CHAr. XL. MUSICAL BOX.— FALSE ALARM. 
79 
for bad tidings arrived. Haj 'AbMs, on his way to 
Bornu, had seen a troop of Kindm near Ngegimi, and 
warned the Arabs to beware of a sudden attack. 
Thus uneasiness and anxiety spread through the 
encampment, and scouts were sent out to scour the 
country in every direction. 
News having been brought in the morning Friday> 
that three Tawarek on horseback, and five 0ctober 10th - 
on camels, had been seen at a neighbouring well, 
an alarm was raised immediately. All the Arabs 
mounted ; and we followed their example, though I felt 
extremely weak, while my horse, having had rest and 
good food for several days, and seeing so many com- 
panions galloping and capering about, was almost un- 
manageable. 
The whole encampment presented a very warlike 
appearance ; but it turned out to be a false alarm. 
We therefore returned into the encampment, and 
began to arrange our luggage, as we were to leave here 
the heaviest part of our things, and take only as little 
as possible with us in our progress further eastward ; 
for the Arabs had conceived the hope of plunder, the 
news having been brought that the Khalifa of Waddy 
had left his residence Mawo, and that nobody was there 
to defend that quarter against their inroads. At the 
same time, our friends cast a longing look towards 
Bateli, the celebrated paslure-grounds in the northern 
course of the Bahar el Ghazal, two days' march be- 
yond Ege, where numbers of camels were reported 
