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forming, and would sit down quietly for a great length of time, enjoying this mysterious music. The rumor soon spread, and Sheikh Ghét likewise desired to be made acquainted with the mysterious little box. But the day did not end so harmlessly, for bad tidings arrived. Háj 'Abbás, on his way to Bórnu, had seen a troop of Kindín near Ngégimi, and warned the Arabs to beware of a sudden attack. Thus uneasiness and anxiety spread through the encampment, and scouts were sent out to scour the country in every direction.

Friday, October 10th. News having been brought in the morning that three Tawárek on horseback, and five on camels, had been seen at a neighboring well, an alarm was raised immediately. All the Arabs mounted, and we followed their example, though I felt extremely weak; while my horse, having had rest and good food for several days, and seeing so many companions galloping and capering about, was almost unmanageable.

warlike appearance,

The whole encampment presented a very but it turned out to be a false alarm. We therefore returned into the encampment, and began to arrange our luggage, as we were to leave here the heaviest part of our things, and take only as little as possible with us in our progress further eastward; for the Arabs had conceived the hope of plunder, the news having been brought that the Khalifa of Wádáy had left his residence M'awó, and that nobody was there to defend that quarter against their inroads. At the same time, our friends cast a longing look toward Báteli, the celebrated pasture-grounds in the northern course of the Bahar el Ghazál, two days' march beyond Egé, where numbers of camels were reported to be collected at the time. Of course, they did not want it to become known where they intended to direct their foray, and therefore spoke now of this, then of that quarter, as likely to be the object of their expedition.

CHAPTER XLI.

SHITÁTI. THE EASTERN, MORE FAVORED VALLEYS OF KANEM.

Saturday, October 11th. With the rest of our people, and with the remaining two camels carrying the smaller part of our luggage, we accompanied the following day the more active part of the horde, while the older men were left behind for the defense of the encampment, with their families and property.

The country through which our way led was entirely of the same character as that which I have already described, a sandy level, adorned with trees of moderate size, almost all of the genus Mimosa, and in favorable seasons well adapted for the cultivation of Indian corn-now and then broken by deep hollows of larger or smaller extent, generally with a sufficient supply of water to produce fine plantations or corn-fields, and overgrown with more luxuriant vegetation. We crossed a fine vale of this description about eight miles from our starting-point, and chose our camping-ground on the higher level commanding the “Bir el Ftáim." The hollow, however, which contains this well is rather of a peculiar kind; for, unlike the other basins, which afford sufficient space for cultivation, it is extremely narrow, while the encompassing slopes, at least that on the north side, rise to a greater altitude than the general level of the country. I made a sketch of it.

On this commanding point there was a village of the Fugábú Kóbber; and Overweg and I, before we went to our encampment, which was chosen on the southern slope, paid these people a visit, dismounting under a tree at some distance from their light huts, and were well received. They brought us immediately a dish made of the meal of Indian corn and sour milk, and sat down cheerfully, questioning us as to the difference between their country and ours, and asking, with regard to the

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A THREATENED STORM.-WILD PIGEONS.

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politics of England, whether we were the friends or enemies of Dár-Fúr and Wádáy (which countries, together with Bórnu, comprised their political horizon), and expressed great astonishment at our instruments. They brought us a lion's skin, and soon after another very palatable dish of deshishe made of wheat, with very good butter, which had nothing of that nasty taste peculiar to the butter of Bórnu and the surrounding countries: the dish was seasoned with dates.

It would have been far more instructive and agreeable to us to be in the constant company and under the protection of these people, the natives of the country, who would have made us acquainted with its characteristic features so much better than that band of lawless robbers who took no real interest in it except as regarded the booty which it afforded them. But they had neither power nor authority; and we were satisfied that where the Arabs were not able to conduct us, these people never could. Notwithstanding their alliance with the Arabs, they are treated with contempt by the latter, and the Arabs never omit to add a sneer when they speak of the "damned" ("ám bú”) Keráda; for so they call the Fugábú. Of course, the intercourse of these two different people can neither be sincere nor intimate, and the natives were only waiting for their day of revenge.

A storm gathering and threatening to burst upon us, we hastened away from this spot; but there was only a little rain. In the evening there arrived two Shúwa from the villages of the Woghda, and were thrown into irons, in order not to betray the approach of the Arabs.

Sunday, October 12th. We went on a short distance to another well situated in a considerable hollow or basin, which might afford, and has once afforded a splendid place for cultivation, but which at present was entirely blocked up and made really impassable by rank and wild vegetation. With great trouble, we penetrated with the first horsemen to the well. Nobody had made use of it for a long period. The Arabs had not encamped at this place for at least seven years; hence there was a rich abundance of excellent food for the camels; but the danger from beasts of prey was also very great. The ground was VOL. II.-T

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