Iwasjustreturningtothecamp，andwasabouttodismount，asIcouldnotridethroughtheextremelynarrowwicket，whenIwasbeggedbyMajorAbdullahtowaitalittlelonger，asthepeopleofWat-el-Mekwerenowapproachingwiththeirnumerousflags，tosalutemeaccordingtotheusualcustom。
Sevenlargesilkcrimsonflagsupontallstaffsheadedwithlancepoints，andornamentedwithballsofblackostrichfeathers，markedtheintervalsoftheadvancinglineofruffians。
Theywereabout270strong，and，theyformedalineinveryopenorder，exactlyfacingthegovernmenttroops，ataboutfortyyards’distance。
Twoprincipalofficers，Wat-el-MekandthecelebratedAliHussein，wereexceedinglybusyrunningupanddowntheline，andformingtheirmen，soastomakethegreatestdisplayofforce。Wat-el-Mekwasdressedinbrightyellowwithlooseflowingtrousers。AliHusseinwasinasnow-whitelongrobewithblacktrousers。Theofficersweredistinguishedbycleanclothes，butthemenwerecladinvariouscostumes，generallyformedoftannedleather。
Bywayofcomplimentingme，theyhadbroughtouttwoLARGECASESOF