Chap. LXXV. 
e'm-n-ku'ris. 
149 
The river itself formed a fine open sheet, broken only 
by a small island, and, being animated by several 
boats, exhibited a grand spectacle. There was a 
good deal of consultation in the evening between the 
eldermen, or amaghar, of the Kel-antsar and my pro- 
tector, with regard to the course to be pursued under 
the present political circumstances of the country, 
these poor people scarcely knowing which party to 
follow amidst the general confusion which prevailed. 
I learned on this occasion that the Tgelad, to whom 
the tribe of the Kel-antsdr belongs, have three learned 
chiefs or judges, the most respected of whom. El 
Taher, lives at Ras el ma. The night which we 
passed here on a rising ground just over the stream 
was beautifully fresh, while the elevation caused us 
to be exempt from the plague usual in these swampy 
lowlands. 
While we were breaking up our encamp- Sunday, 
ment and loading our animals, the op- ^^^^^^ist. 
posite camp of our friends was enlivened by nu- 
merous herds of sheep and goats, and we should 
have made a very interesting day's march, as we 
were now approaching a better-inhabited district, if 
it had not been for the hospitable treatment of our 
hosts, who, in order to satisfy their numerous visitors, 
had probably, the preceding night, mixed together 
all sorts of milk, so that almost all the people were 
seriously ill; and the first part of our march pre- 
sented so distressing a spectacle that most of my 
companions thought the milk had been poisoned. 
L 3 
