The Wild Tribes Of The Soudan

Front matter

THE

WILD TRIBES OF THE SOUDAN ll

HE WILD TRIBES OF THE SOUDAN

Preface

viii

danger of their attacking so large a party as we were by day, they would not hesitate to take advantage of us during the darkness of night if an opportunity pre¬ sented itself.

My narrative will show that a little tact and caie on our part overcame these obstacles, and we became the best of friends. Our chief difficulty was in first entering their country, and in setting their minds at rest as to our peaceable and non-political intentions towards them. On one occasion only, when our party was divided, we had good reason to believe that they meditated treachei y, but on their discovering that we were apprised of their intentions they apparently gave up their project, and we never had cause to suspect them again.

The only travellers that I could hear o| who had ever ventured into this country were a Mr. and Mrs. Powell, who, together with their child, had been treacherously murdered by the Basd; and even they had not advanced

very far into their territory.

The map of the Bas6 country that accompanies this volume was made by my brother, Mr. W. D. Jame.s, assisted by Mr. Aylmer, from astronomical obseivations taken with a sextant every night. They carefully mapped out our route every day by aid of the sextant and pris¬ matic compass. It adds a portion, however small, to the map of Africa.

The woodcuts were all done in New York from my brother’s and Mr. Aylmer’s photographs, and are speci¬ mens of a branch of art in which Americans excel. The

PREFACE.

IX etchings were executed in London by Mr. Thomas Riley; three of them were etched from sketches of Mr. Colvin’s, the remainder from photographs taken in the Soudan by Professor Buchta of Munich.

I would, in conclusion, ask the indulgence of the public for this effort of one who for the first time publishes a record of his daily life and experiences.

Contents

List of Illustrations

PAGE

xvii

Chapter I

We leave Cairo for the Egyptian Soudan.—The Basd Country.—Egyptian OfEcials.-Quarantine Regulations.- Our Party.-Ser-vants of the Party.- Ali the Cook.—Shereef the staid and stately Waiter.—Mahoom.—The

I

Agra’s Passengers..

CHAPTER IL

Arriv.al at Souakinf. — The fldrAr/. - Thieving Propensities of Egyptian Officials.—Encouragement of Slavery.— Souakim.— C.aravan-routes from Souakim.—Ala-ed-Deen Pacha.—The Governor’s » Palace.”—Bedouin Government Prisoners.—Omnipresence of Greeks.—Hotel du Soudan.”—Curious Maimer of dressing the Hair.—An African Plurlingham,—Story of the Seven Virgins.—Deiiarture from Souakim . ■ 1 °

CHAPTER HI.

The First Halt.—The Rainy Season.—The Camel-sheik comes for Sctkshccsh. —Three Carav.an-routes to Cassala.—Disputes with the Camel-drivers.— Garelles.—Management of Camels.—Halt at Siterabb.—A Piteous Tale . 23

CHAPTER IV.

Journey continued. — Buck Gazelle shot.-More trouble with the Camel-drivers.—A rose-breasted Shrike.—Sand-storm at Ellegua.—Jules taken ill.-Death in Camp.-Takroori Woman abandoned by her People.-We divide the Camp.—Mishaps of those left behind.—Christmas Day at

Wandi.—‘^ Molly” . *..

CONTENTS.

xii

CHAPTER V.

PAGE

We divide tlie Camp.—Part start for Cassala.—TPe Rest remain at Wandi.—• Continued Illness of Jules.^— Dhnrra runs short.—Departure from Wandi.

—Khor Belag.—News of the First Parly.—A Deserted Village.—Omri.

—The Belgian Doctor.—Halt at Khor Rassay.—Pharaoh’s Lean Kine.— Desolate Tract of Country.—Scorpions . . . . . *35

CHAPTER VI.

Arrival at Fillik. — The Gash.—Abundance of Game. — Cassala reached.— Encampment in the Dry Bed of the Gash. — Caravans on the Cassala Road,—The Governor of Cassala.—Servants sent from Sanheit.—Death ofjules ............ 41

CHAPTER VII.

