Chap. LXXXV. THE WELL BEDVVA'rAM. 
417 
rain had fallen, in consequence of which " had " and 
" seb6d " covered the ground, although we were 
extremely glad to escape from that great annoyance to 
travellers, the feathery bristle, or ^^ngibbi." Another 
twelve miles in the afternoon, through a more open 
country, broken in the earlier part by a few speci- 
mens of the tree " simsim," brought us to the well 
Bedwaram, or Belkashi-fdrri, where we encamped 
at the foot of the eastern eminence, choosing our 
ground with great care, as we were to recruit here 
our strength by a longer stay, the well being at 
present frequented by a number of that section of the 
Gunda tribe of Tebu, which is called " Wandald," 
or " Aussa." For in general the well is by no means 
a safe retreat, and it seems to have been at this well, 
or in the neighbourhood, that Corporal Macguire was 
slain last year, when returning home, after the report 
of the death of his chief, Mr. Yogel. 
We had great trouble in opening the wells ; for we 
needed a large provision of water, as, besides filling 
our skins, we had here to water all our camels. Only 
one of the wells was open at the time, and contained 
very little water. It is easily to be understood in what 
a perilous position a small caravan would be, if at- 
tacked under such circumstances by a gang of high- 
way robbers, and I felt particularly obliged to Sheikh 
'Omdr for having afforded me the protection of the 
salt merchants, the Ddza, who were busy the whole 
day long in digging out the wells. I was glad to 
find that the temporary inhabitants of the place be- 
VOL. V. EE. 
