QUARTERED IN THE ''PALACE:

ders. This road follows the banks of the Nile to Wady Halfah :

it is chiefly made use of by caravans coming from Darfour and

Kordofan, provinces to the west of the White Nile, that pro-

duce great quantities of gum. The Nile is struck at a small

village called Debbe, about latitude i8° north, whence goods are

conveyed by boats as far as Dongola, where the cataracts ren-

der farther navigation impossible ; and then camels carry them

to Wady Halfah at the second cataract. The journey is then

resumed in boats to the first cataract, where a railway five

miles in length carries the goods below the cataract to other

boats waiting for Cairo or Alexandria.

The Egyptian government had just separated the Red-Sea

ports Souakim and Massouah, together with the country be-

tween them, and Cassala, Sanheit, the town of Cassala itself,

Gedariff, the Hamran country, Gallabat and neighbouring jDrov-

inces, from the rest of the Soudan. Ala-ed-Deen Pacha, who

had been for a long time governor of different parts of this

country, was made supreme governor ; and Ali Reza Pacha, for-

merly governor of the Red-Sea ports, was deposed. The latter

was much hated by the people. Our steamer brought this news

to the inhabitants of Souakim ; and, Ala-ed-Deen being much

liked, the people testified to their joy at this change of govern-

ment by getting up an inipromptu illumination, chiefly by means

of little oil-lamps which they hung in front of their houses. We were very glad to be able to live in the "palace," during

our stay at Souakim, instead of being obliged to live in tents,

as it rained more or less every day. We were given two rooms

on the first floor, in one of which we slept, while the other was

assigned to our servants and luggage. Our meals we took

either on the verandah, — which was very broad, and looked on

to the sea, — or in the large passage, or rather hall, out of which

our rooms opened. Although every thing was open, the huge