These Parties, Shaking Their Spears Over Their Heads, Exclaimed, Barca!

Barca!

Alla hiakkum, cha, alla cheraga; Blessing! blessing! sons of your country! sons of your country. While all this was going on, they closed in their left and right flanks, and surrounded the little body of Arab warriors so completely, as to give the compliment of welcoming them, very much the appearance of a declaration of their contempt of their weakness. They were all now so closely pressed as to be nearly smothered, and in some danger from the crowding of the horses, and clashing of the spears; moving on was impossible, and they therefore came to a full stop. Boo Khaloom was much enraged, but it was all to no purpose; he was only answered by shrieks of welcome, and the spears most unpleasantly rattled over their heads, expressive of the same feeling. This annoyance, however, was not of long duration. Barca Gana, the sheik's first general, a negro of noble aspect, clothed in a figured silk tobe, and mounted on a beautiful Mandara horse, made his appearance, and after a little delay, the rear was cleared of those, who had pressed in upon the Europeans and Arabs, and they moved on, although very slowly, from the frequent impediments thrown in their way by these wild equestrians.

The sheik's negroes as they were called, meaning the black chiefs and favourites, all raised to that rank by some deed of bravery, were habited in coats of mail composed of iron chain, which covered them from the throat to the knees, dividing behind, and coming on each side of the horse.

Enter page number Go  Previous Next
Page 424 of 1124
Words from 115460 to 115729 of 309561