We all have our foibles: the strongest fort has its feeble point,
as the chain snaps at its weakest link;--family pride was
Mahomet's weak link. This was his tender point; and Mahomet, the
great and the imperious, yielded to the gentle scratching of his
ear if a stranger claimed connexion with his ancient lineage. Of
course he had no family, with the exception of his wife and two
children, whom he had left in Cairo. The lady whom he had
honoured by an admission to the domestic circle of the Mahomets
was suffering from a broken arm when we started from Egypt, as
she had cooked the dinner badly, and the "gaddah," or large
wooden bowl, had been thrown at her by the naturally indignant
husband, precisely as he had thrown the axe at one man and the
basin at another, while in our service: these were little
contretemps that could hardly disturb the dignity of so great a
man. Mahomet met several relations at Cassala: one borrowed money
of him; another stole his pipe; the third, who declared that
nothing should separate them now that "by the blessing of God"
they had met, determined to accompany him through all the
difficulties of our expedition, provided that Mahomet would only
permit him to serve for love, without wages.
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