VIEW OF THE RIVER H AWASH. 457 



there is the Hawash !" increasing as we advanced, 

 we came, greatly to my surprise after all that had 

 been told me, very suddenly upon the edge of the 

 low bank, which overhung the much-talked-of, long- 

 wished-for river. A few moments before we came in 

 sight of the stream, I noticed that Ohmed Medina 

 was repeating a short prayer of thanks, for 

 having reached it in safety, in which I heartily 

 joined, and then lifting up my head, the yellow 

 water of the Hawash was the first object I saw. 

 My escort, and others of the Kafilah, had, at some 

 distance, begun to race with one another to get 

 down first, so that when we came, thirty or forty of 

 them were already swimming about in the stream. 

 Some confusion, and a good laugh was occasioned 

 at the hurry of this bathing party to get out, when, 

 by a few shouts, and waving our hands, Ohmed 

 Medina intimated that it was my intention to 

 celebrate our arrival in true Arab style, by firing 

 off my pistols and carabine. This ceremony being 

 duly performed, each report followed by a loud 

 shout, I and three or four others sat, sheltered from 

 the sun, under the bank close to the water's edge, 

 until the camels should come up. When I had 

 ceased firing, the swimmers resumed their bath ; 

 though frequently invited, I did not choose to 

 exhibit my white skin in all its unrobed singularity, 

 to the critical remarks of a lot of black Dankalli. 



We sat waiting for the camels above an hour, 

 which I occupied in taking a good survey of the 



