330 LIFE WITH THE HAMRAN ARABS. 



stantly recurring skeletons or bodies of camels in our 

 path, to some of which we have to give a very wide 

 berth. Though we may not enter Souakim to-morrow 

 night, our journey will then be to all intents and pur- 

 poses over, for we shall encamp so close to the town that 

 we shall be able to get there early the following morning ; 

 and this will be the better plan, for if we arrived there 

 at night we could not cross to the Governor's house on 

 the island, and should be obliged to encamp on our pre- 

 vious most insanitary ground. 



May 7. Before our departure we bought a stout 

 water-skin from an Arab to ensure a sufficient supply, 

 and Ibrahim received orders that this was not to be 

 touched till night. No poultry atthis station. Ranfurly 

 had his usual breakfast of bread and milk and cocoa- 

 milk, and just before starting a cup of arrowroot ; the 

 Arab and I divided the remnant rice, and Ibrahim was 

 content to wait, as he was sure I should shoot a gazelle 

 for luncheon. At 7 A.M. we were off, and for a time 

 passed over some very rough irregular ground. 



Determined not to miss a chance of a shot I would 

 not mount my camel, but kept well ahead of my party. 

 At last in the distance I could see what I supposed was 

 an ariel just disappearing over the crest of a hill without 

 having observed us, so I ran as fast as possible to this 

 point, hoping then to get within shot of it. Unfortunately 

 I miscalculated its movements, for it had not gone on, and 



