i8 AN ARAB'S HAIR-DRESSING.

Souakim to Cassala; and this Arab accompanied him all the

way to Cairo. Throughout this journey, his hair was a constant

source of anxiety to him. He could not dress it himself, and,

on leaving Cassala, was soon beyond the region of his own

tribe. His delight was unbounded when he met a woman of

his own people on the Atbara River, who, on being rewarded

for her pains by the promise of an empty beer-bottle, under-

took to dress his hair, — a process that occupied a good two

hours. He reclined, during the process, with his head in the

lady's lap ; and the crowning joy of all was anointing the

plaited tresses with the musky fat of the crocodile, the horrible

odour of which clung to him for days, to Jiis great satisfaction,

but to the great discomfort of our olfactory nerves.

The largest building in Souakim is a storehouse and cara-

vanserai in one, built on the mainland. It was erected by a

native, for the merchants to leave their goods in while waiting

for transport, and cost eighty thousand dollars. It was built

almost entirely by slave-labour, otherwise it would have cost

fully a third more. The builder and owner was formerly a

government employe, at a hundred and fifty piastres (or about

thirty-one shillings) a month !

During our stay at Souakim, we were, of course, very busy

arranging and re-arranging our luggage. Sir Edward Malet,

H. B. M.'s consul-general in Egypt, had very kindly tele-

graphed from Cairo to have camels ready for us. His telegram,

I have no doubt, hastened matters ; but there is always consid-

erable delay in making a start.

Sheik Attman Galani, the sheik of the camels that traverse

the Cassala road, — a very fine-looking Arab, with a great idea

of driving a bargain,— paid us several visits before we finally

arranged matters. We went out fishing once or twice, but did not catch much,