The dry bed of a broad stream, we ascended a slope, and to
my astonishment I noticed a considerable body of natives who neither ran
away nor appeared hostile in their demeanour. Leaving my rifle with
Monsoor, I rode up within fifty yards of them, apparently unarmed, but I
had a pair of breech-loading pistols in my holsters.
My Bari interpreter, Morgian, now explained, that I was only on an
exploration, and that I had no intention of disturbing their property; I
only desired to communicate with their sheik.
For the first time I received a civil answer from the Baris. They
explained, that although they were Baris, they had no connection with
the people who had fought us. They were governed by a great sheik named
Bedden, whose territory was bounded by the torrent bed that we had just
crossed. They promised that he should pay me a visit on the morrow: in
the mean tine, if we required any corn, they would supply us. This was a
politeness to which I was quite unaccustomed. I therefore thanked them,
but declined their offer, saying that I wanted nothing from them except
friendship.
I now discovered, that these people had never had any communication with
the slave-traders, who were afraid to molest so powerful a tribe.
At parting, I gave them a white handkerchief as a signal to our
sentries, when they should arrive.
