SAID AND THE KASHALLA. 
325 
through an undulating country. Some of the 
hollows were very deep, and enclosed stagnant 
reedy pools, of generally bad water, remaining 
from the past rains. For the first three or four 
hours of this march we had a scattered forest of 
dwarfish trees, mostly dwarf tholukhs. These are 
succeeded by small forests of the doom-palms, 
lining the pools and swamps in the valleys, and 
looking very fresh and pretty. I was astonished 
to see so few animals ; indeed, we only observed 
now and then a small bird. What was the more 
strange, no water-fowl was seen in the pools. 
But the country to-day was all desert — no grain 
cultivating, which perhaps may account for the 
absence of birds and fowls. Said prevailed over 
the Kashalla, and we have taken the desert route, 
being five days nearer. There are, besides, but few 
trees, comparatively, which makes it easier to 
transport the boat. 
The Kashalla vexed me very much by taking 
my camel to transport a portion of baggage, his own 
camel knocking up. At first I refused to go on, 
but on the promise that he would get a bullock 
at the nearest place I mounted upon the luggage. 
Fortunately, my gift camel is a good one, not like 
the horse, and can carry a large weight. I cannot 
grumble much, as the Sheikh's camels are transport- 
ing many of my private things. Nevertheless you 
must show a stern resistance to all these liberties, 
otherwise you will never be able to get through 
Africa. 
