CHAP. IX.] 
A THIEF SHOT. 
249 
mould-shot, he had received the contents at close 
quarters. Although he had tempted fate and met with 
deserved misfortune, it was most disgusting to witness 
the brutality of the Turks, who, tying ropes to the 
ankles, dragged the body to the entrance of their camp, 
and wished for amusement to drive their bayonets 
through the chest. Although dying, the man was not 
dead : a shot had entered one eye, knocking it out; 
several had entered the face, chest, and thighs, as he 
was in a stooping position when the gun was fired. I 
would not allow him to be mutilated, and after groan¬ 
ing in agony for some time, he died. The traders’ people 
immediately amputated the hands at the wrists to 
detach the copper bracelets, while others cut off his 
helmet of beads, and the body was very considerately 
dragged close to the entrance of my camp. 
“ June 22 d .—Finding that the disgusting Turks had 
deposited the dead body almost at my door, I had it 
removed a couple of hundred yards to leeward. The 
various birds of prey immediately collected—buzzards, 
vultures, crows, and the great Marabou stork. I 
observed a great bare-necked vulture almost succeed 
in turning the body over by pulling at the flesh of the 
arm at the opposite side to that where it stood. I 
have noticed that birds of prey invariably commence 
their attack upon the eyes, inner portions of the thighs, 
and beneath the arms, before they devour the coarser 
portions. In a few hours a well-picked skeleton was 
all that was left of the Latooka.” 
Me were to start on the following day. My wife 
was dangerously ill with bilious fever, and was unable 
to stand, and I endeavoured to persuade the traders’ 
party to postpone their departure for a few days. They 
would not hear of such a proposal; they had so irri¬ 
tated the Latookas that they feared an attack, and 
their captain, or vakeel, Ibrahim, had ordered them 
immediately to vacate the country. This was a most 
awkward position for me. The traders had induced 
the hostility of the country, and I should bear the 
