MEET WITH A STRANGER. 385 



along its banks we only found a few shallow stagnant 

 pools in its bed. 



On leaving the line of march with Ohmed Medina 

 to examine the stream more closely, we found, in 

 its dry bed, very soundly sleeping, a man wrapt up 

 in his tobe, his shield being secured by it over his 

 stomach and bowels. Instinct, or something like 

 it, had taught me the very same method of partially 

 securing myself from assassination, whenever I 

 expected foul play, or have had reason to suspect 

 those, whom I well knew, would have been glad of 

 an opportunity to take away my life, without danger 

 to themselves from my firearms. Putting my hand 

 to the heavy Adal knife I wore in my girdle, I 

 turned to Ohmed Medina, to ask him if I should 

 bury it in the heart of the unconscious sleeper. He 

 taking my proposal to be serious, instantly interposed 

 with the common Arabic negative, "La! la!" but 

 which, in the usual amusing manner of an Adal 

 interpretation, he prolonged to five or six repetitions. 

 This awoke the man, who certainly looked as if 

 he thought he were about to be put to death, and 

 scowled most desperately, as in a moment he put 

 himself behind his shield, and raised his spear 

 for the attack. Ohmed Medina calmed his appre- 

 hensions by a word or two, but he also took care 

 to drop behind his shield, as he spoke from the 

 overhanging bank. The man, however, recovered 

 confidence, let fall his weapon to the ground, 

 and stood upright, and in a very short time 



vol. i. c c 