Purchase of Camels.—Expedition to the Atbara—The Village of Naouri.-— Mosconas and liis Son.—White Ants.—Dinner with the Governor.—The Town of Cassala.—Hymnas, — Pariah Dogs.— Collections for European Zoological Societies.—Pliring Camel-drivers.—Strike of Souakim Ser¬ vants.—Departure from Cassala.—Bashi-Bazouks . . , . . 47

CHAPTER VIIL

Journey from Cassala.—Game shot by the Way.—The Dog-faced Baboon.— Arrival at Haikota.-—The German Animal-catcher,”—Visits from two Sheiks.—Sheik Achmccl Ageer.—Attack on the Beni-Amers by the Base.

—Fresh Supply of Camels.—Dinner to Sheik Achmed and the German.— Success of the Magic-Lantern . . . . . . . *59

CPIAPTER IX.

Departure from Plaikota,—Mahomet Sake.—Abundance of Game.—Halt at Toadclook.— Ttil ,—Adventure with a Lion on the Prowl.—-A Shooting Expedition.—Fifty-seven Sand-grouse netted.—Night-watches in hopes of a Shot

CONTENTS,

Xlll

CHAPTER X.

The Camp moves forward. — Scarcity of Game.—Water easily obtainable. Difficulties of the Journey.—Baby Crocodiles.—Sheik Achmed rejoins the Travellers. —- A Baitue, -Mimosa-Trees. —Road -(putting through the J ungle. —A Buffalo Adventure., •

CPIAPTER XI.

Arrival at Wo Ammar.—First Interview with Base.—A Base Village.— Giraffe-stalking.—The Village of Koolookoo.—Deputation from the Vil¬ lage,—The Sheik’s Son makes himself generally useful.”—Presents for the Deputation.—The Koolookoo Villagers much interested in us.—Visit to the Village.—Women of Koolookoo

CHAPTER XII.

Scarcity of Dhiirra ,—A number of Base join our Camp.'—Water-Carriers.— Another deserted Village.—Ceremony of making Peace. Fiiendliness of the Base Women:—The Mareb.—Bufkiloes seen for the First Time.— More Base join the Camp.—Exciting Stalk after an Ostrich.—A Leper. Game abounds

CI-IAPTER XIII.

Aylmer and I start for Ma Ambasah, and find Water.—A Chase after Buffa¬ loes.—Both Barrels at once.—A nasty Recoil.—A Visit from Sheik Kudul. —He departs, promising to return.—-The Camp moves to Ma Ambasah. —Two Bull Buffaloes killed.—Some of the Camel-drivers sent to Amedeb for Dkurra

CHAPTER XIV.

Disastrous Adventure with Abyssinians.—Akabah brings the Alarm, Two of our Party surprised by a Hundred armed Abyssinians.—Making Friends. —Treachery of the Abyssinians.—Mahomet fearfully wounded. The Search for him,—The Dembelas Tribe.—Contemplated Expedition against the Dembelas abandoned.

XIV

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XV.

PAGE

We leave Ma Ambasali.—Arrival of Maliomet.—Doubts of the Base.—A Picturesque Scene.—Sport or Exploration?—The Medicine - Chest.—

Death of Mahomet.—Two of the Party start for Amedeb.—Difficulty of keeping Camels.—The “Guffer” Disease.—Dilatoriness of the Arabs.— Poverty of the Base.—The Barea Tribe.123

CPIAPTER XVI.

Our Journey to Amedeb.—History of Sheik Said Carcashi.—The Bombashi.

—Promises Aid in recovering the Stolen Property.—Ras Aloula.—Town of Amedeb.— Vqiq Picard.—Mahomet’s Sister.—Return to the Mareb . 132

CHAPTER XVH,

Alarm of an Attack by the Base.—Our Camp moves on.—Independence of the Base.—Elephant-tracks.—Most of the Base leave the Camp.—A Shot at a Lion.—Difficulty of Shooting while riding Camels.—The Arabs strike.

