92 AFRICAN WANDERINGS.

Sheik Mussa, Mohammed Din's nephew, under the command of their Melek Mammud, and in company with Mohammed Din himself; and immediately, in spite of sun and heat, we were on our way to their camping place, some 300 yards from us. This settlement of Mitkenab is in evAy way perfectly alike to El Soffre, both as to huts and inhabitants ; the latter are also numerous, and their lands lie towards the S.E. The village is large, the huts many and running along the edges of the forest, but it seemed smaller than El Soffre. Of its political importance nothing can be said, for here, as in all Taka, as well as neighbouring, nay, even distant lands, there is but one Mohammed Din, who is lord of all, and his word an oracle for and to all. It is true, the Haddenda, like all the tribes, have Sheiks of their own, but all are subordinate to this great Sheik Mohammed Din. In Mitkenab were many Sheiks, having equal authority to each other: among the Hallenga, the head Sheik is Mohammed Ele, who bears the character of a bold warrior and honest man.

The wells in IMitkenab are few, and not sufficient for the population, which causes a continued unbroken train of women, camels, asses, &c., between the two not very distant villages, employed in the transport of water. We found Melek Mammud encamped under an ancient and large tree, his fifty mounted Schaigies round him. He himself had just arrived, so had nothing save water to offer us, but we were only too well pleased to find ourselves once again on angarebs, under a cool shade. After a short rest, a pillau of dates, with some roasted gazelle venison we had been provident enough to bring with us from the camp, tasted to us right well, but still more did we relish after it, a large cup-shaped gourd full of merissa, refreshing and pleasant to our palates, as the best beer.

Better merissa than this, I never drank in Bellad-Sudan ; it was almost white, had a slight sourish flavour, similar to light hock, and the mealy taste was not perceptible in it. Much to our satisfaction there was plenty of it, so we sent the cup merrily round, persuading ourselves we were quaffing the loved beer of our Fatherland.

Shortly after appeared Mohammed Din, who had also camped under an adjoining tree, to pay us a visit. A train of at least fifty men accompanied him. The Great Sheik, whose bravery we as