3:0 LIFE WITH THE HAM RAN ARABS. 



ing was rapidly advancing, Ranfurly and myself thought 

 it advisable to make a start with all the available camels, 

 whilst Vivian preferred remaining behind to assist Lo- 

 renzo in guarding the baggage left for the future arrivals. 

 It was with no small difficulty that even we two were able 

 to be off, for when we told our paragon of a camel-man that 

 we required two of his camels to ride, he looked dread- 

 fully distressed, and, what was more to the point, he 

 decidedly objected to our proposal. After much labour 

 we discovered that he did not like being separated from 

 any of his camels, and when he found that he might 

 follow us with his portion of our baggage as soon as he 

 liked, he was quite willing to give them up to us. After 

 two hours' ride, accompanied by our soldier, besides 

 Ibrahim and a guide, we arrived at a great feeding 

 ground for camels, and found several there. Ibrahim 

 instantly seized one, and having tied up one leg to keep 

 it quiet he went after others, and then came upon a 

 small boy who was watching him. This individual be- 

 gan screaming most lustily, and quickly brought to his 

 side a youth somewhat older than himself. A long 

 parley ensued, and ended in five more being led up to us 

 and taken back to our station by the soldier. We then 

 resumed our journey, and halted at 1.45 P.M. under some 

 mimosas ; at 3 P.M. our advance baggage party passed 

 us, and after giving them an hour's start we purposed 

 following them to the next telegraph station. Having 



