2i8 MORE EXCUSES FROM THE SHEIK.

mals in the neighbourhood, attracted by the immense herds of cattle there at the time.

We managed to move nearly all our luggage with us, but knew that on our arrival at Amedeb we should lose the six camels we had hired from that place. Originally we had had eight, but two had died. For such a long journey, it was, moreover, prudent to travel lightly laden, and have a spare camel or two so as to avoid delays m route. My horse had completely given in, a frightfully sore back preventing the possibility of his being ridden. For a long journey, however, I far prefer a camel, so that in any case I should have kept one for my own riding.

The sheik was greatly offended, because on his coming to us in the morning, to ask whether he should accompany us to Toadelook, I answered that he might do as he liked, and also declined his offer of more goats for the journey. He wished us to leave behind any that were not giving a good supply of milk, saying he would change them for those that were. This opened up the old sore about the Settite, and caused him to spin another yarn. He declared that it was eight or nine years since he had been there, and that then he went to fight the inhabitants of Toansar and Beergayla ; that he had told Mahomet Salee to arrange for us with the inhabitants of Lacatecourah, as the Sogada people had nothing to do with those on the river, and the others had. He said that Mahomet Salee had been afraid to go ; he was from Cassala, and had only been three months at Haikota, and had told him that he was thoroughly conversant with the Settite above Khor Meheteb. He further stated that our servants and camel-drivers had all been afraid to go, and had urged this on Mahomet Salee.

We took all this for what it was worth, though there was no doubt as to the truth of the latter statement. We had not