3 o6 LIFE WITH THE HAMRAN ARABS. 



Ibrahim was given the best, Jali's hunter, which he has 

 temporarily exchanged for a donkey with an officer of 

 his old corps. After our departure from Souakim he is 

 to have it again, and he says he will make a fortune with 

 it selling water there. Hadji Basheer was presented with 

 the next best horse, and the other two collapsed before 

 arriving at Kassala. The goats have trotted along by 

 the side of the camels very contentedly to-day, and look 

 as if they meant to complete the journey with us. So 

 far this has been very successful, for, travelling faster 

 than our baggage-camels, we arrived at a good shady 

 halting-place at 10.15 A.M., had a comfortable luncheon 

 cooked by Ibrahim, and did not leave again till 5 P.M., 

 when we had allowed them an hour's start, and finally 

 joined them at 9 P.M. as they halted for the night at a 

 regular camping-ground within a few miles of water. 

 The other division of our party will leave Kassala to- 

 morrow or next day, if they can get camels by that time, 

 and join us en route. Ranfurly has not felt the day's 

 journey at all fatiguing. Several men were at work 

 yesterday making a species of ambulance for him with 

 palm-leaves, but he so much preferred having his own 

 saddle that it was not completed. 



April 26. Having encamped last night near a minute 

 village consisting of six or seven mat huts, we had the 

 full benefit of the barking of their dogs, and one of them, 

 with a keen eye to business, paid us a visit and eat up a 



