and just after dark the same slave came to Accompany me. We found the old lady sitting over a handful of fire, with eyes still more sore, and person still more neglected, than when I last saw her. She however hugged me most cordially, for there was nobody present but ourselves : the fire was blown up, and a bright flame produced, over which we sat down, while she kept saying, or rather singing, “ Ash harlek? Ash ya barick-che femiick f ”—“ How are you? How do you find yourself? - How is it with you ?”■ in the patois of the country, first saying something in Ertana, which I did not understand, to the old slave;. and I was just regretting that I should go away without seeing Omul-hena, while a sort of smile rested on the pallid features of my hostess, when in rushed the subject of our conversation. I scarcely knew her at first, by the dim light of the palm wood fire; she however threw off her mantle, and, kissing my shoulder (an Arab mode of salutation), shook my hand, while large tears rolled down her fine features. She said “ she was determined to see me, although her father had refused.” The mother, it seems, had determined on gratifying her. Omul-hena was now seventeen: she was handsomer than any thing I had seen in Eezzan, and had on all her wedding ornaments: indeed, I should have been a good deal agitated at her apparent great regard, had she not almost instantly exclaimed, “ Well! you must make haste; give me what you have brought me! You know I am a woman now, and you must give me something a great deal richer than you did before : besides, I am Sidi Gunana’s son's wife, who is a great man ; and when he asks me what the Christian gave me, let me be able to show him something very handsome." jg What!”• said I, “ does Sidi Gunana know then of your coming ?” “ To be sure,” said Omul-hena, “ and sent me : his father is a Maraboot, and told him you English were people with great hearts and plenty of money, so I might come.” “ Well, then,” said I, “ if that is the case, you can be in no hurry. She did not think so; and my little present was no sooner given, than she hurried away, saying she would return directly, but not keeping her word. Well done, simplicity! thought I : well done unsophisticated nature ! no town-bred coquette could have played her part better. After a day’s halt, on the 22d we moved to Omhul Abeed, distant only a few miles, where water and wood are collected for the desert between that place and Sockna, which usually, at this season, when the days are short and nights cold, occupies five or six days. Dec. 25.—On our fourth Christmas day in Africa, we came in the evening to Temesheen, where, after the rains, a slight sprinkling of wormwood, and a few other wild plants were to be seen, known only to the Arabs, and which is all the produce that the most refreshing showers can draw from this unproductive soil. We had here determined on having our Christmas dinner, and we slaughtered a sheep we had brought with us, for the purpose; but night came on, before we could get up the tents, with a bleak north-wester; and as the day had been a long and fatiguing one, our people were too tired to kill and prepare the feast. My companions; however, were both something better: Hillman had had no ague for two days; and we assembled in my tent, shut up the door, and with, 1 trust, grateful and hopeful hearts, toasted in brandy punch our dear friends at home, who we consoled ourselves with the idea, were, comparatively, almost within hail. The next day, before we had loaded our camels, a pelting rain came on, with a beating cold wind from the north-west, which pinched us severely; however, we started; but scarcely had we entered the wadey, at the approach to which we had passed the night, than the slaves kindled fires under the trees, round which, indeed, we all took shelter: they, however, poor creatures, complained bitterly; and as the camels had not eaten any thing for three days previous, we determined on suffering them to enjoy such
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