300 LIFE WITH THE HAMRAN ARABS. 



now we feel we have completed by far the worst part of 

 the desert journey. Our reserve stores were found in 

 good order and have been duly appreciated, and Ran- 

 furly has enjoyed this morning a basin of bread and 

 milk. (Lehman's biscuits with cow's milk.) Our difficult 

 position was improved last evening by the arrival of 

 Arkwright's and Ranfurly's dragoman ' Lorenzo,' with 

 their heavy baggage, for he will remain with us and take 

 Albert's place. The rest of our party arrived this evening, 

 and they have settled down in another house near us. 

 About two hundred and sixty camels laden with ammu- 

 nition left Kassala to-day for Darfour, in charge of 

 numerous soldiers, and it is calculated that they will not 

 reach their destination under two months. The Egyp- 

 tian Government is making such demands upon the 

 camels here for the present expedition, under Colonel 

 Gordon, that it is only with very great difficulty they 

 can be obtained for private individuals. This morning 

 there was but little hope of our getting any, but fortunately 

 some arrived to-day from Souakim with goods for the 

 Greeks, and the Vakeel has promised to let us have the 

 best of them, so that we may start to-morrow. It is very 

 important that we should not lose a day, as we have 

 now ample 1 time to go by easy stages to Souakim, for 

 the steamer of May 9 or 10; and Ranfurly thinks he 

 will get on better in the fresh air of the desert than 

 in this confined atmosphere. We have talked over the 



