32 SERVICE AND SPORf IN THE SUDAN 



in going to the sheikh's village. The going, in spite 

 of recent rains, was perfect, except at one khor. The 

 dura and dukhn were so tall that of the hundred men 

 who followed me I could never see more than two or 

 three when riding through it. 



On arrival at the sheikh's village we at once sur- 

 rounded it, and a house-to-house search produced 

 more than a dozen newly raided slaves with shebas 

 (yokes) still round their necks. The villagers all gave 

 different accounts of the movements of their sheikh, 

 but were all agreed that he had gone away for a week 

 at least. Mr. Lyall's staff officer, however, a very 

 handsome black, who was afterwards killed in the 

 massacre at Talodi, practised his blandishments on 

 a dusky damsel, who said nothing, but pointed to- 

 wards the horse-grazing ground. This was rounded 

 up, and produced a blank, but presently the sheikh 

 was seen approaching. The men, with Ibrahim Effendi, 

 who were mounted on the captured horses, lined the 

 bank of a khor and waited till their prey descended 

 into it, and then called upon him to surrender, which 

 perforce he did. 



What stoics these Easterns are : good and bad is 

 all the " tatib Allah " (arranged of God). 



We seized all the spears in the village. I never saw 

 so many. It turned out that all over the place the 

 natives were buying agricultural instruments, and, 

 reversing the work of Tubal Cain, were beating them 

 into weapons. 



It was as well to get out of the Hawazma country 

 before a rescue party could be organised, so we left at 



