AEEIVAL AT ABU HAMAD. 
39 
The guide came after dinner^ and, in his animated manner, 
related the following : 
When Churshid Pacha, accompanied by a large staff of officers, 
attendants, &c., passed the mountain Gereibat on his way to the 
Soudan, where he was appointed governor, a cavalry officer (a hon 
vivant) remained behind with a guide and three Mamelukes. It is 
supposed they became intoxicated; and when, some hours after- 
wards, they proceeded, as they imagined, in the direction of the cara- 
van, they lost their way, keeping to the west until they reached 
the Lofty mountain alluded to. They were not missed until the 
caravan arrived at Abu Hamad, when scouts were sent in search of 
them. At the foot of the Lofty mountain, under the shade of 
a tree, the bodies of the officer and Mamelukes were discovered : 
they had perished for want of water. They were all covered over 
with branches of trees, cut off by these wretched men, and placed 
over them to prevent the attacks of birds of prey. The remains 
of the guide were not found until twelve months after, when some 
Arabs, in search of a stray camel, arrived at a nook near the top of 
the mountain, and there his bones were discovered. His shield and 
arms were taken to his friends. Two of the camels reached the 
river, and the others died.^^ 
At three o’clock broke up, and rested at seven o’clock at Aboo 
Neteishat, so called from a herb which grows there. A weary march 
until four the following morning, when we dismounted in a fine 
wadij called Mugram. We were in advance of the caravan con- 
siderably, and too tired to wait for the rugs, pillows, &c. I rolled 
myself up in a burnous, made a rest for my head of the saddle, 
threw myself on the sand, and slept gloriously for an hour. 
At half-past five on Thursday morning the march was resumed. 
