Chap. LXXVIII. THE GA'-BE'RO. 
223 
or Sikkid, have exchanged their own native language 
for that of the inhabitants of the country. They had 
formerly enjoyed almost undisturbed liberty, in a state 
of nominal dependence on the governor of Say; but 
some time previously they had been forced to acknow- 
ledge the supremacy of H6mbori, the governor of 
which place had made an expedition against them, 
and killed some thirty of their number. They there- 
fore desired the Sheikh to come and extend his pro- 
tection over them and to impart blessing to them. 
However, we did not leave this place till the afternoon 
of the 25th. 
Having left behind us the area of the ancient town, 
and then traversed a plain clad with small talha-trees 
and diim-bush, w^e reached, after a march of about 
four miles, the grassy border of the river, and boldly 
entered the swampy grounds; for in the midst of 
these lowlands, from whence the river had retired, 
there were several clusters of matting-huts, inhabited 
by Ga-bero and Ruma. Not having taken any tents 
with us, sheds were erected both for El Bakay and 
myself, but they were in a miserable condition, and it 
was fortunate that a thunder-storm, ^vhich had ho- 
vered over our heads almost the whole of the after- 
noon, was moving northwards, where a great deal of 
rain fell, and left us tolerably free from wet and wind. 
The inhabitants of the hamlet treated us Monday, 
rather inhospitably ; and we set out at an "^^^^ 
early hour to pursue our march in the swampy 
vale. After proceeding for about a mile, we passed 
