FALSE ALARM. 373 



Carmel and Allee sprung to their spears, crying 

 out the usual alarm, " Koo, koo, koo," whilst I made 

 a dive into my hut for my carabine and pistols. All 

 the KafLlah men rushed to arms, and we were soon 

 sitting, as usual, in a semicircular line, in a direction 

 looking towards the expected foe. 



After sitting nearly half an hour, and no enemy 

 appearing, Carmel Ibrahim got up, and beckoning to 

 me to accompany him, we went together for some 

 distance in the front, until it was too dark to discern 

 distant objects, when we returned, and dissipated 

 the apprehensions of the rest as to any body of men 

 being in the neighbourhood. The few first seen 

 were some prowling thieves, quite as likely to have 

 been Wahama as Muditu, and could have no 

 hostile intention upon the Kafilah beyond indi- 

 vidual murder, or stealing any trifling thing they 

 might have met with. 



The assembly having dispersed upon our report 

 to their several bowers, Zaido and Allee set about 

 slaughtering a sheep, Allee cutting the throat whilst 

 Zaido threw himself upon the struggling animal. 

 Seeing there was every probability of its escaping, 

 I went to their assistance, calling out "Allah achbah! 

 Allah achbah ! " to summon some Bedouins I 

 saw over the top of the next bush to give us 

 their aid, conceiving that the common Islam ejacu- 

 lation over animals being killed, would be the best 

 intimation that could be given them, of what was 

 going forward. One of them understood me properly, 



