30 
TRAVELS IN CENTRAL AFRICA. 
into the Nile, the nag a with him, and safely they reached the shore. 
Rather than lose his loved camel, he resolved to leave the country. 
Without hesitating, he pushed on. It was noon when he left Abu 
Hamad to cross the Nubian Desert, yet by night he had cleared 
half the distance, and he rested at the wells of Murrat. Ere sun- 
rise he was again on his camel, and at noon he had reached the 
spot alluded to, which has ever since been called ‘‘ MabarakH il 
Naga/^ the Halting-place of the Naga.^^ Here he alighted to 
refresh himself, but the naga proved restless, and was on the point 
of starting oflP, when Earrah threw himself on her back. She made 
three bounds, and their length is marked by the stones we saw. 
The first distance measures ten yards, the second fifteen, and the 
third twenty. No further halt was made until Earrah arrived at 
his birthplace, the village of Darau, on the Nile, a little above 
Edfou.^^ 
We listened with interest to this tradition, told with such good 
faith. At half-past three prepared for the start, and at four 
o^ clock were fairly off. At sunset a halt : the men expect then 
their aesha, or supper — and we also, for our dinner-hour is now 
at midday. Upon rising, all we have time to take is a cup of 
coffee and a piece of bread, with a few dates ; pocket more, and eat 
these last en route. The early start is everything to desert travel- 
lers : were they to wait whilst fires are lighted and meat cooked, 
the sun would be well up. I believe we fared better than a great 
many — we had meat always twice a day, soup once, plenty of rice, 
macaroni, fowls, &c., coffee, tea, and a stimulant when it was 
positively required, but that was rarely indulged in. The first 
day or two our pocket-flasks were in great requisition, and we 
found ourselves feverish ; afterwards, water and cold tea were all 
we drank. After supper we enjoyed a short sleep; and at nine 
