Diarj/. 65 



inclined to send him back, owing to the diffi- 

 culties of water (for I shall probably get none 

 for seven days), but hearing his tale I pitied him 

 and took him on as extra donkey boy. I must 

 wash less, that is all ! I have now twenty-two in 

 all, instead of nineteen as before. Abdilleh (head 

 man) has taken unto himself a wife. The 

 ceremony, as far as I could see, consisted in 

 bringing her into my camp after having borrowed 

 an advance from me for payment. He says the 

 thing has been on since last year, when his father 

 sent down four ponies and five camels for her. 

 I should reckon her dear at the price, judging 

 from looks, but there may be good in her that 

 does not appear to the eye. Another Abdilleh 

 (a mullah) has attached himself to me as guide, 

 not that I want him much, and now Yusuf, the 

 starving boy, is brought on the strength. \Yhen 

 the Abyssinians raided this country last year for 

 the first time, they shot almost all the men of 

 his karia; his father is dead, and his mother is 

 wandering around with three smaller children 

 picking up what food she can. 



10th March, Saturday. — Marched at 5 a.m. 



General direction a little east of north. Country 

 5 



