THREE HAGHAR. 
213 
herbage. We had found the former at Aisou ; the 
latter greeted us in plenty at a place called Takeesat, 
where we encamped, intending to pass the night and 
the whole of next day. The herbage was of the 
kind called nasee, which is very strengthening for 
the camels. 
I believed that the Haghar would not follow the 
Kailouees upon their own territory, but I was mis- 
taken. Just before sunset, to our surprise, we saw 
rising above the hills around the valley where we 
are encamped, three mounted men. These mys- 
terious Haghar are then determined, we thought, 
to pursue us Christians as their natural prey ! The 
men rode coolly up and mingled with us, probably un- 
derstanding and enjoying the looks of suspicion and 
terror that greeted them. No one thought proper, 
at first, to address them a single question ; and they 
were allowed to picket their maharees without molest- 
ation. It must be confessed that there was no little 
agitation in our camp, and everything was done to 
give any attacking force a warm reception. We 
made barricades of the boat, and kept watch all 
night. We also scoured the valley all round to see 
if there were any other people about. 
I must insist, for the credit of our gallantry, 
that it was not of these three men that we were afraid. 
Our caravan was composed of sixty individuals 
capable of bearing arms, besides women and child- 
ren. Our camels also amounted to one hundred 
and seven. Had we not, therefore, been tormented 
