12 
TRAVELS IN CENTRAL AFRICA. 
curiosity as to the meauing of such a demonstration^ and heard^ 
for the first time_, that my husband was regarded as a benefactor of 
Korosko and of the desert tribes to Berber. I was told that in 
1856 the Viceroy of Egypt crossed the Nubian Desert; and he 
was so convinced that the hardships were too great to be endured^ 
that he ordered the route to be closed,, knowing well that the way 
by Dongola was far more easy^ as water there was always to be had, 
and the pasturage was in many places luxuriant. This closing the 
road presented serious obstacles to the Khartoumers ; and Pethe- 
rick, when on his way to England some time after, had an interview 
with His Highness the Viceroy. He urged upon him that, if both 
routes were accessible, travellers could choose between them, and 
that the people, whose existence depended upon the hire of their 
camels, and who were now suffering severely, would be relieved. 
The Viceroy in consequence ^■evoked his decision, and Petherick 
was regarded as the means of his doing so. 
The sheikhj greatly to our chagrin, said that, notwithstanding 
the letter he had received some time previously from Petherick, 
begging him to retain two hundred camels for the transport of our 
baggage, &c., he could only procure seventy : the dry season was 
so far advanced, and food was so difficult to be procured, that the 
owners did not wish their beasts to be worked. Petherick at once 
determined to proceed, leaving the remaining baggage with an old 
and trustworthy servant, Mustapha, who had waited our arrival 
at Cairo. 
But when we proceeded to load the poor weak camels, nearly all 
the boxes were over- weight. This was a blow, as all those from 
Avhom goods had been purchased had been particularly requested 
not to allow any package to exceed two hundredweight. Truly is 
it said the last hair will break the camePs back. These animals 