—Abundance of Quail . . . . . . . , - 139

CHAPTER XVIIT.

Return to Haikota.—Mishaps with the Camels.—Success of the Magic-Lan¬ tern.—-Departure for the Settite.—The Village of Sogada.—Arrival at the Settite...14$

CPIAPTER XIX.

The Road to the Settite.—The Everlasting Forest.—Sheik Achmed^s Decep¬ tion.-—Fishing in the Settite.—The Camp moves on.—The Guides and Camel - drivers refuse to proceed.-—The Return to Khor Meheteb.— Adventure with a Crocodile.—A Scare . . . . . *3^53

CPIAPTER XX.

Encampment at Khor Mehcteb.—Good Fishing.—The Kelb-ebbahr.—Cap¬ ture of n Saggar.—A Visit from Base of Lacatecourah,—P'racking Buffa¬ loes.—Arab Escort sent back to Ilaikota.—Baboons.—Exciting Night among the Buffaloes.163

CONTENTS.

XV

CHAPTER XXI.

A Visit from two Haniran Sheiks.—I-'resli Sport among the Buffaloes.—A Shereker.—K Second Visit from Hamran Sheiks,—They offer to guide us into their own Countiy.—Three Base join the Camp.—They are attacked by the ITamnans.—Moosa’s Discharge.^ •

CHAPTER XXH.

Departure for Om Hagar.-Good Sport.—Arrival at Om Ilagar.—Buffalo- Tracks,—Capture of the First Plippopotamus.—Visit from Hamran Sheik’s Son.—The Last Plippopotamus.—Marabou Storks.—Purchase of a 1 or-

toise.—A splendid Buck shot ...•■•■

CHAPTER XXin.

Extracts from Diary.—B.ait set for Lions.—Mosquiloes.—Among the Buffa¬ loes again.—Beginning of the Homeward Journey.—Journey towards Lacatecom-ah.—The Village of Lacalecourah. —A Bonnc-Bouche .

CHAPTER XXIV.

Encampment at Abou Scllal.—A Native of the Base Settito.—A Dabergoum Sheik offers to conduct us to the Basd Settite.-Base Villages on the Settitc.—Capture of a Boa-constrictor.—Arrival at Haikota. Ihe Beni- Amor’s Raid on the Base.—A Visit from Slieik Achmed Ageer.—His

Lame Apologies

CHAPTER XXV.

Immense Flocks and Herds.—NigktAVatch for 1 wo Panthers killed.

——Two Lions bagged.—The Camp moves on.—“Religion of the l>ase.—■* Origin of various African Tribes ...<•• * *

CHAPTER XXV 1 .

First Day’s Journey towards Amedeb.™“-A False Alarm.-—Arrival at Amedele —Journey contmiied.-—Klior Baraka.—-Another VVatch for Lions,- Ihrill-

ing Adventure with a Lion.-—-News of the Stolen Rifles and Horses . 225

XVI

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XXVII.

PAGE

Perilous Ascent of Tcliad-Amba.—The Church. —The Monks.—We naove on again.—An Old Acq_uaintance.—Arrival at Sanheit.—The Town of Sanheit.—A Last Attempt to recover the Stolen Property.—A Visit to the Church and Schools at SanEeit . . . . . • • *233

CPIAPTER XXVIIL

We start for Massawa.—Dra’s Sad Story.—The Anseba Valley.—An Attempt to make India-rubber from the Quol-qitol Plant.—El Ain.—Bashi- Bazouks and their Prisoners.—^We encamp at the Water-course Camphor.

—Occasional Sudden Rising of the Water in the Khors .... 244

CHAPTER XXIX.

Arrival at Massawa.—Comfortable Quarters at the ^‘Palace.”—Situation of Massawa.—Water-supply of Massawa.—The Town is guarded at Night.

