CHAPTER XI.

THE FORD.

Girls carried away by the Rapids--An amphibious Arab Girl--Search for the drowned Girl--The Corpse recovered--The Sheik lays down the Law--"The Fact is simply impossible"--The Sheik's Idea of Matrimony--The Duties of his Four Wives--The Maimed, the Halt, and the Blind--The Arab Fakeers or Priests--"All the Same with a little Difference"--The Cure for Frendeet--Arrival at Katariff--The Market Day--Scenes at the Fair--Custom of scarifying the Cheeks--The Galla Slave--Purchase her Freedom --Singular Misunderstanding--Mahomet's Explanation--Mek Nimmur invades the Frontier--Mek Nimmur's Tactics--Insecurity of the Country--Mek Nimmur sends me his Compliments--Roder Sheriff's withered Arm--The Aggageers--Mixture for Bullets--We make Arrowroot--Florian's Hunter--Arrive at Geera--Follow a Herd of Elephants--Track up the Elephants--A tremendous Crash--A critical Position--The Forehead Shot--The Half-pound Explosive Shell--Recover my old wounded Elephant--Fraternize with the Sword Hunters.