Page:The Natural History of Sokotra and Abd-el-Kuri.djvu/30

xxii wonderful accuracy and with a good accent. Moreover, he could write each of these languages in its own script. His countenance being open and pleasing, we engaged him on trial as interpreter for our Lahej excursion. I may say here that he proved most satisfactory in every way. I learned from him subsequently that, as a boy, he had come under the notice of, and been sent to a good school in Aden by that humanitarian and talented officer Major Hunter. He had served as clerk in various English business houses, and had been employed later as a secret service agent of the Government in, among other places, the French possessions on the Red Sea. Accompanied, therefore, by our two Somali servants, we left Aden late in the afternoon of the 25th November to pass the night at Sheikh Othman, whence the following morning, the 26th, on being joined by our troopers and camels, we set out across the Tehamah. In the afternoon we reached Lahej, and put up at the Sultan s guest-house. Next morning to our dismay we discovered that small-pox was very prevalent in the town, and had carried off one of the Sultan's daughters the previous day. Considering the disastrous plight we should be in if any of us should be smitten with the disease, which might well happen exposed as we were to constant contact with servants from the palace, and the guards and comers and goers generally, we decided to move without delay away towards the mountains. The necessary arrangements had hardly been completed, however, when



a courier arrived from Aden bringing a letter from Captain Jacob, with the welcome intelligence that the Resident had been authorised to arrange for our visit to Sokotra, and that the Elphinstone was under orders to sail as soon as we returned. The 27th was spent in making arrangements for the journey back, and on the evening of the 28th we were in our old quarters in Aden.

The following morning on calling at the Residency, General Creagh gave us the gratifying news that by the arrangements he had made we should be able without further delay to proceed to Sokotra, where also he expected we should find no difficulties placed in our way. Staying with the General we found Lord Lovat and Mr. Weld-Blundell who had just arrived thus far