The evening that Ohmed Medina returned, a large calahm was held. After a long discussion, it was determined we should proceed the next day, whether the expected Hy Soumaulee Kafilah came or not; and although an opposition calahm was held at the same time by the escort, who naturally favoured their friends, I could see that it was finally resolved not to wait for them any longer, but to start in the morning.
The last night was spent in the usual happy manner; a bright moon lent its assistance to illumine the little forest glades, where merry dancers, in numerous small and quick revolving circles, kept up a continued chorus, with the usual accompaniment of sharp clapping hands.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
Journey from Murroo to Sakeitaban, general direction, W.S.W., time marching, one hour.—Visit to Durtee Ohmed.—Halt for short time at Sakeitaban.—Proceed to Mullu, general direction, W.S.W., time marching, four hours.—Bad road.—Threats of assassination.—Shields of the Dankalli, and care of their arms.—Arrive at Mullu.—Write letter to Ankobar.
May 17th.—We left Murroo a little before sunrise. I was about to start, when Ohmed Mahomed came up, and introduced a one-eyed stranger, with the rather surprising information that he was the Durtee Ohmed, for whom I had a few days before been making inquiry. On looking about, I could not see Ebin Izaak to ask for an explanation, but as I conceived that Ohmed Mahomed knew of my having before given three dollars to a man who was said to be Durtee Ohmed, I said I should not repeat the present. My respectable Ras ul Kafilah denied any knowledge of the circumstance, and appeared quite indignant at the deceit practised upon me by Ebin Izaak. The one eye of the present applicant was repeatedly pointed to as evidence of identity, and at length I was induced to give the man two dollars as a present from Lieut. Barker.
I had been detained a little in the rear by this business, so mounted my mule to gallop up to Ohmed Medina, who was now some way ahead. I dismounted when I reached the party he was with, but no Ebin Izaak being there to expostulate with for his deceit, I relieved my feelings by complaining of his conduct to Ohmed Medina. He laughed, but whether at my simplicity, or the pettifogging pilfering of my companions, I cannot say, but pointing to the kraal, the huts of which now became visible, he said he would shew me the real Durtee Ohmed, who was, and had been, sick for many days. He stipulated that I should not upbraid Ohmed Mahomed, or speak at all about the two dollars I had given to the man on his representations, and undertook that these should be carried to account for the purchase of food for the Hy Soumaulee. I readily agreed to this, as I now felt curious to see the finale of all this humbug. I learned that Ohmed Medina’s chief reason for taking me to visit Durtee Ohmed was to exculpate his young friend, Ebin Izaak, from having any interested motive in the trick he had played me.
The road went close to the kraal, but we had to turn off a few yards, to the farther hut of the whole, before I was introduced into the presence of the sick chief; who, on seeing me, extended his hand, and soon convinced me of his being the real Simon Pure, not only by his one eye, but also by his inquiries, and the interest he manifested in Lieut. Barker. The man to whom I had given the first three dollars followed us into the hut, and I then found that he was the son of the old chief.
It had not been deemed politic to introduce me to the latter by reason of the trip to the kraal, which would have been necessary, and was considered unsafe. It had, therefore, been arranged that any present I had to give should be received by the son, who was to personify his father, and as the motive seemed to have been purely out of consideration for me, I easily excused the hoax. Ebin Izaak thinking, as I had been cheated so often, that unless I saw the individual himself I should withhold the present, had concealed the truth, and with a few bold assertions, had removed, in a great measure, my doubts naturally excited by seeing Durtee Ohmed possessing two eyes instead of one, as I had expected.
It was just milking time when we arrived at the kraal. Girls standing up to their knees in sheep and goats, caught each the one she intended to operate upon, and placing a hind leg between her knees, so held the animal fast. In their left hands they held baskets of the usual closely-woven mid rib of the palm-leaf, which they soon filled with rich and frothy milk.