SKETCHES IN THE SOUDAN (continued) 

 II. THE ARAB VILLAGE 



WHEN marching along the river-bed, G. and I frequently 

 separated and rode by ourselves, generally in front of the 

 caravan, on the look-out for anything which might afford sport. 

 One day I followed an arm of the river, which made a longer 

 detour than expected, and when I struck the main river again, 

 the caravan was not visible. Thinking that it must be behind 

 me, I dismounted from my camel and waited for an hour in vain 

 no signs of anybody. Concluding, therefore, that the others 

 must be ahead, I started off once more at the best pace of my 

 camel, expecting every turn of the river to see the rest of the 

 party ; but no, it had vanished. We had arranged that morning 

 to march to the main river and to encamp when we should strike 

 it, so, knowing the direction, I rode on by myself towards the 

 appointed place of meeting. After leaving the bed of the 

 tributary stream in which our last camp had been, I crossed an 

 extensive pleateau, bare and stony, covered here and there with 

 mimosa shrub ; a long, uninteresting ride, at the end of which I 

 at last saw in the distance, like a green ribbon winding along 

 over the sterile country, the dome-palm fringed banks of the 

 main river, our intended resting-place for the night, and soon 

 after rode down a steep incline into the sandy bed, to find a 

 large village established there, but not a sign of our caravan. 

 Thinking that it would arrive very shortly, I dismounted and let 

 my camel feed on the bushes and grass about. My arrival was 

 soon noticed, and before long about a dozen Arabs had sat down 

 in the sand around me, after shaking hands in the most friendly 

 manner and inquiring several times after the state of my health. 



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