Whilst we were parleying with them, a troop of about forty men, mounted on their fleet maharees, and equipped for war with spears, shields, and swords, came trotting rapidly over the hills, hallooing with wild cries, and challenging our caravan to battle.  When the first few moments of surprise had subsided, two-thirds of our caravan, armed with matchlocks, pistols, and swords, advanced in a body, and shouted out that they accepted the challenge.  This bold movement staggered the assailants, who forthwith began to waver and retire.  They had evidently expected to overawe us by boasting.  Our people, satisfied with the effect of their manoeuvre, retired slowly towards the encampment.  Presently a small body of the enemy advanced as a deputation, demanding to parley, and declaring that they did not come to fight against people of their own faith.  The remainder pretended to march and countermarch along the hills on either hand, as if to hem us in completely, but kept at a respectful distance.  They saw that we were too strong for them, but called out that they would go and fetch more people.

The conferences were now fairly opened, and we found that the hostile troop was composed of a collection of all the Sheikhs of the neighbouring districts, with their followers, and several regular bandits, countenanced by a Shereef Marabout.  Our people understood at once that the affair was far more serious than they had anticipated, and began to be downhearted.  They knew that they could not proceed without their camels, and from their expressions and looks I could foresee that the matter at last would have to be ended by a compromise.

The enemy made various propositions, more or less agreeable to our ears.  The first was simply that we, as infidels, should be given up to be put to death—­an idea which, luckily, nobody seemed to consider proper or feasible.  They then insisted that we should pass on no further, but should return by the way we had come—­also declined.  Next, they demanded that we should become Muslims—­a proposition which our people refused even to mention to us.  Finally, they coolly asked for half our goods and baggage,—­no doubt their ultimate object.

When they found that we would not agree to any of their proposals, but were determined rather to resist by the strong hand, a compromise was agreed upon.  We paid them in goods to the value of three hundred and fifty reals, or about fifty pounds sterling, in order to get back our camels and be allowed to proceed.  Even then, however, our caravan lost nine animals; so that the Kailouees suffer more even than we do.  We were obliged to put up with all this, and were glad enough when the Shereef Marabout at length professed himself satisfied, and volunteered his protection for the future.