CIIAP. Y.] 
DESERTION OF MEN. 
13 7 
I told Ibrahim that he must forgive him this time, 
if he promised to carry his load to the end of the 
journey. He immediately picked np his heavy burden 
as though it were a feather, and balancing'it on his 
head, stepped along in the line of porters as though 
nothing had occurred. 
Trifling as this incident may appear, it was of much 
service to me, as it served as an introduction to both 
Turks and natives. I heard the former conversing 
together, praising the speed of the horse, and congra¬ 
tulating themselves on the impossibility of the porters 
escaping now that they had seen how quickly they 
could be overtaken. Another remarked, “ Wall Xllahi, 
I should not like to chase a nigger, so closely while 
a lance was in his hand. I expected he would turn 
sharp round and throw it through the Hawaga.” Thus 
I was now looked upon by the Turks as an ally , and 
at the same time I was regarded by the Latookas as 
their friend for having saved their man; and they 
grinned their approbation in the most unmistakeable 
manner as I rode past their line, shouting “ Morrte, 
morrte, mattat! ” (welcome, welcome, chief!) 
On arriving at a large town, named Kattaga, we 
rested under the shade of an immense tamarind tree. 
There was no sign of my men and animals, and I 
began to think that something had gone wrong. For 
two hours we waited for their arrival. Ascending 
O 
some rising ground, I at length observed my caravan 
approaching in the distance, and every one of my 
men, except Richarn, mounted upon my donkeys, 
although the poor animals were already carrying loads 
of 150 lbs. each. Upon observing me, the dismount 
was sudden and general. On their arrival I found 
that three of the men had deserted, including “ Bel- 
laal,” and had joined the party of Mahommed Her, 
taking with them my guns and ammunition. Two 
had previously joined that party; thus five of my men 
were now engaged by those slave-hunters, and I little 
doubted that my remaining men would abscond likewise. 
