CHAPTER III.

The First Halt. — The Rainy Season. — The Camel-sheik comes for Baksheesh. — Three Caravan-routes to Cassala.— Disputes with the Camel-drivers.— Gazelles. — Management of Camels. — Halt at Siterabb. — A Piteous Tale.

In a regular African deluge, and wet to the skin, we pitched the tents. Some of the provisions became saturated with rain, which got, too, into our portmanteaus. The drivers were all quarrelling about their loads, and our halt for the night was made only an hour and a half's march out of the town. The camel-drivers always try to accomplish this, as they say it enables them to run back if they have forgotten any thing : it means, of course, too, a late start on the following day.

The Egyptian tents we had had made in Cairo were decidedly fine-weather tents, and, although admirably adapted to a dry climate, were not so agreeable for a wet one. Tents soon spoil if often packed up wet, as they get mildewed, and rot. We consoled ourselves with the reflection that the bad weather could not last long. The rain stopped before we went to bed, but came down faster than ever in the night ; and we had to jump out of bed to rescue bags and clothes, and set to work to dig trenches round our tents to drain the rain off, — a precaution that had been neglected before going to bed.

The natives were delighted with the rain ; for, although it was the season when they expected it, it often happens at Souakim that there is none, or next to none at all, during the whole year.

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