490 
TRAVELS m AFRICA. Chap.LXIX. 
intercourse, repeatedly told ine that although he re- 
garded the road along the river, under the protection 
of the Tawarek, as the safest for myself, he should 
endeavour to open the northern road for future tra- 
vellers from Merakesh, or Morocco, by way of Tafi- 
lelet, and that he should make an arrangement to 
this effect with the A'arib and Tajakant, though there 
is no doubt that it was the A'arib who killed Mr. 
Davidson, a few days after he had set out from 
Wadi Nun in the company of the Tajakant. There 
was just at the time a man of authority, of the name 
of Hamed Weled e' Sid, belonging to this tribe, pre- 
sent in the town, On one occasion he came to pay 
me a visit, girt with his long bowie knife. I had 
however not much confidence in these northern Moors ; 
and seeing him advance through my court-yard in 
company with another man, I started up from my 
couch and met him halfway ; and although he behaved 
with some discretion, and even wanted to clear his 
countrymen from the imputation of having murdered 
the above-mentioned traveller, I thought it more pru- 
dent to beg him to keep at a respectful distance. 
Just at this time a large foray was undertaken by 
a troop of 400 Awellmmiden against the Hogar, but it 
returned almost empty-handed, and with the loss of 
one of their principal men. Towards the south, the 
enterprising chief El Khadir, whom I have mentioned 
on a former occasion, was pushing strenuously for- 
ward against his inveterate enemies the Fulbe, or 
Fullan, although the report which we heard at this 
