STORY OF SEVEN VIRGINS. 19

our chief capture being a ground-shark weighing eleven

pounds. The amount and variety of fish in these waters are

something extraordinary, and many of them are of the most

gorgeous colours ; but, to meet with much success, it is neces-

sary to go some little distance outside the harbour, where we

found the water often unpleasantly rough when anchored and

fishing from a small boat ; and we were, moreover, so busy

making preparations for our departure, that we had no time for

lengthy excursions.

One afternoon some of the Greeks of the place, together with

Mr. Bewley, went off to a sandy island to shoot sand-grouse

that some Arab boys had caught. It was quite Hurlingham in

Africa; but the birds were thrown up in the air, instead of

being released from traps, and very difficult shots they proved.

The derivation of the word Souakim, or Souakin (for it is

spelled indifferently both ways), is a curious one. In the lan-

guage of the country, it is called Sowagin (Anglice\ " together

with the gin, or fairy"). The story runs, that seven virgins

inhabited an island in the Red Sea, where there were no men,

or people of any kind except themselves. Some fishermen one

day visited the island, and found the women enceinte. Their

offspring colonised the mainland, and founded Souakim ; and

the present inhabitants are descended from them. The ladies

declared that genii were the fathers of their children.

We were very glad to turn our backs on Souakim, and make

a start for the interior, which we did on Dec. 15, about two

o'clock in the afternoon. We left behind the two officers of

the " Blues," who had travelled with us from Suez : they were

busy buying camels, always a very slow and troublesome

undertaking. They got off, however, soon after we did, and

by following the bed of Khor Baraka, and the Anseba, reached

Keren. From thence they made their way to Furfur, on the