Chap. LXXXI. 
de'be. 
317 
crossed the valley on my outward journey. In order 
therefore not to lose more time than was necessary, I 
left the place in the afternoon of the next day, intend- 
ing to encamp beyond the valley at the entrance of the 
forest. After a good deal of opposition from my com- 
panions, I effected my purpose, being escorted out of 
the town by Senina, with two mounted archers, and 
followed by all the people who wanted to take the 
same road ; for as soon as they saw me marching 
out with confidence, they all followed, one after the 
other, and encamped close round my tent, which 
I had pitched on the eminence above the valley 
near the dum-palms, as if it were a talisman to pro- 
tect them against any attack; and midnight had 
scarcely passed, when the drum of 'Abdii was heard 
in the distance, indicating that he also did not tarry. 
But in consequence of the laziness of my people, 
whom the numbers of mosquitoes had scarcely al- 
lowed to close their eyes, he arrived before we had 
prepared our luggage, so that we did not get off until 
three o'clock in the morning ; and, owing to a pack- 
ox belonging to 'Abdii having fallen down in the nar- 
row path in the forest, we lost another hour before 
we could fairly proceed. 
Marching then onwards without further delay, we 
reached, half an hour before noon, the site of Debe, in 
the dense thicket of the forest, which was inundated 
with water, and made a short halt, without dismount- 
ing, in order to allow the Hausa people to drink their 
furd. There were about one hundred fatdki or native 
