ce might be mistaken for a helmet,
a large braid at the crown having some resemblance to a crest.

They had now to pass through a country inhabited by Bedites, who had not
embraced Islamism. Protected by the natural fastnesses of their
country, they were held in dread and abhorrence by all the faithful.
The road lay over very elevated ground, and so low was the temperature
in the morning, that the water in their shallow vessels was crusted with
thin flakes of ice, and the water-skins themselves were frozen as hard
as a board. The horses and camels stood shivering with cold. Dr
Oudney also became extremely ill, probably from the low temperature.

They had just entered the country of the Bedites when two men were met,
who were immediately seized by the Arabs; one was a Shooa and the other
a negro. One of the Bornouese had inflicted a dreadful cut under the
left ear of the negro, and, notwithstanding his wound, they led the poor
fellow by a rope fastened round his neck. Clapperton could not refrain
from beating the merciless Bornouese and at the same time threatening to
lodge the contents of his gun in his head if he repeated his cruelties.
He took occasion to impress on the minds of the Arabs how unworthy it
was of brave men to behave so cruelly to their prisoners, and he
thoroughly shamed them into good behaviour.

Having crossed the river You, they reached the city of Katagum, when a
servant of the governor met them with a present, and, accompanied by a
band of horsemen with drummers drumming and two bards singing the
praises of their master, they entered the city. Here they remained,
while the caravan pursued its course.

This was the most eastern of the Felatah towns. They were here visited
by a Tripolitan merchant who was very rich, possessing no less than five
hundred slaves and a vast number of horses.

Through all the towns and villages which they had passed, the sick were
brought to be cured, while numbers came for remedies against all sorts
of fancied diseases.

The governor received them in the most simple way. They found him
seated under a rude canopy, on a low bank of earth, with three old men
attending on him. They shook hands and then sat down on the floor. He
was highly pleased with the presents he received, and offered anything
they might wish for, especially slaves. Clapperton told them that a
slave was unknown in England, and that the moment one set foot on
British ground he was instant