I intended to wait until Koorshid's party should march, when I resolved to follow them, as I did not believe they would dare to oppose me by force, their master himself being friendly.

I considered their threats as mere idle boasting to frighten me from an attempt to follow them; but there was another more serious cause of danger to be apprehended.
On the route between Gondokoro and Latooka there was a powerful tribe among the mountains of Ellyria.

The chief of that tribe (Legge) had formerly massacred a hundred and twenty of a trader's party.

He was an ally of Koorshid's people, who declared that they would raise the tribe against me, which would end in the defeat or massacre of my party.

There was a difficult pass through the mountains of Ellyria which it would be impossible to force; thus my small party of seventeen men would be helpless.