—Camel-Sale by Auction.—The Start from Massawa.—Perilous Position of Mahoom ........... 252

CHAPTER XXX.

Arrival at Souakim.—A Visit to Mr. Bewley.—Our Fellow-Passengers on the “Messina.”—^Arrival at Suez.—Accounts of Abyssinian Raid in English and Egyptian Press.—Suleiman’s History.—We leave Cairo for England 259

Index

. 265

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

TO FACE PAGE

A Base Professional Beauty.’' Etched by Thomas Riley from a

Sketch by R. B. Colvin Title

« Bellus.” Drawn by W. H. Drake. Engraved by Photo Engraving Co. 20 On the March. Engraved by J. Augustus Bogerl .... 26

Shukreeyeh Camel-Driver. Etched by Thomas Riley, from a Photo¬ graph by Professor Buchta. 3 ^

Gebel Cassala. Engraved by E. Schoonmaker ..... 43

Camp at Cassala. Drawn by W. Taber. Engraved by Photo Engrav¬ ing Co. 47

WtiiTE Ant Hill. Engraved by G. A. Bogert. 5 ^

Cassala Natives. Drawn by W. Taber. Engraved by Photo Engrav¬ ing Co. ........... 55

The Gash, Cassala. Etched by Thomas Riley, from a Sketch by R. B.

PI ai KOTA. Drawn by Plariy Fenn. Engraved by Photo Engraving Co. . 64

Walkait Minstrel. Engraved by Chas. Cullen .... 70

Camp at Koolookoo. Engraved by A. E. Wood .... 88

Bas:^ at Koolookoo. Drawn by W. PL Drake. Engraved by Photo

Engraving Co.^9

Bed of the Mareb at Aibaro, Plngraved by John Filmer . . 90

Base Women. Engraved by E. Pleinemann ..... 91

Arrival of Meat in Camp. Engraved by J. A. Goughian . . lOO

Shukreeyeh Boy. Etched by Thomas Riley, ^ from a Photograph by

Professor Buchta . . ® . . .' . . . * • , i 3 , xviii LIST OF ILLLUSTRATIONS.

TO FACE PAGE

Beni Amer Camel-Driver. Etched by Thomas Riley, from a Photo¬ graph by Professor Biichia . . . • • • • • ^^3

At Mai Sarsah. Engraved by E. Heinemann.^27

LoNGAY Base Sheik. Etched by Thomas Riley, from a Sketch by R. B.

Base AT Aibaro. Engraved by E. Ileinemann.i 39

Basi^ Hut at Koolookoo. Engraved by E. R. Tichenor . . . 141

Base. Engraved by E. Pleinemann.152

Khor Meheteb. Engraved by J. Clements. 155

Camp at Settite, near Khor Meheteb. Engraved by E. Schoonmaker 159

Khor Meheteb. Engraved by E. Schoonmaker.161

The Settite, near Khor IMeheteb. Engraved by J. Clements . 163

The Settite. Engraved by E. R. Tichenor.164

Our Fishing-Grounds near Meheteb. Engraved by W. W. Scott . 166

Island IN THE Settite. Engraved by J. Augustus Bogert . . . 172

Return to Camp after Night at Meheteb. Engraved by John

Settite. Drawn by Harry Fenn. Engraved 1 )y Photo Engraving Co. . 176

Hamrans at Om IIagar. Engraved by Thos. Hallawell . . . 179

Ali’s Kitchen at Om Hagar. Engraved by J. Augustus Bogert . 182

‘OChor” near Om Hagar. Engraved by E. Schoonmaker . . 185

Hamrans Drying FIippopotamus Meat. Drawn by Harry Fcnn.

Engraved by Photo Engraving Co.188

Hippopotamus and Salee. Drawn by Harry Fenn. Engraved by

Photo Engraving Co.192

Lacatecourah. Drawn! by W. Taber. Engraved by Photo Engraving Co. 201

Breaking up Camp at Abou Sellal. Drawn by W. Taber. En¬ graved by Photo Engraving Co.204

Sheik Achmed Ageer at Toadelook. Drawn by W. 11 . Drake.

