Chap. LXXI. A SLEEPLESS NIGHT. 
55 
for a time by a shriek issuing from the northern part 
of the town, and everybody snatched his gun and ran 
out ; but it was soon found that the alarm was caused 
by our own messengers, who, on leaving the place, 
had disturbed the repose of the inhabitants of the 
suburb, or " A'beraz," the latter supposing them to 
belong to a foray of the predatory and enterprising 
Welad 'Aliish, who were then infesting A^zawdd. 
Having thus sat up the whole night, full of curious 
reflections on these tragi-comic scenes, I returned 
to my quarters about five o'clock in the morning, 
and endeavoured to raise my exhausted spirits by 
means of some coffee. However, our precautions, 
insufficient as they might seem to a European, had 
had their full effect, and the PuUo messenger did not 
dare to enter the town before noon, and even then, 
although joined by about sixty horsemen from the 
townspeople, was afraid to traverse our warlike 
quarter. 
Meanwhile Sidi Mohammed and Alawate had left 
the town with a troop of armed men, under the pretext 
of observing the movements of the enemy, but perhaps 
in order to show them that they themselves did not 
coincide with all the views of the Sheikh. Going then 
to the residence, I found nearly two hundred people 
assembled there, most of them armed, and including 
among their number even the Piillo, Mohammed ben 
'Abd-Allahi, who did not conceal the greater friend- 
ship he felt for the Sheikh than for his oAvn country- 
men, the Fiilbe of Harada-Allahi. While I was there, 
E 4 
