104 
TRAVELS IN AFRICA. Chap. XLI. 
to Mr. Kichardson. Four of the Arabs had been 
killed, and thirty-four of the enemy. Mr. Overweg 
was busily employed in dressing some severe wounds 
inflicted on our friends. The Arabs were furious at 
the insolence, as they called it, of the enemy who had 
dared to attack them in their own encampment, and 
they swore they would now go and burn down all 
their hamlets and their corn. The horsemen actually 
left, but returned in the course of the afternoon 
rather silently, with a sullen face and unfavourable 
tidings ; and before sunset they were once more 
obliged to defend their own encampment against 
another attack of the energetic natives ; they, how- 
ever, succeeded in beating them off. Halliif dis- 
tinguished himself greatly by his valour, killing 
three or four of the enemy with his own hand. 
But notwithstanding this little victory, the fore- 
bodings for the night were very unfavourable, and our 
friends would certainly have decamped immediately if 
they had not been afraid that in the darkness of the 
night the greater part might take to their heels, and 
that a shameful flight would be followed by great loss of 
life and property. Accordingly they determined to 
remain till the next morning. But an anxious and 
restless night it w r as ; for they had received authentic 
news that a body of from thirty to forty Waday 
horsemen were to join their enemies that night and 
to make a joint and last attack upon them; and 
they were well aware that the enemy had only been 
beaten from want of horses. All the horses remained 
