HOaAB IL GOUEAB. 
31 
o’clock were again in the saddle. My hat I now carried at my 
side, as it impeded the view of the sky ; hut wore, in lieu of it, a 
warm woollen hood ; and, wrapped in the large white burnous, I 
would have it we were going to the opera. The camel was behaving 
delightfully; I fed her with dates, and we became good Triends. 
She never again howled when I mounted or dismounted. The latter 
operation is not agreeable ; the backward and forward movement is 
then reversed, and an addition is given in the shape of a hearty 
bump by the camel on the ground, which almost unseats you. 
The march was a long one — it was four hours past midnight ere 
we halted ; gladly we availed ourselves of the brief rest allowed, 
and slept soundly for an hour and a half, when the signal to start 
was given. The place where we bivouacked is called Hogab il 
Gourab, and takes its name from the slaughter of a notorious free- 
booter on the spot. 
Gourab possessed a fleet camel, and was thus enabled to com- 
mit great ravages in the Nubian Desert among the Bishari tribe, 
many of whom he killed whilst plundering, he always escaping, as 
no horse or camel in the country could compete with his. Many 
were the attempts made to seize him, ambuscades laid, but all failed. 
At length an old woman suggested that it was useless to endeavour 
to catch Gourab until they had a camel as fleet as his own. An 
old naga of the race with great difficulty was found, and it was de- 
termined to breed from her. In due time a Ally called a ‘^^Bakara” 
was produced. When three years had passed, this camel was pro- 
nounced fit for service. Gourab’s movements having been watched, 
two armed Bishari men mounted the camel and pursued him; he 
was overtaken and killed.” 
At ten o’clock we reached Koult il Guss, or the Janissaries’ 
