was impossible to keep one's temper under such constant provocation;
so I abused him vehemently, and warned him off the camp, again
repeating he had abused his commission, as well as the Government
authorities who engaged him,--and entreated he would "get away," and
let me take my chance of proceeding how I could, for his presence
simply made my position one of purgatory. He laughed in scorn, wishing
to know if I thought I could do anything without him,--and said he had
only to turn his back an instant, and the Dulbahantas were ready to
devour me. I still persisted; and then he said, "If you say go once
more, I take you at your word; and see you to the consequences."

My resolution was fixed; for I plainly saw I could not by any
possibility be worse off. He now tried frightening me by assembling
the Dulbahantas to confirm his words, making them say they only
permitted my residence there out of the love they bore to their
brother Sumunter, and that they certainly would kill me if he once
left the place. They did not fear guns. The English could not reach
them; besides, their fathers had driven Christians from these lands;
and if an army was to attack them, they would assemble so many
cavalry, and ride in such rapidity around them, that their gunners
could not take aim in consequence of the clouds of dust which this
feat would occasion. In addition to this, they thought the English
only efficacious behind walls; else, why did they not take revenge
upon the Arabs at Lahej, two years ago, for the murder of an officer?
They had often heard of the English threatening and preparing to do
it, but somehow they never carried their intention into execution. I
treated these vain bombastic words with the contempt which they
deserved,--but said, I only wanted Sumunter to take me on, or
otherwise to leave me to my fate. They then tried weakening my party
by bribing Farhan to side with them and leave; but the noble-hearted