58 
TEAVELS IN CENTEAL AEEICA. 
Bishari Arabs^ who exist on their flocks of goats and the services 
of a camel or two_, form its sparse inhabitants. 
EXTRACTS FROM LETTERS 
RESUMED, 
“In a Shed on the Confines of the 
Aboo Hamed Deseet. 
“ September 2Qth, 1864. 
We have been here some time waiting for camels, and 
now can ordy muster thirteen ; so the half of our traps must be left 
in this miserable place until they can be forwarded. The ^ Kath- 
leen ^ has gone to Korosko with a light cargo and our pet birds 
(we hope to get them to England” when they will be presented to 
the London Zoological Gardens) . I could not attempt the passing 
of the cataracts from this to Korosko ; had I the courage to have 
done so, we should have been spared the desert journey.'^ 
I did not know, or had forgotten, that there was a difficult one 
between Berber and this place, and not being prepared, the shock 
was very great to me. I noticed, the morning of that trying day, 
some of the crew sprinkling the blood of a newly-slaughtered sheep 
