OUR FOUR HUNTERS. 75 



hammed, and Ibrahim, and we have the satisfaction of 

 knowing that they have some ' blue blood ' in their veins.. 

 Hassan is the son of a notorious sword-hunter who was 

 killed seven years ago by an elephant, and Essafi is the 

 son of an old Sheik, and he is now the chief of a party 

 of aggageers. 



Jan. 22. Another horse was brought this morning, 

 but not without our knowing friend the Sheik succeeding 

 in getting six more dollars out of us for the exchange. 

 He came at breakfast-time, and was considerably sold 

 about the parting meal, for, our tents being struck, he 

 did not like to be seen by his people eating with us. At 

 the last moment, however, he scored one against us by 

 declaring that Hassan was on the point of having a 

 fever, and must be replaced by another hunter he brought 

 us, named Said, an extraordinary-looking woolly-haired 

 negro, who, though strongly recommended, does not look 

 much up to his work. Rumour says that Sheik Aghill 

 has kept back Hassan as he wants him to do a little 

 elephant-hunting on his account. Our progress has- 

 been very curtailed to-day, as we were obliged to encamp 

 at midday on an open piece of ground named Gadamur, 

 upon which once stood a village, as the country is so un- 

 dulating and thickly wooded that there are only a few 

 places available, and we have therefore to be entirely 

 guided by our chief hunter, Essafi, he having been placed 

 by the Sheik in authority over the others. 



