Chap. LXXII. 
THE " TA'BU." 
61 
approach of a numerous host, as it was entirely en- 
veloped in thick clouds of dust. But the Sheikh was 
a little too rash in sending, on the 6th, a message 
to El Ferreji, giving him official information of the 
arrival of Alkiittabu. That officer answered, in a 
manly way, that he must not think of frightening 
him, and that he himself, if necessary, was fully 
able to summon an army from Fermagha and from 
Dar e' SaMm, the capital of the province of Jim- 
balla on the other side of the river; that he had 
come to drive me out of the town, and that he would 
at any cost achieve his purpose; and although the 
Sheikh's rival, Hammddi, seemed to be frightened, 
and came to sue for peace, yet Sidi Mohammed was 
wearied with his brother's continual procrastination, 
and from that day forward did all in his power to 
make me leave the town under any condition, and 
banish me to the tents. 
There is no doubt that, in the event of the " tdbu " 
not arriving, the Sheikh's situation became more dan- 
gerous in consequence of the arrival of his brother 
'Abidin, who entered the town amidst a demonstra- 
tion of firing and music on the afternoon of the 
7th. All the three brothers went out on horse- 
back to meet him ; but this man, who was bent 
upon following a policy entirely opposed to that 
of El Bakay, took up his quarters with Hammddi, 
the adversary of the latter. Even the eldest bro- 
ther was so little satisfied with the Sheikh's present 
policy, that, when I called upon him about midnight 
