A NIGHT HURRICANE. 317 



rarely seen, and our fresh meat supply depends upon 

 what sheep we can buy, or otherwise obtain. Our walk- 

 ing dairy is daily diminishing its supply, but we have a 

 good substitute in our reserve store of Anglo-Swiss milk, 

 which remains quite unaffected by the heat ; and a tin 

 of Australian meat is even found a pleasant change to a 

 chop from the desert. Ranfurly still gains ground, and 

 is able to eat some solid food now. 



May i . A strong wind to-day from the north-east, and 

 therefore in our faces, has made camel-riding very fatigu- 

 ing, and especially as in many parts of the desert it blew 

 up clouds of sand. We divided the journey as usual, 

 and Vivian having shot a dik-dik, we had it roasted 

 whole a V Arabe for luncheon. Since our arrival in camp 

 at sunset Ranfurly has complained of great pain in the 

 right side and shortness of breath. It is a most unfor- 

 tunate night for him, as there is quite a hurricane blow- 

 ing, but he is tolerably well protected from it by having 

 his angarep placed against a big mimosa, and we have 

 managed to dine in a way, whilst lying on a rug, by the 

 light of the kitchen fire. 



May 2, 6 A.M. The gale continued all night, and 

 rendered sleep almost impossible. No tent could have 

 withstood it, and in the more exposed position of Vivian 

 and myself we had to keep a very firm hold of our bed- 

 clothes to prevent their being whisked off to Kassala. 

 Ranfurly has more pain in the side, and there is dis- 



