RESIDENCE AT SOCCATOO AND MAGAR1A. 
227 
and put up at the house of my friend the Gadado, who had gone 
to rest, having arrived an hour before me. Maalem Moodie, his 
brother, told me that all the rebel army turned out to be only a 
few robbers come to steal bullocks, one of which, on their not being 
able to drive them away, they had killed, carried away its flesh, 
and fled. On my asking one of his female slaves, who had the 
charge of his house at Magaria, why they had been so much 
frightened by only a few thieves, she replied, “ What could we 
do ? only a parcel of women to be seen : there were two or three 
fellows within hearing of the noises, but they were good for 
nothing ; they were just as much afraid as we were. All night 
(pointing to the highest point of ground in the town, which is un- 
occupied, and kept for a market-place) did we stand there with 
what things we could carry on our heads, our mouths open, no one 
thought of eating or sitting down until the men came from Socca- 
too and the camp. This world/’ continued she, “ is nothing without 
the men after all. If three of the thieves had only come, they might 
have taken the town and all that was in it, for the gates were all 
open, and we had not sense to shut them/’ — After breakfast and 
a good sleep, I waited on the Gadado, and told him that, as all was 
happily quiet, I should return to Soccatoo at day-break to-morrow, 
as I had neither bed nor baggage with me. He thanked me very 
much for coming to their assistance, and said he should also return 
to the capital in the course of the next day, and the sultan in- 
tended returning to the camp. 
Sunday, 3d. — At day-break mounted and rode to Soccatoo, ac- 
companied by my freedman, Mohamed Allah Sirkie, w 7 ho accom- 
panies me on all enterprises of danger. At noon arrived at Soc- 
catoo, and the Gadado arrived at midnight. 
Wednesday, 6th.— The eunuchs of the sultan came to-day, 
wishing me to go to the sultan’s house to wind up the time-piece. 
g g 2 
