118 NO CATASTROPHE. 



was the pouch made by Cmttenden for my watch, 

 which I had carried in the vain expectation of 

 making it serviceable in deciding the longitude of 

 my halting-places, but perceiving the character of 

 the people, had never brought it out for fear of 

 exciting the cupidity of those around me. Its 

 round form, however, as it lay in the pouch 

 attached to my waist-belt, made an impression as 

 if dollars were there concealed, as I afterwards 

 learnt from Ohmed Mahomed, who assigned this as 

 one reason for the attempt which had been made. 

 Drawing the belt and pouch towards me, in the 

 loops of which were still my pistols, I took one 

 of them into my hand, and throwing myself as far 

 back into the cave as I could, told them I had no 

 dollars for them till I got to Abasha (Abyssinia), 

 at the same time telling Moosa to go for Ohmed 

 Mahomed and Ebin Izaak, as I could not talk to 

 them in their language. They were taken rather 

 aback at the strong position I had assumed, and 

 the decided manner in which I had met the first 

 step to an outrage; for amongst these people a 

 demand for something always precedes the attack, 

 to enable them to throw their victim, even if he 

 suspect their object, off his guard, in the vain hope 

 that he might be able to purchase peace by giving 

 them what they ask for. Neither party, under 

 present circumstances, now knew what farther to do. 

 I, of course, had done sufficient for defence, and 

 they found that they had too suddenly, for their 



