132 CAMELS POOR PROPERTY.

two objects in doing this. We felt, that, even in that wild country, the news would probably travel to Amedeb, and we feared that a greatly exaggerated account might reach Cairo, and very possibly get into the English newspapers, and alarm our friends at home ; and we were anxious, if possible, to recover our rifles, and thought, that, as they would most probably get into the hands of some Abyssinian sheik, there was a chance that by going to Amedeb we might be able to put ourselves in the way of regaining possession of them. Accordingly, we retraced our steps to Aibaro, where we chose a good position for the camp. On the way, we found very little game ; shooting nothing but tetcl and oterop {Calotragiis niontanus) a very small species of gazelle, which is very easily shot, and is very fair eating ; we only met with it on the Mareb. On Feb. 15 Lort Phillips and I started for Amedeb. We decided to bring back more camels if possible. Camels are very awkward things to own, or rather to have properly looked after. Several of ours had died since leaving Cassala, and a number were almost incapable of carrying loads. The fact is, that regular camel-drivers — and by that term I mean the class of men who accompany the camels one hires from place to place, as, for example, from Souakim to Cassala — are not to be had by paying them monthly wages. They are either owners of camels themselves, or the servants or slaves of owners ; consequently, if one buys camels, one is forced to employ men to load and look after them who are quite unaccustomed to the work, and, moreover, take no kind of interest in it. Camels are very delicate ; and, if accustomed to a low, hot country, will not thrive where the nights are cold, and vice versa ; and, if used to travel in a level sandy country, they cut their feet dreadfully when obliged to traverse rocky or stony roads. A camel, too, that inhabits a district where grass