MURDER OF A SLAVE. 367 



and which occasioned me considerable anxiety 

 and trouble during the four days we stayed at 

 Hiero Murroo. What I regretted most was the 

 offence I had given Ohmed Medina, who, in 

 common with the rest of the Tajourah people, 

 resented my holding any intercourse with the 

 father of Mahomed Allee. None of them spoke to 

 me for two days, but I remained in my hut in 

 perfect contentment ; pulling down a mat over the 

 entrance, and making Zaido place a camel saddle 

 as a kind of chevaux de frise in front, I slept very 

 comfortably during the heat of the day. At 

 night I took the precaution of building up the 

 entrance of my hut with stones, whilst, over 

 the region of my stomach I placed a shield, and 

 curled one of my arms around my neck, so that 

 any attempt upon my life would have been almost 

 sure to have awakened me. 



Though I was spared, an unfortunate slave of 

 my friend Himyah was murdered by one of my Hy 

 Soumaulee escort, for some offence committed 

 by the unfortunate man during the preceding 

 day. Although in the scuffle that immediately 

 ensued he had been severely wounded in the face, 

 this did not satisfy his opponent, who, unob- 

 served, stole upon him during the night, and struck 

 his dagger into the chest above the breast bone, 

 killing him at one blow. The murderer next 

 morning paraded with a large black feather in his 

 hair, and was the coolest of the whole party as 



