492 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. LXIX. 
critical towards the close of the month, when, having 
once more left the town for the tents, we received in" 
formation that a fresh party had arrived from the 
capital with the strictest orders to take me dead or 
alive. Being therefore afraid that my people, whom 
I had left in the town, frightened by the danger, 
might be induced to send my luggage out of the house 
where I was lodged, I sent in the course of the night 
the servant whom I had with me at the time, with 
strict orders not to move anything ; but, before he 
reached the town, my other people had sent away 
my two large boxes to Taleb el Wafi, the storekeeper 
of the Sheikh. But fortunately I did not sustain any 
loss from this proceeding, nothing being missing from 
these boxes, notwithstanding they had been left quite 
open. 
Thursday, Having passed a rather anxious night, 
Dec 1st. m y pi s to] s m mv girdle, and ready 
for any emergency, I was glad when, in the morn- 
ing, I saw my boy return accompanied by Mo- 
hammed el 'Aish. But I learned that the people 
of the town were in a state of great excitement, 
and that there was no doubt but an attack would 
be made upon my house the next morning. Thus 
much I made out myself ; but, having no idea of 
the imminence of the danger, in the course of the 
day I sent away my only servant with my two 
horses, for the purpose of being watered. But my 
Tawati friend seemed to be better informed, and taking 
his post on the rising ground of the sandy downs, on 
