A T00RKEE PAEADE. 
329 
you'll get to Gondokoro before next moon." We sur- 
prised them, however, by packing up our luggage and 
preparing to start with our remaining twenty Seedees. 
Our residence amongst the Toorkees reminded me 
of a military life, for at break of day the reveille was 
sounded regularly with drum and fife ; at certain 
fixed hours we had more music ; and at night sentries 
were placed the same as in a cantonment. But the 
grand spectacle was their parade every Friday, which 
was equivalent to our Sunday. We were once re- 
quested to attend and see them manoeuvre, and any- 
thing more ludicrous can hardly be conceived. All 
were drawn up in line, but no two were dressed alike, 
neither had they uniform guns. Captain Mahomed 
stood in front, with drawn " shumshere," in a red 
jacket and loose Turkish trousers, fez, and silk tur- 
ban. His second in command had adopted the rifle 
uniform of green jacket and black braid, loose pyjamas, 
gaiters, and tasselled fez; he also carried a drawn 
sword. Speke was the reviewing officer, and I stood 
on a height in the distance. Bombay, looking very 
dissipated, thought it his duty to stand alongside of 
his master; but his appearance, bare-headed, with a 
dirty shirt worn outside his dress, and holding a spear 
in his hand, betokened a pretty hard morning's car- 
ousing. Our second interpreter, Frij, was also de- 
cidedly tipsy, but had not the sense to remain quiet. 
While the men were marching he would rush wildly 
at them, flourishing his sword-bayonet, then attempt- 
ing to show them how to march, blow his boatswain s 
whistle, repeat the commands, and interfere with the 
commander, who took it all good-naturedly. The 
series of manoeuvres embraced file-marching, forming 
