THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 147 



well mounted on a good Abyssinian horse, and was carrying 

 several leather bags slung to the pommel, while her husband was 

 equally loaded on his horse ; in fact, they were all carrying as 

 much as they could stow. 



They had neither guide nor interpreter. Not one native was 

 procurable, all being under the influence of the traders, who had 

 determined to render their advance utterly impossible by pre- 

 venting the natives from assisting them. They commenced the 

 desperate journey in darkness about an hour after sunset. 



"Where shall we go?" said the men just as the order was 

 given to start. "Who can travel without a guide? No one 

 knows the road." The moon was up, and the mountain of 

 Belignan was distinctly visible about nine miles distant. Know- 

 ing that the route lay on the east side of that mountain, Baker 

 led the way, Mrs. Baker riding by his side, and the Biitish flag 

 following close behind as a guide for the caravan of heavily- 

 laden camels and donkeys. 



CHAPTER IX. 



ON THE MARCH TO LATOOKA. 



IT being late when the cavalcade started, Baker halted after a 

 march of three hours and went into camp one-half mile from 

 where, the Turks had bivouacked, hoping to conciliate Ibrahim, 

 the Turkish chief, and procure a guide from him. The haughty 

 Mussulman, however, rejected all overtures, and repeated his 

 threat to have the Englishman annihilated by the Etlyrians. 

 Baker now saw that his safety lay in out-traveling the Turks and 

 passing the Ellyrian mountains before Ibrahim could communi- 

 cate with the savages, Accordingly, he struck his tents before 

 daylight the next morning and pushed on with all possible speed, 

 but on account of his badly overloaded camels and donkeys, he 

 could travel but slowly. 



Having no guides, the route taken was extremely bad, being 

 obstructed by deep ravines, and penetrating a jungle that was 



