PERrLOUS SITUATION. 99 



determined to try the effect of a Snider or Berdan 

 bullet on him. 



Our situation, however, was one of great danger. 

 The temple, already inconveniently crowded, could 

 not accommodate us and our camels. We, therefore, 

 луеге obliged to encamp about half a mile off in an 

 open grass plain. Here we took every precaution 

 ao^ainst attack. All the boxes containinof our col- 

 lections, the bags with supplies and provisions, and 

 the pack-saddles were formed into a hollow square, 

 within which we could retreat. Here stood our 

 rifles with bayonets fixed, and near them piles of 

 cartridores and ten revolvers. Before nio-ht all the 



о о 



camels were made to lie down and tethered round 

 our improvised fortification, their ungainly bodies 

 forming an additional protection against a mounted 

 enemy. Lastly, to prevent waste of ammunition, we 

 measured the distances on all sides, marking them 

 with piles of stones. 



The first night all the natives retreated within 

 the temple, and we remained quite alone face to face 

 Avith the robbers, who might appear at any moment 

 in hundreds, or even thousands, and overpower us 

 with their superior numbers. The weather was fine, 

 and we sat for a lono^ while in the moonlig"ht talking^ 

 over old times, our country, and friends whom we 

 had not seen for so long. About midnight three of 

 us lay down to rest, of course without undressing, 

 leaving one to keep watch till morning. The follow- 

 ing day passed as quietly as the first. The robbers 

 had vanished, and even the miraculous warrior did 



