have guns! we have guns!" they shouted. They were soon
to find that they made a fearful mistake.

The Sultan of Mandara had assisted the Sheikh Kanemy in driving out the
Felatahs, and, since then, supported by his powerful ally, had risen
greatly in power. The Felatahs, indeed, were his principal enemies in
the neighbourhood, and he was only waiting for such an expedition as now
joined him to attack them.

The unfortunate Kerdies, who believed that they themselves were the
objects of the raid, beheld with dread the army of Barca Gana
bivouacking in the valley. The fires, which were visible in the
different nests of the hapless mountaineers, threw a glare on the bold
peaks and bluff promontories of granite rock by which they were
surrounded, and produced a picturesque and somewhat awful appearance.
Denham could distinguish many of them through his telescope, making off
into the mountains, while others came down bearing leopard-skins, honey,
and slaves as peace offerings, as also asses and goats, with which the
mountains abound. They, however, on this occasion, were not destined to
suffer. The people of Musgu, whose country it had been reported that
the Arabs were to plunder, sent two hundred slaves and other presents to
the sultan. As they entered and left the palace they threw themselves
on the ground, pouring sand on their heads, and uttering the most
piteous cries.

The sultan all this time had not informed Boo-Khaloum what district he
would allow him to attack, but observed that the Kerdie nations, being
extremely tractable, were becoming Mussulmans without force.

Major Denham had several interviews with this intelligent but bigoted
sultan, when he was greatly annoyed by the chief doctor of the court, or
_fighi_, Malem Chadily, who, because he was a Christian, endeavoured to
prejudice the mind of the sultan against him; indeed, the bigotry of
this court far surpassed that usually found among black tribes who have
become Mahommedans. The major had been drawing with a lead pencil, when
he was carried into the presence of the sultan. Malem Chadily on this
occasion pretended to treat him with great complaisance.

The courtiers were much astonished at seeing the effect produced by the
pencils, and the ease with which their traces were effaced by
india-rubber. Several words were written by the doctor and others,
which were quickly rubbed out by the major. At last, the doctor wrote:
"_Bismillah arachmani ar