164 LIFE WITH THE HAMRAN ARABS. 



deal of the latter is white, and though the honey is very 

 thin flowing more like water than ordinary honey it is 

 none the less sweet, and has a very delicate flavour, 

 quite different to what we bought at Kassala. 



Feb. 21. Four of our men, with camels laden with 

 our skins and heads, have started to-day for the Ham- 

 ran village, where they will hand over our property to 

 the care of Sheik Aghill, and, * Inshallah,' they will be 

 back again in four days \vith two new horses, a goat to 

 supply us with milk, and dhurra for all our live stock. 

 A horse, though not costing much, becomes in time an 

 expensive commodity ; for, whether with English or 

 native saddles, their backs soon become sore, and they 

 have then to be exchanged at great loss, or new ones 

 bought. One of our original purchases stood the work 

 well for some time ; but lately, after a long day, it sud- 

 denly began persisting in turning to the left, and in a few 

 days this tendency had so increased that it was useless, 

 and had to be put on the sick-list. This horse gradually 

 became, so bad, that when standing he would almost fall 

 over on the left side, and when trying to go by himself he 

 only turned round in circles to the left. He was then 

 sentenced to be shot so soon as a favourite haunt of a 

 lion could be found, to which he might be led for exe- 

 cution. Somehow or other the shooting process has 

 been put off from day to day, from our not liking to part 

 with a tried friend, and he is still alive and with us ; but 



