Chap. LXIII. TAWA'REK ENCAMPMENT. 339 
tains behind us, after a march of about eight miles 
through a plain covered with dense underwood, 
reached the encampment of the Tawarek. 
This was a very important stage of my journey. 
Having with the greatest difficulty and danger 
crossed the wide open country of the other more 
easterly tribes of the Tawarek on the setting out of 
our expedition, and heartily glad to have got rid of 
them, I here once more entered their territory and 
delivered myself up into their hands without enjoying 
the protection of a single powerful chief, and guided 
solely by the advice of that crafty man whose only 
purpose was to get from me as much as possible. The 
encampment consisted of leather tents of larger or 
smaller size, but it evidently belonged to a chief 
without great power, as seemed to be apparent from 
the total absence of camels and horses. However, I 
immediately conceived a favourable impression of the 
muscular strength and dexterity of these people ; for 
when we approached the tent of the chief, who was 
sitting inside upon his couch of reeds, he with a single 
jerk jumped out and suddenly stood upright before 
us. Of course the tent was open in front, but never- 
theless it appeared to me a great gymnastic feat, 
especially taking into account the lowness of the 
entrance, as in jumping out he had to stoop at the 
same time. Without delay a smaller tent was placed 
at our disposal, and we made ourselves comfortable. 
The tents, "ehe" (pi. ehennan), consist of a large 
round piece of leather formed of a great number of 
z 2 
