164 
UNPLEASANT DISCUSSIONS. 
servants three hundred reals. Besides this sum, 
Hateetah and Waled Shafou had each of them 
received a present of about a hundred mahboubs. 
Finally my friend, Haj Ibrahim, the merchant, 
undertook to arrange this business, and paid on our 
account twenty-eight reals more for our servants. 
On the morning" of the 20th there was another 
general meeting, and I presented the treaty for con- 
sideration. A long discussion followed, but I at 
first misunderstood the conclusion to which the 
Sheikhs came. However, the following day we 
had a regular debate, the result of which was that 
the Sheikhs and heads of the town declared they 
could not come to a final arrangement -until the 
winter souk (market), when all the notables would 
be assembled. 
A great deal of unpleasant discussion occurred 
during all these meetings, and I had to fight my way 
step by step. The Shereef was first on my side, but 
as I had promised him a present only if the treaty 
were signed, and as he saw that this would not take 
place, he turned round and became my active enemy. 
However, it was out of his power to do me much 
harm. The greater part of the last days of my 
stay were spent in agitation about the presents for 
Jabour, Khanouhen, Berka, and others, some of 
whom were absent. I said that nothing could be 
given until the Sheikhs and the people of Ghat did 
something for the Queen — for the presents were 
the Queen's presents. Finally, the day before our 
