ARKWRIGHT IS ATTACKED BY ABYSSINIANS. 249 



the Salaam at a point well within the Abyssinian fron- 

 tier, they took a line of country between the Settite 

 and this river, until, arriving at a favourite camping- 

 ground upon its bank, they pitched their tent there 

 for a time, and then gradually descending the river 

 they came to the camp of Coke and Gumming, where 

 they spent a week before proceeding here. Their sport 

 was no better than their neighbours', but in one respect 

 they nearly succeeded in having a very different ex- 

 perience. 



Arkwright is very partial to fishing, and one day 

 he started off with his rod, rifle, and Tokroori attendant 

 (a Mahometan negro tribe belonging to Darfur), to a 

 pool about a mile above their first camp in Abyssinian 

 territory, and set to work to see what it contained. In 

 a short time his man suddenly sprang up, and in a wild 

 state of excitement cried out the ' Hhabeshi ' (Abys- 

 sinian) robbers are coming. It was then too late for 

 escape, so seizing his rifle he quietly allowed the 

 enemy to approach him. He counted thirty-six men 

 mounted, all armed with spear and shield, and he 

 was in a moment surrounded by them ; and as he 

 looked up and saw all their spears pointed at him he 

 felt his position to be extremely critical, and especially 

 as at the same moment one of the party seized hold of 

 his rifle and tried to wrench it from him. In this 

 emergency he found in the Tokroori a faithful friend, 



