f 
72 TEAVELS m AFRICA. Chap. LXXII. 
like circumstances. We went at the beginning at 
such a rate, that it seemed as if we were about to 
storm the place directly; but on reaching the first 
creek of the river we made a short halt, while my 
Mohammedan friends said their prayers, and at last 
came to a stand on an eminence, whence we sent a 
messenger in advance. Sidi Alawdte came out of 
the town to meet us. Meanwhile darkness set in, 
and we again halted on another eminence in sight of 
the town, and sent a second messenger to the Sheikh. 
We were joined after a while by the people from 
Tawdt, who informed us that El Bakdy had left the 
town with a numerous host of followers, but that 
they themselves did not know whither he was gone. 
Messengers were therefore despatched to endeavour 
to find him. 
In the meanwhile the Tawdrek whom we had with 
us, beat their shields in their usual furious manner, 
and raised the war-cry ; the night was very dark, and 
I at length fired a shot, which informed our friends 
of our whereabouts. We found the Sheikh close to 
the town south of the " rodha," with a large host of 
people, Tawdrek as well as Arabs, Songhay, and 
even Fullan. The Fiitawi, Ismail, who from his 
knowledge of colonial life in St. Louis or Nder, 
afi'orded me a constant source of entertainment as 
well as vexation, welcomed us with a song, and 
all the people gathered around us in motley con- 
fusion. The spectacle formed by this multifarious 
host, thronging among the sand-hills in the pale 
