OUR STAFF. 



cousin Arekel Bey, 1 Governor of Massowah, and to the LX" 

 governors of Souakim and Kassala, who he states are his 

 intimate friends. 



Our Maltese dragoman, named Emanuel Vassalo, has 

 been very busy all day making out lists of things that 

 he thinks we shall require, but as he has had no experience 

 of such an expedition as ours they will need very careful 

 supervision. He at least enters very keenly into the 

 spirit of the thing, and, judging by his testimonials, we 

 ought to consider we have found that wonder of wonders, 

 an honest dragoman. 



He has brought with him from Malta a young friend 

 whom, according to his wish, we have agreed to take to 

 act as an assistant to him. His name is Achille Perotti, 

 but by common consent he is to be known for the future 

 as ' Bob.' He has a thoroughly good honest face, and, 

 what is also of great importance, he looks a strong 

 healthy fellow. 



This certainly cannot be said of another young 

 fellow, named Albert Bensilum, whom we have engaged 

 to-day as a second dragoman in consequence of his 

 excellent testimonials and of his having spent one winter 

 in Kassala, and therefore knowing something of the 

 country we are about to visit. Of very slight build and 

 sallow complexion, he does not appear to be the man to 



1 Arekel Bey, with some Egyptian soldiers, has been recently killed in 

 Abyssinia by native soldiers. 



B 2 



