2 9 o LIFE WITH THE HAMRAN ARABS. 



CHAPTER XVII. 



April 1 8. We arrived at the Hamran village Gwayha 

 before midday, and were received by Sheik Aghill, who 

 placed at our disposal a mansion consisting of strips of 

 matting stretched over some poles, and furnished with 

 two angareps, and soon afterwards a dish of meat, cut 

 into small pieces and stewed, was presented to us. It 

 had quite a pleasant taste, but this was rather marred 

 by the idea that it was probably a bit of an old cow that 

 had died from disease or old age. 



We have taken for Ranfurly a very snug straw house, 

 in shape like a beehive, and quite new ; but it is so 

 valuable in the eyes of its fortunate owner, that nothing 

 will induce him to leave it. Two extra doors added to 

 it by knocking parts of the circular wall down have made 

 it comparatively cool and habitable during the day. 

 Albert we have deposited in another place, and Hadji 

 Basheer has rolled himself up comfortably under a tree 

 by our baggage. Albert's illness renders him quite in- 

 capable of giving us any assistance, not even as an inter- 

 preter, for we can hardly get him to open his mouth, and 



