76 
TRAVELS IN CENTRAL AFRICA. 
young wife away, to remain under her care until Mustapha could 
redeem his word. He came to me disconsolate, entreating my 
supplications with his to be offered to the Consul. The appeal was 
not in vain : Petherick advanced the sum desired, and Mustapha 
was soon happy again with his wife. 
About this time a great addition to our small menagerie was 
made. Dr. Ori, an Italian in the Egyptian Government medical 
service, was about to visit several hospitals in the Soudan ; desirous 
to leave his pet animals and birds in good keeping, he offered them 
to us. One morning when Petherick was absent, hearing a great 
outcry, I stepped to the entrance of the rakuba or portico, and saw 
that in the spacious yard our animals were attacking the intruders. 
Two stately ostriches were marching ; a fine female antelope was 
butting at everything ; a wild boar which had slipped its cord was 
rushing to and fro ; whilst a young lion and hysena, with ropes 
round their necks, were struggling to free themselves from the men 
who held them ; a baboon, too, was forcibly detained, and he, in- 
dignant, jabbered loudly. There were many pretty tiny birds in 
cages : these were at once my especial pets. The confusion sub- 
sided by degrees, not, however, without sundry fights having taken 
place. The ostriches sought a sleeping-place near our donkeys; 
the boar went where he pleased, not to the pleasure of our old- 
established ant-bear, whom he always turned out of his earth- 
burrowed home, taking possession ; and as the ant-bear would never 
again enter it, the undermining of house and buildings became a 
serious affair. One night, to the intense alarm of our housekeeper 
Eatma, whilst sleeping, her angerib was turned over by the ant- 
bear, who, having excavated a new tunnel, emerged from it beneath 
her couch. These angerib s are neatly made. There is an ordinary 
framework of wood, about the length and width of a well-sized sofa; 
