Chap. XL. 
THE WELA'D SLIMA'JST. 63 
sight. Of course, since its power had decreased to 
such a degree that it could not of itself make the 
necessary resistance against the daily encroachments 
of the Tawarek, it was of great service to Bornu to 
have such a strong and energetic auxiliary to keep 
them down. But, be this as it may, the Arabs left 
their very strong entrenchments at Keskawa (which, 
at the first news of the intended expedition, they 
had formed on the border of the Tsad, and which 
the Tawarek themselves confessed to me they would 
never have been able to conquer), and separated, not 
thinking that their enemies were able to carry out 
their intention ; for all those tribes which had come 
to join them, as the Gedadefa, the Ferjan, the Ur- 
filla, the Ftaim, Swasi, Temama, and Dhohob, after 
having enriched themselves with the spoils of the 
Tawarek, were anxious to carry away their booty in 
safety, and proceeded on their home-journey by 
way of KufFara, They were just encamped in the 
Wadi 'Al&la, where my readers will soon have to ac- 
company me, when a scout brought the news that a 
very large host of the Tawarek was close at hand ; 
but they say that his report did not find credit, and 
that on this account the Arabs had no time to make 
any preparations, but were all on a sudden surrounded 
on all sides by the numerous host of their enemy. 
It is moreover to be understood that the greater part 
of this band were merely armed with guns, which 
are very useful in a skirmish of horsemen, who can 
retreat after having fired them off, but of very 
