414 
BOLTINE. 
but it was some time before he could induce the Schech to find a 
Rais, and when he came, he said he had never been at Damietta— 
an impudent he ! as their chief trade is with that place and Rosetta. 
At length he owned he had, but asked fifty dollars for his jerm. 
Violently irritated at this, the Gaimakan gave the whole party a 
good flogging, not excepting the Schech, which immediately re- 
duced the price to twenty piastres. The business was now settled. 
We only kept our tents, a single change of linen, our beds, the can- 
tines, and wine sufficient for three days ; all the rest of our baggage 
we sent to the boat, under the care of Mr. Briggs's servant, and 
Fowler. I gave our friend the Gaimakan a gun, in return for two 
sheep he had sent us : to the Schech I gave nothing. We set off by 
five, after many disputes, to go due north to a village close to the 
sea, whence they procure all their water, Boltine affording none. 
We reached it in two hours and a half. Our camels did not arrive 
till an hour afterwards. I was mounted on a horse of Mr. Airut, the 
English Vice Gonsul at Damietta ; the rest were on asses. The vil- 
lage is a small collection of huts formed of date leaves. Most of 
the males were gone to the cultivated part of the Delta, to assist in 
carrying in the harvest ; for this purpose they had taken their ca- 
melsj which was the cause of our distress, as Bourlos and Boltine, at 
other seasons, could produce sixty or seventy* 
April 27. — At a little after five we were up, and havkig pro- 
cured six large jars of water, set off at six. We went on at a brisk 
pace along the sea shore till nine o*clock, when we halted. The 
camels did not arrive till eleven. The country was a perfect desert 
on our right hand. We pitched our tent, and waited till the heat 
of the day were over. At three we sent off the tent, and followed at 
