CAUSE FOR ALARM. 213 



marked the usual caravan halting-places, by em- 

 ploying it as a geological hammer to break what 

 they called my " stone bread." 



A council was held during the whole day, a 

 busy subject of discussion having apparently 

 arisen, and I soon found, by Alice's information, 

 that a Kafilah of no friendly character was ap- 

 proaching, and that probably we should meet 

 it to-morrow. As it was exceedingly strong, 

 and its Has had been very ill-treated and im- 

 prisoned when last in Tajourah, the leaders of 

 our Kafilah were anxiously deliberating upon the 

 probable consequences of a meeting, and were very 

 earnest, I could see, in their endeavours to secure 

 Lohitu to their cause. Ohmed Mahomed also in 

 the evening came to see me, and asked if I would 

 give Lohitu five dollars, to get some boxes belonging 

 to the Embassy, that he asserted were detained in 

 a neighbouring kraal. What with the information 

 I had received from Allee, that the Ras of the 

 Kafilah coming down was the Mahomed Allee who 

 had taken the stores with Messrs. Bernatz and 

 Scott to join the Political Mission in Shoa, and 

 being aware also of the treatment, that division of 

 the Embassy received in Tajourah, three of the 

 servants being murdered in one night, I knew very 

 well that the object of Ohmed Mahomed's request 

 for money, was not to get the boxes, but to bribe 

 Lohitu to declare himself our friend, and reject 

 accordingly any offer of the same kind that might be 



