in my belt, and my beantiful single Beattie rifle in my
hand, I galloped off to Mek Nimmur; he was seated
in the same spot, watching the harvest of dhnrra,
enormons piles of which were being thrashed by a
number of Abyssinians. The instant that I arrived,
I went straight to him, and explained my regret and
disappointment at the failure of the pistols, and I
begged him to take his choice between my rifle and
revolver. He behaved remarkably well; he had
begged my messenger to leave the broken pistols with
him, and not to mention the circumstance to me, as
he felt sure that I should feel even more annoyed
than himself; he now declined my offer, as he said
I should require the weapons during my proposed
journey up the White Nile, and he could not deprive
me of their use. He was afraid of the revolver, as
it was too complicated, but I tore from my note-book
a small piece of paper, which I requested one of his
people to stick upon a * rock about ninety yards
distant. I took a steady shot with the single rifle,
and was fortunate enough to hit the paper exactly.
This elicited general applause, and Mek Nimmur
called one of his people, an Abyssinian, who he
declared to be a celebrated shot, and he requested
that he might be allowed to fire the rifle. I placed
a similar mark upon the rock, and the Abyssinian
fired from a rest, and struck the stone, in a good
line, about six inches below the paper. The crowd
were in raptures with the rifle, which I at once
insisted upon Mek Nimmur accepting. I then made
my salaam, and mounted my horse amidst general
expressions of approval.
On the following morning, Mek Nimmur sent us
two camel-loads of com; a large gourd of honey,
weighing about fifty pounds; and four cows that
must have been a detachment of Pharaoh’s lean kine,
with a polite message that I was to select the fattest.
These cattle were specimens of the poisonous qualities,
of the water; but, although disappointed in the
substance of the present, my people were delighted
with the acquisition, and they immediately selected
a cow; but, just as they were licking their lips at
the prospect of fresh meat, which they had not tasted
for some days, the cow broke away and made off
across country. In despair at the loss, my men
followed in hot pursuit, and two of the Tokrooris.
overtook her, and held on to her tail .like bull-dogs,
although dragged for some distance, at full gallop
through thorns and ruts, until the other men arrived
and overpowered the thin, but wiry animal. When
slaughtered, there was a great squabble between my
men and the Abyssinians, who endeavoured to steal
the meat.