THE EXPLORERS' CHRISTMAS 203 



a plate could be put. The place next to me remained 

 vacant for some time, but presently the belated guest 

 approached, with stately step and proud bearing, dark 

 as a native, and clad in the long white spotless robes 

 of a Moor. My misgiving's as to possibility of anything 

 beyond the slightest conversation with my neighbour 

 were rapidly dispelled, for, to my surprise, he wished 

 us good evening in perfect English. It was Abdul- 

 Kadir, then a well-known personage, an Englishman 

 by birth but really a Moor, for most of his life had 

 been passed in Morocco. Being thoroughly at home in 

 the Arab language and customs, he had been sent up 

 the Nile to get letters through to Gordon, which he 

 successfully accomplished. He proved on further 

 acquaintance a very interesting personage and a cheer- 

 ful companion on the long marches as he rode his 

 high-class camel, escorted by several negroes armed 

 with the long Arab spear and various other weapons. 

 We saw a great deal of him afterwards, especially 

 near Matemrnah, on the other side of the Bayida desert, 

 but on the return of the Expedition he suddenly dis- 

 appeared, murdered, without a doubt, by his attendants 

 for the money he was well known to v have about him. 

 We had a very cheery alfresco dinner under the 

 date-palms and the glorious desert sky, crowning the 

 feast with a Christmas pudding specially prepared by 

 a soldier servant, a feat on which he greatly prided 

 himself. After a little whisky, which in some mysterious 

 manner had found its way up here, and tobacco of 

 course, we retired to rest. But the pudding proved 

 too much for mine ; a most vivid nightmare disturbed 

 my slumbers, a nightmare many times repeated, in 

 which I rode a monstrous camel, certainly not less 





