134 
SETTLE THE RINGLEADER. 
[oiiap. y 
deiitly expecting a row, and although, engaged with 
the black women in packing, he kept his eyes constantly 
upon me. 
I now observed that Bellaal was standing very near 
me on my right, in advance of the men who had risen 
from the ground, and employed himself in eyeing me 
from head to foot with the most determined insolence. 
The fellow had his gun in his hand, and he was tele¬ 
graphing by looks with those who were standing near 
him, wdiile not one of the others rose from the ground, 
.although close to me. Pretending not to notice Bellaal, 
who was now as I had expected once more the ring¬ 
leader, for the third time I ordered the men to rise 
immediately, and to load the camels. - Not a man 
moved, but the fellow Bellaal marched up to me, and 
looking me straight in the face dashed the butt-end of 
his gun in defiance on the ground, and led the mutiny. 
“Not a man shall go with you!—go where you like 
“ with Ibrahim but we won’t follow you, nor move a 
“ step farther. The men shall not load the camels; 
“ you may employ the ‘ niggers’ to do it, but not us.” 
I looked at this mutinous rascal for a moment; 
this w r as the burst of the conspiracy, and the threats 
and insolence that I had been forced to pass over 
for the sake of the expedition all rushed before me. 
“ Lay down your gun!” I thundered, “ and load 
the camels! ”.“ I won’t”—was his reply. 
“Then stop here!” I answered; at the same time lashing 
out as quick as lightning wdtli my right hand upon 
his jaw. 
He rolled over in a heap, his gun flying some yards 
from his hand; and the late ringleader lay appa¬ 
rently insensible among the luggage, while several of 
his friends ran to him, and did the good Samaritan. 
Followdng up on the moment the advantage I had 
gained by establishing a panic, I seized my rifle and 
rushed into the midst of the wavering men, catching 
first one by the throat, and then another, and dragging 
them to the camels, which I insisted upon their imme- 
