and the other blew:, on a buffalo’s horn, loud and deep-toned blasts, as we moved through the wood: but by far the most entertaining and useful were the running footmen, who preceded the kashella, and acted as pioneers ; they were twelve in number, and carried long forked poles, with which they, with great dexterity, kept back the branches, as they moved on at a quick pace, constantly keeping open a path, which would without them really have been scarcely passable; they, besides this, were constantly crying aloud something about the road, or the expedition, as they went on. For example: “ Take care of the holes!—avoid the branches !—Here is the road!—take eare of the tulloh!—its branches are like spears—worse than spears! Keep off the branches!” “ For whom ?” “ Barca Gana.”—“ Who in battle is like rolling of thunder?” “ Barca Gana!”—“Now for Mandara!— now for the Kerdies !—now for the battle of spears!—Who is our leader ?” “ Barca Gana.”—“ Here is the wadey, but no water.”— I God be praised!”—“ In battle, who spreads terror around him like a buffalo in his rage?” “ Barca Gana*”. * The band also sang some extempore verses on my joining them, o f which the following is nearly a literal translation, and delighted their chief excessively. Christian man he come, Frjend o f us and sheikhobe; White man, when he hear my song. Fine new tobe give me. Christian man all white, And dollars white have h e ; Kanourie like him come, Black man’s friend to be. See Felatah, how he ru n ; Barca Gana shake his spear: White man carry two-mouthed gun, That ’s what make Felatah fear!. This sort of question and answer, at once useful and exhilarating, is constantly kept up until the time of halting. We did not move from Affagay until the next morning, when the whole army were supplied with bullocks and sheep. This was the first meal I had made since leaving Angornou, and the following is their method of roasting the meat: the sheep were killed, cut in half and laid upon a frame-work of wood made of strong stakes, and having four supporters ; under it was a strong fire, and by this means the meat was roasted better than I ever saw it done in any part of Europe except my own country. Towards the evening I received a summons from Barca Gana, and in his tent found five or six of the chiefs assembled: half of a roasted sheep was laid on green boughs placed on the sand before u s ; the black chiefs then stripped off the dark blue shirt, their only covering; the sharpest dagger in the party was searched for, and being given to one who acted as carver, large slices of the flesh were cut, distributed about, and quickly devoured without either bread or salt: when we arrived at the bones, another side shared the same fate, and our repast closed by huge draughts from a large wooden bowl of rice water, honey, tamarinds, and red pepper, which nobody was allowed to drink of but myself and the kashella. I expressed my satisfaction at this plentiful feast. Barca Gana said, “ What the country afforded he always lived on ; that he never carried any thing with him in these expeditions but a kind of paste, made of rice, flour, and honey, which, mixed with water, he took, morning and evening, when no better fare was to be had.” On the 20th at noon we reached Delahay, our road lying through a thick wood. Delahay is a spot surrounded by large wide-spreading acacias, affording a delightful shade; and here there are between thirty and forty wells of very sweet water: the huts of a numerous tribe of Shouaas, called Hajainy, are near this place. I t was a cloudy day, sultry and oppressive; the thermometer in my tent, in the afternoon, was at 109°. In the evening we made another haltingx* 2
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