Engraved by Photo Engraving Co.212

Lion and Lioness. Drawn by W. H. Drake. Engraved by Photo

; , Engraving Co.219

Baobab-Tree. Drawn by Harry Fenn. Engraved oy Photo Engraving Co. 221

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

XIX

TO facb:

TAOE

Dhoum-Palms at Gargt, Khor Baraka. Drawn by Harry Fenn.

Engraved by Photo Engraving Co.229

Keren (Saniieit). Drawn by Harry Fenn. Engraved by Photo En¬ graving Co. 238

Pass on the Road to El Ain. Drawn by- W. H. Drake. Engraved

by Photo Engraving Co..• ®* 247

Midday Halt on Road to El Ain. Engraved by R. F. Rea . . 248

MAPS.

Egypt and Part of the Soudan . . . .To face Chap. L page i

The Base Country. Showing the Author’s Journeys, from Observations

by W. D. James and G. P. V. Aylmer .... To face page 225

Abyssinia and Adjacent Countries .... At end of Index

ME BITMMMAWEAM SEA

, Jerus/

EGYPT

PART OF THE SOUDAN

Eii^isli Miles

Avdlhof's Rxntif. .

^Sotiadl \

I i

\ VTeb-uk

E TgaV I I

^BcAr fftnW.

jkidcS^ /^U':i

. pbouk^ y

®“s)iYY jSi /'A

Ty^ V;Affi?^''\

/ J \ ^umdi^ j X

/ y . ( OosJ.isleh\

/MCbartotaia ! / \

V

ElUbei/

^TlTir^Mandi Wa 7 ^

: L. kH

|i/Tz;an.fflu

IiorLjSitMde . East 3S from . Gi'emwicla.

SPORT AND TRAVEL IN THE SOUDAN.

CHAPTER I.

We leave Cairo for the Egyptian Soudan.—The Base Country.—Egyptian Officials.— Quarantine Regulations.—Our Party.—Servants of the Party.—AH the Cook.— Shereef the staid and stately Waiter.—Mahoom.—The Agra’s Passengers.

On December i, 1881, we left Cairo for Suez, route for the Egyptian Soudan, with the intention of exploring the Basd country, a small tract lying between Taka (an Egyptian pro¬ vince, of which Cassala is the principal town) and Abyssinia. We were going chiefly for sport; and, the Base coiintiy being almost if not entirely unknown to Europeans, wc hoped to be successful, especially as it had not previously been shot over, and, moreover, lies in a part of Africa abounding in many dif¬ ferent kinds of game. We knew that in all probability there would be considerable difficulty to encounter in exploring the country ; as only a small part of it, and that a part where there is little or no game, belongs to Egypt, and consequently no help could be expected, but rather hindrance, from the Egyptian officials in endeavouring to carry out our programme. They naturally dislike the possibility of .sportsmen running the risk of getting into trouble with tribes bordering on their frontier.

The Bas6 are the bites noires, moreover, of all that part of the Soudan, and have the character of being a very treacherous

B

2 JIV UNPROMISING OUTLOOK.

and unfriendly people ; so that it was not only on the part of the Egyptian officials that we expected to have obstacles thrown in our way, but we felt sure that we should have considerable difficulty in getting camel-drivers and servants to undertake the journey. Then, too, the Base, dwelling as they do between Egyptian and Abyssinian territory, would naturally be jealous of" any one entering their country through that of their power¬ ful Egyptian neighbours, and might think that, instead of being bent purely on travel and sport, we were really come on behalf of the Egyptian Government to endeavour to squeeze taxes out of them, and to reduce them to submission.

On our arrival in Cairo we heard that we should piobably be delayed for some three or four weeks before we could find a steamer to take us to Souakim (the port on the Red Sea fiom which we wished to make our start into the inteiioi), owing to the existing quarantine regulations. In consequence of the prevalence of cholera in India and at Aden, all steamers going from an Arabian to an African port were subjected to quaran¬ tine on their arrival.

