AN UNCOMFORTABLE START. 21 though they carried them to Cassala, they never recovered from the hardships of the long desert-journey, and one of them died soon after its arrival there.

Most people, after they have once become used to them, find camels far less fatiguing to ride than horses, for long desertjourneys ; and they are certainly much more suitable to the country.

A most uncomfortable start we made from Souakim : the rain, which we had been daily favoured with, came down in torrents soon after our departure. Although in the winter months rain is unknown in the interior, at the time we landed in Africa it was the season of coast-rains ; and rain might be daily expected until we could put some miles between us and the sea.