124 LIFE WITH THE HAMRAN ARABS. 



the following one of the visit of a lion in the interval. 

 Last night we heard one roaming about close to the 

 camp ; and, as a pleasing variety in nocturnal visitors, we 

 saw by the light of the fire a large snake glide under a 

 bushy tree about two yards from one of our tents, and 

 after putting his head out for a moment to have a good 

 look at us, he retired for the night, and we left him in 

 undisturbed possession of his establishment. 



Feb. 7. Hamet being laid up with a sore foot, I 

 let Gumming try his luck with Essafi, and with a most 

 satisfactory result, for through his guidance he had a shot 

 at a rhinoceros, a buffalo, and a maariff, and killed the 

 two last named ; and he also saw other species of ante- 

 lope within shot, but was forbidden to take notice of them. 

 Vivian, though not killing anything, very nearly succeeded 

 in dislocating Mohamed's shoulder by hauling him vio- 

 lently up a bank. Probably he partly did so, for the arm 

 became useless until a little additional hauling after- 

 wards made something * go in with a snap.' Coke finds 

 tracking rhinoceros not very interesting, so for the pre- 

 sent he intends confining his attention to the antelope, as 

 he is anxious to get a good collection of their heads, and 

 to-day he bagged some fine ariel. 



The young soldier started for Kassala this morning, 

 and calculates that he will be able to return here on the 

 ninth day. It will be an important event for us, owing to 



