Chap. LXVIII. ATTEMPT AT JPROSELYTISM. 
467 
learned followers of the Sheikh, having resided for 
nearly thirty years in the family, first with the 
Sheikh Sidi Mohammed, then with his eldest son El 
Mukhtar, who succeeded him in the dignity of a 
Sheikh during Major Laing's residence in A'zawad, 
and finally with the Sheikh el Bakay himself, origi- 
nally belonged to the Arab tribe of the Welad Rashid, 
whose settlements in Waday I have mentioned on a 
former occasion. Partly on this account, partly on 
account of his great religious knowledge, and his volu- 
bility of speech, he possessed great influence with all 
the people, although his prudence and forbearance 
were not conspicuous. But finding that his usual 
arguments in favour of his creed did not avail with 
me, he soon desisted. This was the last time these 
people attempted to make me a proselyte to their 
religion, with the exception of some occasional serious 
advice from my friends under the temporary pres- 
sure of political difficulties. 
The emir of the place, of the name of Kauri, who 
was a good-natured man, and whose colleague, Belle, 
was absent at the time, having advised my protec- 
tor to take me again out of the town for a few days, 
till the k&dhi A'hmed Weled Faamme, who was going 
to Hamda-Allahi, and who was especially hostilely dis- 
posed towards me, should have left, we again set out, 
on the morning of the 17th October; but, having 
stayed in the encampment that night and the follow- 
ing morning, we returned to the town the same after- 
noon, but left again on the morning of the 20th, 
H H 2 
