Chap. XLI. MUCH ANXIETY. — JOIN OUR FRIENDS. 99 
of sheep. We were busy watering our horses, 
and providing ourselves with this necessary element. 
But there was not much leisure ; for scarcely had we 
begun to draw water, when the alarm was given that 
the Woghda were attacking us, and three bodies of 
horsemen were formed in order to protect the train 
and the booty. The main body rushed out of the 
valley on the south-east side, and drove the enemy 
back to a considerable distance ; but the intention of 
encamping on the slope near this well was given up 
as too dangerous, and it was decided to go to a 
greater distance, though the intention of penetrating 
to Mawo seemed not as yet entirely to be abandoned. 
It took us a considerable time to get out of this 
wooded valley, the Arabs being afraid of being attacked 
and losing their booty. 
At length, the cattle and flocks having been driven 
in advance, we started, and, leaving the vale, as- 
cended elevated rocky ground, from which, follow- 
ing a south-westerly direction, we descended, a little 
before two o'clock in the afternoon, into the nar- 
rower eastern part of a deep and beautiful valley, 
which here is adorned by a pretty grove of date- 
trees, while its western part expands into fine culti- 
vated ground. Here we made a halt of about half 
an hour, in order to water the animals and reple- 
nish our skins ; for not even here was it thought 
advisable to encamp, as it is regarded as a very in- 
auspicious place, this being the spot where, in 1850, 
the Kel-owi fell upon the Welad Slimamand almost 
H 2 
