he common Taki freebooter, and extremely
degraded in their habits.

While resting in their tents they were alarmed by a report that a body
of sixty Mehara were about to attack them, and again everybody was
excited, all calling out for powder and shot. It was evident that there
was an entire want of union among the members of the caravan.

The scene which followed in the bright moonlight evening, and lasting
through the night, was animating and interesting in the extreme. The
caravan was drawn up in line of battle, the left wing being formed by
the travellers and the detachment of the Kel-owi who had posted
themselves in front of their tents, while the Timylkum and the Sfaksi
formed the centre, the rest of the Kel-owi with Boro the right wing,
leaning upon the cliffs, the exposed left being defended by the four
pieces of boat. About ten o'clock a small troop of Mehara, so-called
from riding on _mehara_, or swift camels, made their appearance.
Immediately a heavy fusillade was commenced over their heads, and was
kept up with shouting during the night.

The enemy hovered around them during the whole of the next day, and
prevented them from making excursions.

Leaving their camping ground on the 24th of August, they travelled on
without molestation; but, soon after their tents had been pitched the
next evening in a valley full of talha trees and oat-grass, the
marauders again made their appearance, mounted on camels, and,
dismounting within pistol-shot of the tents, discussed, with wild,
ferocious laughter, their projects with their Azkar confederates in the
caravan. Some of these soon afterwards came and told them that they
might sleep with perfect security; others, however, warned them that
they must on no account rest during the night. Preparations for an
attack were therefore made, and their camels were brought close to the
tents; but the Kel-owi left theirs outside.

In the morning it was found that all the camels had been carried off.
On this, Boro led on the more warlike members of the caravan in pursuit.
The enemy were overtaken, and, alarmed by the appearance of the
bayonets, which they saw would place the Europeans on an equality even
after the guns had been fired, offered to come to terms. They declared
that they had only come against the white men because they were
Christians, and immediately all sympathy for the travellers ceased in
the caravan. The rebels were allowed to retain their booty and were