WATCHED BY PARTY OF NATIVES. 387 



not having been properly secured by Allee, strayed 

 to a considerable distance towards the opposite side 

 of the plain, and a large party went out to protect 

 Zaido, and both Allees, who were sent to bring her in, 

 for it appeared our movements were being watched 

 by a party of men, squatting on the extremity 

 of the ridge where it projected into the plain. So 

 nearly approaching to the colour of these rocks, were 

 the dark skins of the natives, that it w T as sometime 

 before I could make them out, or the cause of all 

 the bustle that seemed to have taken possession of 

 the previously quiet camp. I thought at first it 

 was some leopard or hyena, preparations were 

 being made to hunt, that had occasioned the stir, 

 and came out of my hut to see the anticipated 

 sport. When I did discover the men I was sur- 

 prised that such a number could have approached 

 so close, and not have been discovered before. 

 They must have marched parallel to us, covered 

 by the ridge on our left, and the circumstance 

 of its terminating opposite to where we had 

 halted, prevented them continuing their ambush 

 for any purposes of surprise, and our increased 

 numbers made an open attack by them, out of the 

 question. After the mule was driven in, they 

 retired, but upon a report spreading that a large 

 kraal of the Assa-hemerah lay over the other side of 

 the ridge, my Hy Soumaulee friends, and most 

 of the young men of the Kafilah, determined to 

 proceed thither for the purpose, as they said on 



c c 2 



