rangular space about eighty yards square, inclosed
upon all sides, but having a narrow entrance to the
-main street. The Turks were scattered about in the
* neighbouring lanes, their time passed in drinking
merissa, and quarrelling with the natives and with
each other.
The day after Ibrahim’s departure, the Turks seized
some jars of water by force from the women on their
return from the stream. A row ensued, and ended
by one of the women being shamefully maltreated;
and a Latooka, who came to her assistance, was
severely beaten. This I did not see, but it was
reported to me, I called'Suleiman, and told him
that if such things were permitted it would entail
a fight with the natives, in which I should not allow
my men to jo in ; that I prohibited my men from
taking anything from the Latookas without just payment
; thus, should a fight be caused by the. conduct
of his people, they must get out of it as they best
eould. ;
A bad feeling already existed between the natives
and his people, owing to the defeat of the party of
Mahommed Her. Much good management was required
to avoid a collision, and the reverse was certain
to cause an outbreak.
Shortly before dusk the women were again assaulted
on their return with water from the stream. One of
Ibrahim’s soldiers threatened a powerful-looking Amazon
with his stick. because she refused to deliver up
her jar of water that she had carried about a mile for
her own requirements. Upon seeing this my pretty
friend, Bokke, the chief’s wife, seized the soldier by
the throat, wrested the stick from him, while another
woman disarmed him of his gun. Other women then
sat upon him, and gave him a most ignominious
shaking ; while some gathered up mud . from the
gutter and poured it down the barrel of his gun
until . they effectually choked it:; not content .with
this, they plastered large masses of mud over the
locks and trigger.
I looked on with enjoyment at -the: thorough discomfiture
of the Turk. The pews quickly spread,
and in revenge for his disgrace his comrades severely
beat some women at some distance from the camp,
I heard screams, and shouts, and a confused noise;
and upon my arrival outside the town, I saw large
numbers of natives running from all quarters, and
collecting together with lances and shields. I felt
sure that we were to be involved in a general outbreak.
However, the Turks beat the drum, and collected
their men, so that in a few minutes no straggler
was in the town.