SKETCHES IN THE SOUDAN 43 



tered from the sun and curious people's prying eyes. Consider- 

 able expense is incurred in decorating these ambulant retreats, 

 and with a very picturesque effect generally. Bright scarlet, 

 yellow and black cloth prettily embroidered with cowrie shells 

 hangs down on all sides in festoons, over tastefully worked and 

 variously coloured fine matting, while here and there red flags 

 flutter, and suspended brass tinkling bells give notice of 

 Mrs. Sheikh's approach. Several camels are required to carry 

 the several ladies of the sheikh's family ; for fear of quarrelling, 

 I suppose, they all travel alone in solitary grandeur. The other 

 members of the female community have to walk, but their house- 

 hold goods are carried on animals, which, heavily laden, drag 

 wearily along in the deep sand, urged on by stick or strong lan- 

 guage, or both. The men, of course, leave most of the work to 

 their ladies, and swagger along in front armed with spear and 

 shield. The sheikhs are mounted on their small but good-look- 

 ing horses, and, to show off their horsemanship, rush about 

 frantically every now and then in full gallop, and suddenly pull 

 their horses on to their haunches by the terribly severe Arab 

 bit. Naked little children, whose only article of dress often is 

 a necklace of coloured beads, and many half-starved curs accom- 

 pany the caravan ; the aged and helpless have to get on as best 

 they can they are of no use to any one, and therefore nobody 

 cares for them. 



Men have already been sent on in advance to the new camp- 

 ing-ground to dig wells and prepare the drinking-troughs. The 

 beasts of burden, after arrival, are soon unloaded, and in a very 

 short time the village is once more built up and protected by 

 the usual circular fence of thorny mimosa shrub against the 

 attacks of wild beasts. 



These villagers, being so often on the move, have no time or 

 opportunity, even if the energy were there, to grow corn, and 

 are therefore dependent for their supplies of dhurra upon the 

 grain-growing country further west. Dhurra Sorghum vulgare 

 food for man and beast, seems to be of three kinds red, white, 

 and brown ; horses will not eat the latter, but men prefer it on 

 account of the larger size of the grains. Dhurra is eaten either 

 whole boiled in water, with or without meat, or soaked for many 

 days in sour milk, or, ground into a coarse flour, in the shape of 

 bread. G. and I had porridge made of it, which, very nourish- 



