I presumed that these were the followers of Bedden. I therefore ascended
the slope and examined them with the telescope.
My suspicions were aroused from the extraordinary number of people; at
least 700 natives were accompanying their sheik.
I returned to camp, and made arrangements to receive his visit with a
guard of honour. I drew up a hundred men parallel with the river, about
fifty yards from the bank, near the bow of my diahbeeah. Fifty men were
in line at right angles with the river: thus the lines formed two sides
of a square.
In the front I placed the fieldpiece loaded with canister shot. I
intended to receive Bedden with due honour in the hollow square thus
protected. In the event of treachery, his force could be almost
annihilated by one discharge.
The hill sentry now reported the arrival of a messenger, who waved a
white handkerchief on the end of a bamboo. This was the signal agreed
upon, and the messenger was allowed to pass. He communicated the fact of
Bedden's approach: in a few minutes later the great sheik arrived.
He was very tall and gaunt; and without any delay, both he and his
people were ushered into the hollow square, where they all stuck their
lances in the ground and sat down.
