ACROSS THE DESERT WITH SHE-IB 83 



company. We learned afterwards that, believing the 

 bazaar rumour about our wealth, he had planned to kill 

 us in the desert, seize our money and return sorrowfully, 

 saying that a vast force of Tebu spearmen had attacked. 

 us, that he had defended us gallantly, but that we and 

 all the blacks had been killed. This because he knew that 

 the Sudanese would fulfil the orders given by their master 

 the Sayed and protect us to. the last. There is always 

 faint friction between these black warrior slaves and the 

 Arabs. They could never combine. For this reason the 

 crafty ekhwan decided that his force must be large 

 enough to murder the soldiers as well as us. The pro- 

 portion of Beduin to Sudanese shows his high opinion 

 of the latter's value. Their ruthlessness is encom-aged 

 by every means, even by brutal punishment. If a soldier 

 disobeys an order he is flogged or his hand is cut off! 



December 16 was enlivened by Mohammed's marriage 

 prospects. One Omar, owner of two or three camels, a 

 one-eyed creature of hideous and ferocious aspect, was 

 travelhng with She-ib's caravan. He was reputed to have 

 a very beautiful sister. Mohammed was thrilled. He 

 made discreet inquiries and finally offered to marry the 

 girl on his retui'n journey. Mohammed was a big man 

 in the eyes of the Beduin. He enjoyed the confidence 

 of the Sayed and, moreover, he was tall and straight and 

 clean of hmb, a fine lean Arab with pride of race and 

 tradition written all over him. Omar accepted the suitor 

 at once and three camels were agreed upon as the dowry 

 to be paid by the bridegroom to the bride's father. 

 Thereafter everyone made plans for marrying, mostly for 

 the third and fourth time. Hassanein heard there were 

 slaves to be bought at Kufara and he instantly decided 

 to add a beautiful one to his possessions when we reached 

 our far-off goal. 



There was one member of the caravan who took no 



