290 PEACE CALAHM. 



of the hut, as if bent " on purpose dire ;" but hearing, 

 as I also jumped to my feet, the repeated warning 

 click of both locks of my carbine, he replaced his 

 seized spear against the heap of salt-bags, loudly 

 complaining in his own language to Ohmed Medina 

 and a crowd of the Kafilah people, who, hearing 

 words running very high, had come, all armed, to 

 hear what could be the matter. They kept at a 

 very respectful distance from me, some of them 

 calling out they were my friends, for two or three 

 of the boldest had at first threatened me both by 

 shouting and shaking their spears; but, having taken 

 on the first alarm a good position among the camels, 

 I managed to enact a sufficiently bold bearing to 

 deter them from a nearer approach, although my 

 hopes just at that moment were most recreant indeed. 

 After a little consultation, seeing I would not 

 leave my camel-battery to come to them, Ohmed 

 Medina and Ebin Izaak left the crowd, and walking 

 some distance on one side, squatted down as they 

 do in a calahm, beckoning me to go to them. As 

 these two were men, of whose friendly intentions I 

 could have no doubt, I joined them immediately, 

 and we sat talking and explaining matters for 

 nearly an hour, when it was arranged, that peace 

 between Ohmed Mahomed and myself should be 

 made in the usual manner, and that we must both be 

 good friends. For this purpose Ebin Izaak brought 

 Ohmed Mahomed into the little circle, the Fahtah, 

 or opening chapter of the Koran, was recited, and 



