He Concludes
The Narrative Of His Adventure As Follows.)
"It is due to myself that I should offer some explanation for the rough
manner in which this report is drawn up.
On leaving Shoa the Caffilah
people marked with a jealous eye that I seemed to number the slaves and
camels, and Deeni reported to me that they had observed my making entries
in my note-book. Whenever the Bedoos on the road caught sight of a piece
of paper, they were loud in their demands for it. [4] Our marches were so
rapid that I was scarcely allowed time sufficient to prepare for the
fatigues of the ensuing day, and experience had taught me the necessity of
keeping a vigilant watch. [5] Aware that Government must be anxious for
information from the 'Mission,' I performed the journey in a shorter space
of time than any messenger, however highly paid, has yet done it, and for
several days lived on coffee and parched grain. Moreover, on arrival at
Aden, I was so weak from severe illness that I could write but at short
intervals.
"It will not, I trust, be considered that the alteration in my route was
caused by trivial circumstances. It would have been absurd to have
remained with the Bedoos without an interpreter: there would have been
daily disputes and misunderstandings, and I had already sufficient insight
into the character of Datah Mahomed to perceive that his avarice was
insatiable. Supposing I had passed through his hands, there was the chief
of Bedar, who, besides expecting much more than I had given to Datah
Mahomed, would, it is almost certain, eventually have forwarded me to
Tajoorah.
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