158 
THROUGH SOMALILAND AND ABYSSINIA chap. 
Gildessa the year before, Ras Makunan had given strict orders 
to his frontier generals to treat British travellers with courtesy ; 
so on the whole I decided that if in the game of “ bluff” I 
preserved a tolerably firm attitude, Banaguse would simply have 
to give in, and my expedition to Ogaden would be saved from 
failure. 
Calling my men, twenty in all, and forming them into an 
irregular line, I went out on foot into the valley to meet 
Banaguse, hoping devoutly that he would halt his people and 
come on with two or three in a proper manner. But the 
Abyssinians continued to advance ! I was intensely annoyed 
that Banaguse should insist on bluffing, and we all determined 
not to give in. A few seconds only would decide the matter 
now, as the array had come to within a hundred and twenty 
yards, and was every moment getting nearer. I now ordered 
my men to lie down, and advancing with two of them I waved 
to Banaguse to come forward to meet me, and to halt his people. 
My signs being taken no notice of, I blew a whistle, and the 
men ran up and formed round me into a rallying grouj;), outer 
circle kneeling and inner circle standing, and a cartridge was 
shoved into the breech of every rifle. Several of the Abyssinians 
dropped down ready to fire at a word from their chief, and my 
Somalis made ready, on the order, to aim at the little man on. 
the white horse, riding in the middle of the throng. 
Banaguse wheeled his horse quickly and addressed his people. 
He had at last been beaten in the game, and a wave passed 
along the opposing line which we had been watching with 
such concentrated interest, and they all sat down. Banaguse 
trotted forward on his white horse, followed by Abadigal and 
two others, and I walked towards him with my interpreter, 
Adan Yusuf, and two men. Banaguse took the sheepskins 
from the shoulders of the two soldiers and spread them on the 
ground ; and we sat down side by side on the open plain, near 
my original ant-hill, the dark Abyssinian force being eighty 
yards in front, and my camelmen ten yards behind ; and about 
a hundred Bertiri horsemen, sitting in the saddle, formed a 
picturesque group on my right. 
Banaguse complimented me on my military movements, and 
asked the reason of them. I asked why he had advanced with 
all his force, against my wish, distinctly made known to him 
through Abadigal. “ Oh ! 55 he said, “this crowd was brought 
in your honour ; it is the custom. 5 ’ So, not to be behind him 
