XI 



TRAVELS IN EASTERN AFRICA 



The Soudanese and Somali joyfully turned their backs 

 on Z?iW7}^2<x, 



In six days we reached Aden. We were due at 

 this port in the early morning, and I expected to have 

 at my disposal six or seven hours of daylight in which 

 to pay off my faithful followers ; but, unfortunately, 

 we reached Aden at midnight, and the captain of the 

 vessel told me he would sail, without fail, on the fol- 

 lowing morning at eight. 



The town of Aden consists of two parts, the sea- 

 port and the main town, the latter lying about four 

 miles in the interior. All places of business both at 

 the seaport and the main town were closed long before 

 we arrived, but that did not deter me from endeavour- 

 ing to satisfy the just claims of my men. My agents 

 at Aden were a Parsee firm, named Cowasjee Din- 

 shaw ; so immediately upon casting anchor I set out 

 with the Somali and Soudanese for the house of my 

 agents, which was situated near the shore. The town 

 was wrapped in silence, and the sandy streets gave 

 forth no sound beneath our footsteps. Had it not 

 been for the knowledge that my personal supervision 

 was necessary to guarantee the payment of my men, 

 I should not have attempted to transact business at 

 that hour of the night. 



In front of the office of Cowasjee Dinshaw there 

 stretched a wide veranda, and upon it there slept a 

 motley band of Sepoy soldiers, half-naked Somali 

 armed with clubs, and a large Ethiopian door-keeper. 

 In a few words I told my men it rested with them 

 whether they should get their pay or not ; and their 

 eyes gleamed with responsive intelligence. The sleep- 



