chap, v.] LATOOKA THIEVES. 189 
literally strewed with beads and copper bracelets. The 
Latooka porters had broken open the bags and baskets 
containing many hundred-weight of these objects, and 
loading themselves, had intended to desert with their 
stolen prize; but the sentries having discovered them, 
they were seized by the soldiers. These fellows, the 
Latookas, had exhibited the folly of monkeys in so 
rashly breaking open the packages while the sentries 
were on guard. Several who had been caught in 
the act were now pinioned by the Turks, and were im¬ 
mediately condemned to be shot; while others were 
held down upon the ground and well chastised with 
the coorbatcli. I begged that the punishment of 
death might be commuted for a good flogging;—at 
first I implored in vain, until I suggested, that if the 
porters were shot, there would be no one to carry their 
loads : —this practical argument saved them, and after 
receiving a severe thrashing, their arms were pinioned, 
and a guard set over them until the morning. 
We marched at 5.25 on the following morning. 
© © 
For several hours the path led through thick jungle in 
which we occasionally caught glimpses of antelopes. 
At length quitting the jungle we arrived at an open 
marshy plaiu, upon which I discerned at a great 
distance a number of antelopes. Having nothing to 
eat I determined to stalk them, as I heard from the 
