Or three thousand feet high, of gray
granite, walled in the narrow vale, while the landscape of forest and
plain was bounded at about fifty or sixty miles' distance to the east by
the blue mountains of Latooka. The mountain of Ellyria was the
commencement of the fine range that continued indefinitely to the south.
The whole country was a series of natural forts occupied by a large
population. A glance at the scene before me was quite sufficient. To
FIGHT a way through a valley a quarter of a mile wide, hemmed in by high
walls of rock and bristling with lances and arrows, would be impossible
with my few men, encumbered by transport animals. Should the camels
arrive I could march into Ellyria in twenty minutes, make the chief a
large present, and pass on without halting until I cleared the Ellyria
valley. At any rate I was well before the Turks, and the forced march at
night, however distressing, had been successful. The great difficulty
now lay in the ravine that we had just crossed; this would assuredly
delay the caravan for a considerable time.
Tying our horses to a bush, we sat upon a rock beneath the shade of a
small tree within ten paces of the path, and considered the best course
to pursue. I hardly liked to risk an advance into Ellyria alone before
the arrival of my whole party, as we had been very rudely received by
the Tollogo people on the previous evening; nevertheless I thought it
might be good policy to ride unattended into Ellyria, and thus to court
an introduction to the chief. However, our consultation ended in a
determination to wait where we then were until the caravan should have
accomplished the last difficulty by crossing the ravine, when we would
all march into Ellyria in company. For a long time we sat gazing at the
valley before us in which our fate lay hidden, feeling thankful that we
had thus checkmated the brutal Turks. Not a sound was heard of our
approaching camels; the delay was most irksome. There were many
difficult places that we had passed through, and each would be a source
of serious delay to the animals.
At length we heard them in the distance. We could distinctly hear the
men's voices, and we rejoiced that they were approaching the last
remaining obstacle; that one ravine passed through, and all before would
be easy. I heard the rattling of the stones as they drew nearer, and
looking toward the ravine I saw emerge from the dark foliage of the
trees within fifty yards of us the hated RED FLAG AND CRESCENT LEADING
THE TURK'S PARTY! We were outmarched!
One by one, with scowling looks, the insolent scoundrels filed by us
within a few feet, without making the customary salaam, neither noticing
us in any way, except by threatening to shoot the Latooka, our guide,
who had formerly accompanied them.
Their party consisted of a hundred and forty men armed with guns, while
about twice as many Latookas acted as porters, carrying beads,
ammunition, and the general effects of the party. It appeared that we
were hopelessly beaten.
However, I determined to advance at all hazards on the arrival of my
party, and should the Turks incite the Ellyria tribe to attack us, I
intended, in the event of a fight, to put the first shot through the
leader. To be thus beaten at the last moment was unendurable. Boiling
with indignation as the insolent wretches filed past, treating me with
the contempt of a dog, I longed for the moment of action, no matter what
were the odds against us. At length their leader, Ibrahim, appeared in
the rear of the party. He was riding on a donkey, being the last of the
line, behind the flag that closed the march.
I never saw a more atrocious countenance than that exhibited in this
man. A mixed breed, between a Turk sire and all Arab mother, he had the
good features and bad qualities of either race - the fine, sharp,
high-arched nose and large nostril, the pointed and projecting chin,
rather high cheek-bones and prominent brow, overhanging a pair of
immense black eyes full of expression of all evil. As he approached he
took no notice of us, but studiously looked straight before him with the
most determined insolence.
The fate of the expedition was at this critical moment retrieved by Mrs.
Baker. She implored me to call him, to insist upon a personal
explanation, and to offer him some present in the event of establishing
amicable relations. I could not condescend to address the sullen
scoundrel. He was in the act of passing us, and success depended upon
that instant. Mrs. Baker herself called him. For the moment he made no
reply; but upon my repeating the call in a loud key he turned his donkey
toward us and dismounted. I ordered him to sit down, as his men were
ahead and we were alone.
The following dialogue passed between us after the usual Arab mode of
greeting. I said: "Ibrahim, why should we be enemies in the midst of
this hostile country? We believe in the same God; why should we quarrel
in this land of heathens, who believe in no God? You have your work to
perform; I have mine. You want ivory; I am a simple traveller; why
should we clash? If I were offered the whole ivory of the country I
would not accept a single tusk, nor interfere with you in any way.
Transact your business, and don't interfere with me; the country is wide
enough for us both. I have a task before me, to reach a great lake - the
head of the Nile. Reach it I WILL(Inshallah). No power shall drive me
back.
