EGYPTIAN MODE OF THRASHING WHEAT. 427 
Berber and the neighbouring villages is probably five 
thousand souls. The houses are built in irregular 
streets and lanes, chiefly near the Nile. A handsome 
embankment has been constructed around Berber, 
which forms a pleasant walk at all seasons. On the 
outskirts of this is the unenclosed burial-ground. The 
tombs have upright slabs at either end, with white 
shingle laid between, and a few are built of bricks 
and lime. From the number of graves and the extent 
they cover, it would be supposed that the locality of 
Berber is unhealthy, but the natives prefer this lati- 
tude to Khartoom : provisions, also, are only about 
half the price. Wheaten bread, milk, meat, oats, 
onions, water-melons, tobacco, salt, fish, &c, are abun- 
dant in the market every morning, and other articles 
can be obtained and work executed in the bazaar. 
The operation of thrashing wheat is performed in the 
true Egyptian style. A man sits on a frame drawn 
by bullocks, and resting upon three rollers, each fur- 
nished with iron discs ; the bullocks eat all the while, 
and the grain is well thrashed, but the work is over- 
done, as the seed gets bruised in the process. In the 
bazaars the boys discovered that our Seedees had arrows 
and other weapons to dispose of, and came offering 
money. The exchange was very easily arranged, for 
the Seedees were eager to purchase the Egyptian dates. 
The inhabitants of Berber are proverbially honest, and 
their servants are considered superior to those of 
Khartoom. I went to the market to buy food, and 
saw the rude way it was managed. The butcher not 
having sufficient weights and measures, a sheep's head 
and two broken bricks were put into one scale, and 
my meat in the other. Having weighed it, he said 