The only regtdar steamers calling at Souakim arc those of the Khedivial Company ; and they, as a rule, call at ports on both sides of the Red Sea, in their voyages up and down. The steamers of the Rubattino Company are also advertised to stop at Souakim, but they are, at the best of times, most irregular ; and when we wished to go, their “ fleet ” had been reduced to one steamer, the “ Messina,” and even she had, for the time being, been withdrawn from the service, owing to the quarantine.

Most of the steamers, moreover, were keeping to the Arabian ports, while several were being done up at Alexandria; so that there was only one steamer, the “ Zagazig,” performing the service between Suez and the African ports, and she had started before we had collected our party togcflicr.

OUR PARTY.

j

In this dilemma we fortunately were able to induce the captain of the British India Company’s steamer “ Agra ” to stop for us at Souakim on her way out to India, This was most lucky for us, as we grudged spending more of the cool weather at Cairo than we could help ; the heat in the Soudan becoming very trying by the spring.

The Agra ” was delayed in the canal, and instead of leaving Suez on Dec. 2, as she should have done, did not start until the 7th; this was, however, fortunate as one of our party (Colvin) was to join us there from Australia, and had she started on the right day he would have been too late, as he did not arrive until the 4th, running it rather fine. He had come straight from Adelaide, in the Chimborazo,” one of the Orient line, without touching anywhere ; and she had been a few days late in starting.

Before embai'king at Suez, I may as well introduce our party to my'readers. It consisted of seven, besides servants, —G. Percy V. Aylmer, R. B. Colvin, E. Lort Phillips, my two brothers, the Doctor, and myself. Of these, all except Colvin and the Doctor had made an expedition together, during the previous winter, into the Bogos country, on the Abyssinian frontier; and my brothers and myself had, four years previous to that, travelled vid the Nile and Atbara Rivers, as far as the River Settite: so that wc were not novices in African travel, and, moreover'—a most important consideration in undertaking such an expedition—we felt that we should get on well together.

As wc were so large a number of Europeans, wc thought that it would be prudent to have a doctor in the party. I undertook the task of finding one, and found it no sinecure. As I could not hear privately of any one willing to accompany our party, who seemed suitable, I considered the best thing to do was to advertise in the principal medical journals; I also

ADVERTISING FOR “ THE DOCTOR:

put an advertisement in the “Times” and “Athen$um.” The result was, I was inundated with replies. Some of these were most amusing.

The evident difficulties some of my correspondents found in describing their personal qualifications may be best illus¬ trated by the following extracts from some of their letters, which I here subjoin. One, after stating that his age was fortythree, and that he had never had a day’s illness, went on to say that he possessed “ a disinfectant, unknown to the profes¬ sion, for the prevention of fevers ; also, the means of curing the same without medicine.” He had had more experience in the treatment of fever than most medical men in England. His concluding sentence we all thought delicious, and felt he was quite the man to rough it in Central Africa. I again quote from his letter; “I like a cigar after my dinner and supper, with a glass of mild ale, and meals at regular hours ; so that I call myself an abstemious man, and one to be depended upon day or night.” Another applicant kindly observed ; “ If the expedition is of a scientific character, I should not object to take professional charge, provided that I am allowed to obtain a sufficient stock of Jaborandi (?) Warburg’s tincture, and other prophylactics against marsh-fever, without which it would be unsafe to venture into that country, or to permit others to do so. Furnished with these, I would, using proper precautions as regards sanitation, food, and clothing, face the Terai or the Gold Coast without fear or hesitation. I have an excellent constitution, delight in tropical climate (barring swamp), am never sea-.sick, and accustomed to rough travel, and to carry my life in my hand. Like all old Westminster scholars of my time, I can cook, do any kind of rough-andready housework, row, fish, shoot, and. I’m sorry to admit, fight, if occasion demands it, and also keep my temper under almost any provocation. I have the reputation of

