In the evening, during the division of the spoil, just outside our camp, a great difference of opinion prevailed as to meum and tuum. Knives, clubs, spears, and staves were freely brandished amid a chorus of yells and shouts, ending in a scramble for the joints and pieces of meat. Some of them secured a reasonable share, and trotted with it; others, again, not so fortunate, would intercept a fugitive caressing, perhaps, the thigh of the deceased buffalo. Then a desperate struggle would ensue between them, five or six pulling away in different directions. Fortunately all was settled without bloodshed, peace reigned in the camp, and we all retired to our respective tents at a respectable hour.
CHAPTER XVIII.
THE DEMBELAS ATTACK US, MAHOMET WOUNDED,—NARROW ESCAPE OF TWO OF OUR PARTY—ACTIVITY IN CAMP, WE MAKE A ZAREEBA AND FIRE THE COUNTRY—HOLD A COUNCIL OF WAR—OUR SILENT AND DANGEROUS RIDE—HOODOO’S SAGACITY—ARRIVAL IN CAMP OF MAHOMET, WOUNDED—WE RETREAT—MAHOMET’S DEATH AND BURIAL.
February 11th, 1882, was the most memorable day of the whole campaign. Thinking it was not safe to leave the camp without protectors, Messrs. W. D. and A. James and I remained in camp, whilst Messrs. F. L. James and Colvin went out in one direction and Phillipps and Aylmer in another, in search of big game. Each party went out mounted on ponies, which had been bought for the purpose at Kassala and Heikota. Each party took an agreegeer, or huntsman, a horse-boy, camel-boy, and camel with them, the latter for the purpose of carrying home the game. They started soon after 8 a.m., Messrs. Phillipps and Aylmer went in the direction of some mountains on the Abyssinian border, whilst Messrs. James and Colvin took the opposite side of the Mareb. We amused ourselves in camp in reading, writing letters, or posting up diaries. Keeping my diary carefully and correctly posted up day by day was a duty which I most religiously attended to before ever I retired to rest, however fatigued I may have been by the day’s march. Incidents and impressions written down at the time are more likely to be correct than if left to memory. From my diary I quote the following particulars:—
“About 1.30 p.m., just as we were about to sit down to luncheon, Messrs. Aylmer and Phillipps came into camp looking considerably chop-fallen and exhausted, and having only one horse between them. Of course we did not expect either party home until 5 or 6 p.m., so I said to Aylmer—
“‘Hallo! how is it you are back so soon, and looking so precious serious?’
“‘I can tell you, doctor, this is no laughing matter,’ said he, ‘for we have been attacked by the Abyssinians or Dembelas, and very likely they will soon be down on our camp.’
“This certainly did look a serious business, especially as we had no zareeba round the camp; so I said—