Their Horses Heads Were Also Defended By Plates Of Iron, Brass, And Silver, Just Leaving Sufficient Room For The Eyes Of The Animal.

At length, on arriving at the gate of the town, the Europeans, Boo Khaloom, and about a dozen of

His followers, were alone allowed to enter the gates, and they proceeded along a wide street, completely lined with spearmen on foot, with cavalry in front of them to the door of the sheik's residence. Here the horsemen were formed up three deep, and they came to a stand; some of the chief attendants came out, and after a great many Barcas! barcas! retired, when others performed the same ceremony. They were now again left sitting on their horses in the sun. Boo Khaloom began to lose all patience, and swore by the bashaw's head, that he would return to the tents, if he was not immediately admitted, he got, however, no satisfaction but a motion of the hand from one of the chiefs, meaning "wait patiently;" and Major Denham whispered to him the necessity of obeying, as they were hemmed in on all sides, and to retire without permission would have been as difficult as to advance. Barca Gana now appeared, and made a sign that Boo Khaloom should dismount; the Europeans were about to follow his example, when an intimation that Boo Khaloom was alone to be admitted, fixed them again to their saddles. Another half hour at least elapsed, without any news from the interior of the building, when the gates opened, and the four Englishmen only were called for, and they advanced to the skiffa (entrance). Here they were stopped most unceremoniously by the black guards in waiting, and were allowed one by one only to ascend a staircase; at the top of which they were again brought to a stand by crossed spears, and the open flat hand of a negro laid upon their breast.

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