QUALIFICATIONS OF CANDIDATES.

being a scholar, and I believe I may say a gentleman. I forgot to state that I pick up languages rapidly, am a tolerable connoissetir in art and cookery, play whist, piquet, and chess well for an amateur, and don’t drink or gamble ; and that I am a member of the Church of England, as my father’s son should be.” *

We felt that the field for this gentleman to display his taste in art as well as in cookery Avould be somewhat limited in the countries we proposed- visiting, although his pugilistic skill might prove of value. We, however, fully appreciated the kind care he was anxious to take of us. His concluding sentence was most cheering in case of any sinister accident: “ I am engaged in devising a scries of tests to determine whether people are really dead before they are buried ; and Egypt is a good country to make observations of this sort in.”

One applicant wrote in praise of a man whom he eulogized

as follows : It will be found on inquiry, that Dr. —-is highly

and most respectably connected. He is good-looking, though unassuming, jovial yet refined, and strictly abstemious. He is about to commence practice for himself. When he does, his unpretending amenity, simplicity of manners and deportment, combined with his great acumen and high professional attain¬ ments, are sure to meet with success.”

We felt that this gentleman’s '' deportment and unpretend¬ ing amenity ” would be quite thrown away on the wild tribes of the Soudan ; and passed on to another letter in which the writer, after enumerating every place marked on the most extensive map of the West Coast of Africa yet published, all of which places he stated he had visited, went on to say he had “ attended Ocko Jumbo’s son, made the acquaintance of King Ja Ja at Opobo,” and that he was ''on the most inti¬ mate terms with King Ockei.” We felt that this gentleman was accustomed to altogether too high society for us, and we

could promise him no royal acquaintances in the part of the Soudan we were about to visit. I shall only trouble my readers with one more quotation, and that from a telegram I received from a French doctor; in which after stating his terms, which were ^^quatre mille francs po?ir deux mois^ payts ddvance^ et tons les frais All voyagep he went on to say that he required une chamhre d party et ne vcict pas ctrc oblige de stdvre ces mcssteurs dans letcrs excursions de chassc /”

For servants we had with us George Reason, an Englishman who had accompanied us during our journey into the Bogos country ; and two Swiss, Jules Bardet and Ansclmicr ; these made up the European contingent The native servants that we took from Cairo consisted of Suleiman Daoud, our head man and a most excellent fellow ; he had been with us on our last expedition, and was for nearly five years with Sir Samuel Baker when he went as head of the Egyptian government expedition to the White Nile and equatorial lakes ; Shcreef the waiter, very staid and stately, never ruffled or put out by anything, slow, but an excellent man in his particular line, keeping the canteen, his special care, in first-rate condition throughout the entire journey; Ali the cook, a native of the Soudan, a most important functionary and a very good servant He was with us during the winter of 1877-78. And on one occasion when at Cassala, he asked leave to get drunk, urging as his excuse that some gentlemen, with whom he had travelled several times previously, always allowed him to do so at that place ; he had consequently got to look upon it as a sort of local privilege ; a lecture was delivered to him on the sin of drunkenness, which I believe he regarded as a sort of permission to get drunk ; for he got very drunk, but not before he had sent us up a most excellent dinner, and, as far as I know, he never afterwards offended again in this respect: Mahoom, a coal-black negro from the White Nile, a boy of sixteen,^ speaking both English

TARTAR:

and Arabic. Mahoom was originally captured by some slavetraders on the White Nile, in a raid that they made against a village ; he was freed by Col. Gordon, the late governor-general of the Soudan, and given to Dr. Felkin at Khartoum. Dr. Felkin was the medical man in charge of the Church Missionary Society’s expedition to Uganda, and took Mahoom wi1?h him to that place. He had returned with the doctor to England, where he had spent some months ; hearing that we were going to the Soudan, Dr. Felkin was glad that we should take the boy with us, in order that he might escape the cold of an English winter.

