126 THROUGH UNKNOWN AFRICAN COUNTRIES. 
vanced with the same cry, “ Yaweromer.” “I was down 
the river with some friends. We met a party of Adones, 
who spoke vilely to us, and ran off, as we had more men 
than they. A lot of people came across the river at 
Hiloaine, and are now on this side. It is better if we go 
after them.” 
Another speech followed to the same effect, and then the 
silence that had been preserved fora long time was broken 
up, the warriors jumping to their feet in wild excitement, 
and calling on their brothers to prepare for war. One 
man cried out that if they did not prepare for war in the 
morning he would give up his wife, — the greatest oath the 
Somali could take. The assemblage finally broke up in 
loud denunciation of their enemies, the various groups 
dancing war dances as they repaired to their respective 
villages. This news of war was not promising, although 
we were glad to have had the chance, accorded to few 
foreigners, of being present at a solemn council of war. 
We might easily have a bad time of it if we marched at 
once down the river, as we might be mistaken by the at- 
tacking party for their enemies; and it appeared that this 
force, which was composed of Rer Hammer, Adones, 
Ogadens from the south, and people from across the 
Webi, was very large. We therefore did not march the 
next day, but awaited events. There were many rare birds 
about the river, such as the yellow-breasted shrike (Lanza- 
rius poltocephalos), the beautiful tiny blue kingfisher with 
a scarlet beak (Halcyon semicerulea), little red-breasted 
finches (Pyromelana franciscana) that fitted like bees 
among the waving durrha, besides many Egyptian geese, 
ibises, herons, and egrets. 
On July 11 we marched thirteen miles, entirely through 
corn and durrha fields, among which were many villages. 
There had been a big fight, and the Rer Hammer had 
