RAVAGES OF THE FELATAHS. 24? 



side of the river gave notice of their approach 

 by flying in dismay to the opposite bank, which 

 for many miles was covered with their barra- 

 coons, or temporary huts hastily erected of mats. 

 Great numbers encamped close to us, particu- 

 larly our Addah Kuddah friends, who had, at the 

 first intimation of the approach of their dreaded 

 enemies, conveyed all their little property in 

 canoes to the eastern bank, putting the river 

 between them and the Felatahs, who being des- 

 titute of boats could not follow them. It was 

 amusing to hear the various reports of their 

 strength, all of which differed, in proportion to 

 . the terror of the informer, from five to fifty thou- 

 sand, a considerable part of which were said to 

 be horsemen. A few days after the arrival of 

 the fugitives, a column of smoke, rising in the 

 air about five miles above the confluence, mark- 

 ed their advance, and in two days afterwards 

 the whole of the towns, including Addah Kuddah 

 and five or six others, were in a blaze. The 

 scene at night was imposing ; the fire, catching 

 the dried grass, ran furiously along the ground, 

 excited by a strong breeze from the westward, 

 which rolled the dark mass of smoke over the 

 river. The shrieks of the unfortunate wretches 