Of these servants, the only one who did not speak English easily was Shereef On asking him, at Cairo, if he spoke Eng¬ lish, he replied in the negative, but added that he spoke “ too much French.” His powers, however, in that respect, we found were very limited ; but, as most of us spoke a little Arabic, too much French ” was not required.

We, brought with us from England two dogs,—a setter and a fox-terrier, Tartar.” The former, when he was put in the dog-box of the train at Cairo, to go to Suez, was in perfect health and spirits ; but when we came to take him out at Zagazig, a station about half way between the two places, where we had to change trains, he was dead. They had been poisoning a great many dogs at Cairo ; and he must have been poisoned, probably, on the morning we left. '' Tartar ” stood the climate very well: he would run with the camels all clay, and sometimes, when tired, we let him ride on some of the baggage. He would often run on ahead of us, and rest under the shade of some tree ; and then, after we had passed him some distance, he would catch us up again. Once or twice we feared we had lost him. He was very fond of chasing gazelles,—which it is un¬ necessary to add he never caught,—and he sometimes went so far after them that we#lost him for hours. Several times he

FELLOW-FASSENGEHS.

reached the camp long after the last of the caravan had arrived ; he had, no doubt, found and followed the scent of the camels.

Among the Agra's " passengers we had two officers of the '' Blues/' They had come out to Egypt hoping to be able to make an expedition into the interior, from either Berbera or Tajourali, ports opposite Aden ; but had been obliged to give it up, and had decided on landing at Souakim.

There were also three or four saloon-passengers, bound for India, who had come out in the Agra" from England, and were not at all delighted, after their long delay in the canal, at the prospect of a further delay through going to Souakim, as it would cause them to be two days longer on their vo3^age to Kurrachee, to which port they were bound.

We found eight or ten Persian pilgrims, deck-passengers, far more interesting than the Anglo-Indians. They were dressed in parti-coloured robes resembling dressing-gowns, and wore the high felt Persian hat; and, though extremely dirty, were decidedly picturesque.

These unfortunate men had set out on a pilgrimage to Mecca from Busliire, at the head of the Persian Gulf; and some of them had saved up their money for years with this object in view.

After about a month's voyage, they had arrived at Jeddah, the port for Mecca, only to find that they might not land there. There was, at the time of their arrival at Jeddah, cholera in the Persian Gulf; and as it had not reached the Arabian ports, they were not permitted to land. They consequently had to go on in the steamer; but were not allowed to disembark either at Suez, Algiers, or Lisbon, at all of which ports they touched, and so were carried on to London.

There they had spent three or four weeks ; and the British India Company had sent them to the Aquarium, Crystal Palace, and other sights, keeping them at the e'kpense of the Company,

LONDON V. MECCA.

I should say they had a far more agreeable time of it in Lon¬ don than they would have had at Mecca ; and surely, under the circumstances, it would help them as well on their road to para¬ dise as though they had in reality been enabled to say their prayers at the sacred shrine, and to have drunk, at their source,

the sacred waters of Zem-Zem.

As the pilgrimage season was over, it was of no use for them to land at Jeddah when the “ Agra ” called there after leaving Souakim ; and consequently they were on their way back to Bushire. Two or three of the original band, better off than the rest, had, we were told, left London for Paris, intending to travel overland ; and one had discovered a hoiiri in London, with whom he was living in Bayswater.

CHAPTER 11.

Arrival at Souakim.—The Waheel .—Thieving Propensities of Egyptian Officials.— Encouragement of Slavery.—Souakim.—Caravan-routes from Souakim.—Ala-cd Dcen Pacha.—The Governor’s Palace.”—Bedouin Government I’risoncrs.—~

Omnipresence of Greeks.— Dhufra .—^‘Idotel du Soudan.’’—Curious Manner of dressing the Hair.—An African liurlingham.—Story of the Seven Virgins.—De¬ parture from Souakim.