— 45 — what availed they, seeing that I had but five hundred and twenty three men ? Then news was brought me that Billali proposed to attack me in the twiHght before the dawn, so I hastily divided my forces into five divisions, which were placed in the town in such a way as would most incommode the enemy. At the ninth hour of the day Billali with a force of nearly four thousand men, armed with ten dozen rounds of ammunition a man—as I discovered later from a list that came into my possession—appeared in the neighbourhood. Then my cousin came to me and said that he had seen my men and lo ! their foreheads were bedewed with perspiration by reason of the excess of fear that had overcome them : so I went to my men, and upbraided them for the fear that they endured, and I took of the sheep which were with me, and I slaughtered of them that thereby my men might eat and be heartened. Next I destroyed six cantars of ivory, that it might not be a trophy for the foe, and went to my tent with sorrow in my heart for the doom that I saw hanging over my friends and relations. I performed the ablutions, and recited the profession of my faith for what I thought would be the last time upon earth. Then I went up to a high place, from which I could see the hosts of the enemy, and one of my soldiers, who was with me, said that it was neither meet nor right to oppose the forces of the Government. So I