cH.xx.] A Neiv Brother. 123 



have retreated, it has not been empty-handed. The 

 demonstration made ai^ainst the Gomiissa was in all 

 probability a feint, for the main body of the enemy 

 fell upon an outlying section of the AVelled .Vli wlio 

 had disregarded Mohammed Dukhi's orders to close 

 in. From these they have taken a thousand camels, 

 losing, however, some mares, and a man killed. 

 Mohammed Dukhi is very angry, but why was he 

 not at the head of his men 1 A council of war has 

 been going on all the afternoon in Beteyen's tent, 

 but nothing is likely to come of it. AVe are getting 

 rather ashamed of our friends. 



The only man among the Gomussa is young 

 Meshiir, and we look upon him as the future leader 

 of the tribe. As we were sitting with him and 

 Beteyen in our tent this evening, Wilfrid began 

 admiring some silver-hilted pistols he was wearing 

 at his girdle, and which he told us had belonged 

 to Suliman ibn IMershid, his uncle ; and without 

 more ado he unbuckled them and handed them 

 to AVilfrid, insisting that he should keep them. 

 AVilfrid was pleased at the manner in which he 

 did this, but answered that he could not accept 

 them, unless Meshiir would in turn accept his 

 revolver, and, moreover, become his brother. Both 

 proposals were very joyfully accepted, and the oath 

 was exchanged in presence of Beteyen, who looked 

 on the while rather crest-fallen at the honour done 

 to his nephew. Meshiir has since this been exceed- 

 ingly nice and affectionate to us, and has shown us 



