Kill them." The meeting concluded by a request
for meat; and the sheiks having given instructions to certain
messengers, despatched them to summon their people to the sand-bank,
where the remains of the elephants were lying.
In a short time, swarms of natives, lately our enemies, were collecting
from all quarters, and hurrying towards the attractive spot, as though
they were going to a fair.
I gave the headmen [*] a present of beads, and took them to admire
themselves in the large glass within the cabin of the diahbeeah. I
scrambled some pounds of beads among their people, and got up foot-races
for prizes.
[*Footnote: The superior chief was presented with a costume which
delighted him. This was a long blue shirt with red waist-band, a bright
tin funnel inverted to form a helmet with a feather in the tube, and a
pair of spectacles. He declared that he would be "the admiration of the
women."]
The natives selected some of their best runners; but although they ran
well, they were all beaten by Ali Nedjar of the "Forty Thieves," who was
the champion runner of the expedition.
The sheiks requested that the cannon might be fired for their amusement.
A shot with blank cartridge made them look very serious.
