EXAMINATION OF OUR STORES. 45 



more cruel than ever, begin their crowing soon after 

 sunset. 



We have been very busy to-day overhauling our 

 stores, and deciding what are to be left here for the 

 return journey across the desert, and also thoroughly 

 cleaning our guns and rifles ; for, notwithstanding all 

 our care, the sand has got into them greatly. The black 

 leather cases, in which some of them were packed, have 

 much contracted by the heat, but beyond a slight trace 

 of rust here and there on the barrels, from which Messrs. 

 Rigby & Sons' were quite free, our various weapons 

 did not suffer from their sea voyages. The post for 

 Souakim having left to-day, we had but little time for 

 correspondence. On Tuesday, December 2, 1874, the 

 present Red Sea postal system was first brought into ( 

 operation. The steamers that leave Suez every third ! 

 Tuesday for Massowah call at Souakim on the return 

 journey, the following Monday or Tuesday week, so we 

 shall be able to calculate the time of departure from 

 Souakim of the steamer by which we decide upon to 

 return, provided the new system continues to hold 

 good. 



At 7 A.M. Munsinger Pasha called to see if we were 

 comfortable, and told us that horses would Be brought 

 for our inspection in the course of the day, and that two 

 of our camel-men had been sent to prison ; and when we 

 suggested that they should only be frightened, he 



