12 LIFE WITH THE HAM RAN ARABS. 



payment of 2O/. per month. M. Marcopoli tells us that 

 two Englishmen originally accepted the contract, and 

 came as far as Suez, believing they were to command 

 steamers running between Souakim and Berber, but 

 upon hearing that this was merely a desert, and that 

 they would have to find their way to Khartoum before 

 their work commenced, they refused to go any farther, 

 and consequently these two Greeks were engaged at a 

 moment's notice to replace them. 



One would imagine that this was a questionable 

 experiment, and judging by what Sir Samuel Baker 

 says in ' Ismalia ' of the climate in that part of the 

 White Nile, it seems likely that these new arrivals will 

 not require 2O/. per month wages for long. 



Ranfurly and Arkwright have landed on an island 

 near the town to try to get some wildfowl, but we have 

 had our hands much too full of work to attempt any 

 sport to-day. Having collected our baggage, we set to 

 work in good earnest to sort it, to open the huge cases 

 merely made for the sea voyage, and to decide what 

 should be left behind in consequence of the loss of one- 

 third of our number by the return to England of Ker 

 and his servant, whilst Mohamed and his staff were 

 well occupied in preparing dinner. Just before sunset a 

 bathing party to a small island close by was formed, 

 and thus, with the sudden darkness, our labours termi- 

 nated for the day. Whilst at dinner the evening call to 



