"On Coming To The Stream, The Horses, With Blood Gushing From Their
Nostrils, Rushed Into The Shallow Water, And, Letting Myself Down From
Behind Maramy, I Knelt Down Amongst Them, And Seemed To Imbibe New Life
By Copious Draughts Of The Muddy Beverage Which I Swallowed.
Of what
followed I have no re-collection, Maramy told me afterwards that I
staggered across the stream, which was not above my hips, and fell down
at the foot of a tree on the other side.
About a quarter of an hour's
halt took place here for the benefit of stragglers, and to tie poor Boo
Khaloom's body on a horse's back, at the end of which Maramy awoke me
from a deep sleep, and I found my strength wonderfully increased: not so,
however, our horse, for he had become stiff, and could scarcely move. As
I learned afterwards, a conversation had taken place about me while I
slept, which rendered my obligations to Maramy still greater. He had
reported to Barca Gana the state of his horse, and the impossibility of
carrying me on, when the chief, irritated by his losses and defeat, as
well as at my having refused his horse, by which means, he said, it had
come by its death, replied, 'Then leave him behind. By the head of the
Prophet! Believers enough have breathed their last today. What is there
extraordinary in a Christian's death?' My old antagonist Malem Chadily
replied, 'No. God has preserved him, let us not forsake him!' Maramy
returned to the tree, and said, 'His heart told him what to do.' He awoke
me, assisted me to mount, and we moved on as before."
In this fatal conflict forty-five of the Arabs, besides their chief,
fell.
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