Page 179

27f 24

abhorrence of such proceedings; for which I had the satisfaction of hearing myself, and nil my countrymen, pronounced fools a hundred times over, i On the 19 th, my poor colleague seemed a little better: he had slept, and was more calm and easier. I left him in the morning for the purpose of proceeding up the river, and returning the next day, or the day after that. The Shary, after leaving Kussery, makes a sweep nearly due south, when it winds to the south-west; and nearly on the apex of the, sinuosity, if I may so express, myself, stands the capital of Loggun. The river is here not more that 400 .yards in breadth- The cajipes are different from those of Showy, measuring nearly fifty fee.t ip length, and capable of carrying twenty or twenty-, five persons: they are built of two fine-grained woods, called kagam; and birgam, which grow in abundance along the banks from Williky to Loggun : the plauks are often from two to three feet wide. I t was near noon, when we had ascended but a few miles, that a canoe was seen following our track, with a speed denoting some extraordinary occurrence; and on their reaching us, and reporting the cause of this haste, such confusion took place amongst my party, that out of seven canoes which accompanied me, not one remained; all made for the shore; and it was with some difficulty that we could persuade our own to return with us to Loggun. We now found that the Begharmis were again on the Medba, and coming towards Loggun. The sultan, on our return, sent for us, and desired the sheikh’s people to quit his dominions instanter. I told him that I came expressly to remain some time; that Belial might return; but that for myself, I was his subject, and must remain under his protection ; added to which I had a sick friend, and a sick servant, and that I could not move. This, however, he would not hear of. Belial was desired to quit Loggun, and to take all of us with him. “ More than half my people are Begharmi,” said the sultan; “ I have no protection to give—go, g o ! while you can.” Obliged to obey, I raised my suffering friend, who was unable to assist himself in any way: we set him on a horse, and with no provisions but a sack of parched corn, which the sultan gave us, at four o’clock the same day we quitted the walls, when the three gates were shut upon us, one after the other, with great satisfaction, by an immense crowd of people. . It was late at night when we halted near some deserted cattle sheds, of the Shouaa Arabs, who had fled; and in one of which we laid my exhausted companion, while I kept watch on the outside. From this time, until the night of the 21st, when we came to a small village called Tilley, on the banks of Gambalarum, we had scarcely any rest, and but little food. Belial and his slaves becoming impatient, I had ridden on with him in front, for the purpose of keeping him always in sight, while I left Mr. Toole in charge of Columbus, who was sufficiently recovered to attend to all his wants; occasionally^ however, going back myself, and urging them to keep up as much as possible. I t had now been dark for four hours, and the road was winding, thickly wooded, and intricate. Belial proceeded to search for the ford, preparatory to crossing the stream: to this 1 decidedly objected, until our companions and baggage came u p ; knowing that our doing so must depend on the state of my patient. He made various objections, but as I dismounted, and began gathering wood for a signal-fire, he gave up the point: they answered immediately the glare of the flame, and curling smoke, by a shot; and Belial and I proceeded in the direction of the sound, for the purpose of conducting them to the spot we had rested on : a second and a third shot, however, were necessary before we could meet, so intricate were the paths. I found Mr. Toole perfectly senseless,.and we laid him on a bed of unripe indigo, near our fire, wrapped up in his blanket, while a little warm tea was prepared for him, and he soon after fell into a sound sleep. Belial now recommenced searching for the ford, which I allowed him to do ; fully determined, however, not to disturb my companion until morning, unless the danger of I T


27f 24
To see the actual publication please follow the link above