64 
TRAVELS IJST AFRICA. 
Chap. XL. 
little use in close combat ; few of them were armed 
with pistols, and still fewer with swords. But the 
Kel-owi, in addition to their numbers, had also the 
advantage of superior arms, having spear, sword, 
and dagger, even if we do not take into account 
their muskets, which they rarely know how to use. 
The consequence was, that the Arabs, after having 
killed a small number of their enemies in the fore- 
most lines, were soon overpowered and massacred, 
not half of them succeeding in making their escape. 
Their chief Mohammed himself made his way through 
the host very severely wounded, and was slain, 
according to report, shortly after by a T6bu woman 
who recognized him. Said, the most valiant of all 
the Welad Sliman, but also the most violent, was 
killed on the spot, together with the bravest cham- 
pions of the little horde ; and a very considerable 
booty was made by the Tawarek, not only in camels 
and slaves, but also in silver, the chiefs having 
amassed a great deal of property. Thus the flower 
of this troop was destroyed, and only the least brave 
and youngest were left. 
The vizier of Bornu then took the young man, 
to whom very little power and property were left, 
under his special protection, entering with him and 
the remaining part of the tribe into a contract, to the 
effect that he would furnish them with horses and 
muskets, as far as they should stand in need of them, 
on condition of their delivering to him a certain share 
of their booty in every expedition. Of course, such 
