in this land of heathens, who believe in no
God ? You have your work to perform ; I have mine.
You want ivory; I am a simple traveller ; why should
we clash? If I were offered the whole ivory of the
country I would not accept a single tusk, nor interfere