was rather startling, within a few inches of his
ear, and narrowly escaped the back of his skull.
Florian possessed a single-barrel rifle, which he
declared to have accompanied him through many
years of sports : this weapon had become so fond
of shooting, that it was constantly going off on its
own account, to the great danger of the bystanders,
and no sooner were we well off on our journey,
than off went this abominable instrument in a spontaneous
feu de joi, in the very midst of us!
Its master was accordingly off likewise, as his horse
gave the accustomed kick, that was invariably the
deed of separation. However, we cantered on ahead
of the dangerous party, and joined the aggageers,
until we at length reached the table-land above the
Settite valley. Hardly were we arrived, than we
noticed in the distance a flock of sheep and goats
attended by some Arab boys. Suddenly, as Don
Quixote charged the sheep, lance in hand, the
aggageers started off in full gallop, and as, the
frightened flock scattered in all directions, in a few
moments they were overtaken by the hunters, each
of whom snatched a kid, or a goat, from the ground
while at full speed, and placed it upon the neck of
his horse, without either halting or dismounting.
This was a very independent proceeding; but, as
the flock belonged to their own tribe, they laughed
at the question of property that I had immediately
raised, and assured me that this was the Arab
custom of insuring their breakfast, as we should
kill no game during that day. In this they were
mistaken, as I killed sufficient guinea-fowl to render
the party independent of other food.
In a day’s march through a beautiful country,
sometimes upon the high table-land to cut off a bend
in the river, at other times upon the margin of the
stream in the romantic valley, broken into countless
hills and ravines covered with mimosas, we arrived
at Ombréga (mother of the thorn), about twenty-four
miles from Geera. In that country, although uninhabited
from fear of the Basé, every locality upon
the borders of the river has a name. Ombréga, is
a beautiful situation, where white : sandstone cliffs of
about two hundred feet perpendicular height, wall in
the river, which, even at this dry season, was a noble
stream, impassable except at certain places, where
it was fordable. Having descended the valley we
bivouacked in the shade of thick nabbuk trees
{Rhamnùs lotus), whose evergreen foliage forms a
pleasing exception to the general barrenness of the
mimosas during the season of drought. We soon
arranged a resting-place, and cleared away the grass
that produced the thorn which had given rise to
the name of Ombréga, and in a short time we were
comfortably settled for thé night. We were within
fifty yards of the river—the horses were luxuriating
in the green grass that grew upon its banks, and
the camels were hobbled, to prevent them from
wandering from the protection of the camp fires, as we
were now in the wilderness, where the Basé by day