There was a prodigious number of people assembled at the Shekh's door. The Jehaina had all come upon camels; two or three of the principal ones were sitting with him and the Moullah. One of these, whom I did not know, but who had seen me at Ras el Feel, upon my approaching the Shekh, got up, took me by the hand, and made a very respectful salutation. As he was a friend of Yasine, and Shekh el Nile, I never doubted from that minute that this was a contrivance of theirs in my favour. The Moullah had alledged, that probably I had dispatched some intelligence to Yasine of my being detained, which had caused him to make this reprisal; but Shekh Fidele assured them that he knew it to be impossible, and that this seizure of the caravan must have been occasioned by some ill-usage to the people belonging to Tchelga and Nara, the frontier villages to the westward. In this the Shekh of Jehaina agreed; for he had heard Ammonios mentioned, but nothing of Yasine. The Moullah was unconvinced, but asked me, "Hakim, have you never sent a complaint to Yasine since you came to Teawa? tell me truly; no harm shall befal you from it." "If I were not to tell you truly said I, Shekh, I would not answer you at all. I am under no obligation to do it, nor am I under any fear. You are but at the beginning of this affair, and many will suffer before I do." "Truly, says the Moullah, but have you sent intelligence to Ras el Feel?" "No, no, says Fidele, he had it not in his power; nor is there a man in Teawa, that durst go on such an errand, it is some disturbance about Tchelga." I easily perceived that the Moullah wanted me to confess, which I likewise saw the use of myself. "I sent, said I, messengers from Teawa two several times. The first, when Fidele pretended Yasine was to murder me in the desert; the second, when he said he had no camels; and I also mentioned the piastres, and his intention to murder me." "Ammonios, says black Soliman, and Yasine, Nara, and Ras el Feel, all belong to Ayto Confu, and were given to Yagoube by him, for his maintenance all the time he was at Gondar. Ayto Confu and he are brothers; they were together in the camp, slept together in the same house; they are brothers and more than brothers, for they swore to each other, when we passed Tcherkin, upon the heart of the elephant[31]. I swear by our holy faith, that Confu will be down here himself; what does he care for a journey of two days?"