356 LIFE WITPI THE HAMRAN ARABS. 



all, Ali Effendi positively refused to allow us to go on 

 board the steamer till the passage-money was paid, 

 which could not be done till the arrival of our baggage. 

 We therefore had to pay a visit to the Governor to ask 

 him to give an order to that effect, and we at the same 

 time reported the infamous conduct of the Hadendowa 

 Arabs, the delay of our baggage, and our desire con- 

 sequently that the departure of the steamer might be 

 delayed a few hours so that we might take it \vith us. 

 As the Governor could speak no other language than 

 Arabic, we were obliged to take as our interpreter 

 Ibrahim, upon whose slight knowledge of French we 

 have had so long to depend ; but he got so drunk last 

 night with Arkwright's cook that he continues in a most 

 muddled state, and when he was brought into the 

 august presence of the Governor he could not speak 

 from fright, and we had to turn him out. It so hap- 

 pened that at the time of our visit a Maltese was present, 

 who speaks English and Arabic equally fluently, and he 

 veiy kindly acted as our interpreter. 



The Governor, whom we reminded of the original 

 firman from the Khedive presented by us to his represen- 

 tative on our arrival here, promised all the assistance in his 

 power. He gave us an order for the payment of our pas- 

 sage, if necessary, after our arrival at Suez, and at once 

 despatched a soldier on a fast dromedary to meet our 

 baggage, and then to come back as quickly as possible 



