chap, iy.] ARRIVAL AT BJELIGNAN. 145 
ness, and the operation being tedious, the cool hour of 
morning is always lost. 
The morning was clear, and the mountain of 
Belignan, within three or four miles, was a fine 
object to direct our course. I could distinctly see 
some enormous trees at the foot of the mountain near 
a Tillage, and I hastened forward, as I hoped to 
procure a guide who would also act as interpreter, 
many of the natives in the vicinity of Gondokoro 
having learnt a little Arabic from the traders. We 
cantered on ahead of the party, regardless of the 
assurance of our unwilling men that the natives were 
not to be trusted, and we soon arrived beneath the 
shade of a cluster of most superb trees. The village 
was within a quarter of a mile, situated at the very 
base of the abrupt mountain; the natives seeing us 
alone had no fear, and soon thronged around us. The 
chief understood a few words of Arabic, and I offered 
a large payment of copper bracelets and beads for 
a guide. After much discussion and bargaining a 
bad-looking fellow offered to guide us to Ellyria, but 
no farther. This was about twenty-eight or thirty 
miles distant, and it was of vital importance that we 
should pass through that tribe before the trader’s 
party should raise them against us. I had great 
hopes of outmarching them, as they would be de- 
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