ii8 ATTACKED BY ABYSSINIANS.

I had caught a ghmise of a buffalo on the bank to our right, which had seen us and made off ; and we had been following him for some time, when suddenly there appeared, running towards us, a' Base named Akabah (in their language, " the buffalo"), who we knew had that morning accompanied the other party. His face was torn, and his legs bleeding, from the thorns he had encountered in his flight. He called out to us, ''El Makadah, el Makadah ("The Abyssinians ! "), and made for the direction of the camp. Presently five or six more appeared ; but we did not think anything of it, well knowing what cowards the much-feared Base really are, and feeling sure that it was only necessary for them to see, or imagine they saw, some Abyssinian, on the top of a hill, for them to bolt at once, without waiting to see whether their intentions were hostile or not. At this time no one was with us except Salee, as we had left the rest of the natives in the river's bed with our horses, and a camel we had taken with us to carry meat, should we shoot anything.

We continued tracking the buffalo, but at last gave it up, as we could see by its marks on the ground that it had several times been frightened, doubtless by the flying Base, and gone off at a gallop. Accordingly we made for a shady spot, and discussed our luncheon, and, that ceremony over, crossed the bed of the river, and looked for fresh tracks on the other side. We had not proceeded far when we espied Mahomet Salee and Bayrumphy galloping along on the opposite side ; so we crossed over to them to see what was the matter. As soon as they perceived us approaching, they shouted to us, in a tremendous state of excitement, to return to the camp immediately, as the Makadah had attacked the other party. On joining them, we learned that Aylmer and Lort Phillips had been surprised by a large party of Abyssinians, who had taken their