possible, and at the suggestion of my servants, who were just as tired
as myself of these incessant provocations, changed camp to a place
three miles farther up the valley, much more remote from water, but
nearer to the Abban's home, by which I hoped I should be able to get
at him easier; for the aggravating wretch, whenever I sent messages to
recall him, invariably returned plausible excuses, showing the
necessity of his having stopped away, and as repeatedly said he would
not fail in coming immediately; but at the same time, as the sequence
showed, never intending to do so.

It would be useless, as well as painful, to narrate in detail all the
daily and hourly incidents which occurred in the next few days whilst
I was detained here by the artful and dishonest machinations of this
vile-conditioned man, from whom I could never get one true word, and
whose absence, although I was striving to induce his coming to me,
really seemed a relief. A wicked feeling was almost coming over me,
which made me shudder again when I reflected more calmly on what my
mind was now dilating. He seemed to me only as an animal in satanical
disguise; to have shot him would have given me great relief, for I
fairly despaired of ever producing any good effect upon his mind.
Again I tried the old scheme of forcing him to leave me, and even
begged an Akil of the Dulbahantas, offering him large rewards, to be
my guide to Berbera. This, as might be imagined, provoked a severe
row. The man I was endeavouring to seduce to favour me was one of the
gang of forty thieves, and as birds of a feather all Dulbahantas
flocked together to assist the victim of my displeasure; for Sumunter
was, by his intermarriage with these northerners, naturalised amongst
them. However, I had my wicked will, by relating, in presence of all
his now rapidly congregating friends (a row always brings a crowd),
the whole of his misdemeanours since he first came with me to this