COUNT»yi-*-RUI>fED > VILLAGE. 177 by the cruslung of the fruit of the usehar, here of great size, and full of wind ; the noise they made in bursting much resembling that of a bladder. We almost fancied we heard some platoon firing, and laughed heartily at these blank shots, in spite of the trouble and danger of our way. On our road, as well as at the Gohr, many of our old soldiers were reminded of the fatal defeat of Churschid Paschji, in which he also lost two guns, to recover which a whole battalion, save one or two men, were sacrificed. But again they trusted in the Pascha, and the Arab-Turkish ' Allah Kerim ! " Surely there was nothing easier than to have had these dangerous spots reconnoitred beforehand, and some 1000 men sent on with axes to clear a way.

Now at last were ve in the land of the Hallcnga, to whom Taka belongs. It was indeed a laughable sight to watch the army, as, in the most inconceivable disorder, it made its way out of the morass. Horse, foot, baggage camels, asses, fi'om all ides and corners, pushed their way so slowly out, that the Pascha, on reaching the opener ground, saw himself forced to halt at least two hours, to let men and cattle once again assemble, and get into some sort of order.

Here, again, all was ])lain ; the durra lields extended far and wide, though not in the luxuriant vegetation of the land of the Haddenda. On the open plain were visible small water-courses and much grass, l)ut bushes and trees only in twos or threes, and right and left in the distance, from a half to one hour's journey off, was to be seen the Chaaba. We passed the ruins of a village, which, as we were told, had been l)urnt and jdundered by the Schaigie Melek Kaniball, brotlici- to Wood Mahmud, when he some two years before of liis own accord, undertook with only 300 of his men an incursion into these hinds, and murdered and plundered all lie fell in witli. Tliat such an enterprise could be successfully carried out, can oidy b(> ascribed to surprise, and the rapid movements of the Sehaigies, who never seem to halt, know tlie countrv well, and liavc a great advantage in their fire-arms. Even now, tliougli dea<l, Kaniball still lives in the people's mouths ; they have a great nnniber of songs about him, in which he is described, on account of his cruelty and savage deeds, constantly wandering round, without grave.