RATE OF PROGRESS. 25

man with their spears, which had been taken away from them,

and tied together in a bundle.

It was not only important that we should get out of the rains

as quickly as possible, but more so that we should let the men

see, at the very outset of our journey, that we were the masters,

not they, and that they w^ere to do as they were told. Accord-

ingly we insisted on their loading up again, which they did very

quickly; and just at dusk we resumed our march, not halting

until 9. 15. On our right was a high range of mountains, through which

led the road to Berber ; while on our left a level, sandy plain,

covered with green grass and low scrub, stretched to the sea.

We experienced great difficulty in pitching our tents in the

dark, as most of the men were new to the work ; and as we

were only just commencing our expedition, no one knew where

any thing was, nor what was required of him. Every thing

was wet, and it was very difficult to make charcoal burn ; so

that it was 12.30 before we had dined and could go to bed. We had seen a few gazelle {Gazella Aralnca), and a herd of

ariel {Gazella Dama), but all very shy. Each year they become

less numerous on the caravan-routes ; and my brother Arthur,

the only one of the party who had made the journey before,

said they were far less common than when he passed over the

same road four years before.

The following day we got an eight-hours' march out of our

camels, and without any great difficulty with the drivers : they

had begun to know their loads, and the inevitable squabbling

that takes place at starting was nearly over.

An eight-hours' march for the caravan is as much as can be

accomplished with comfort. As soon as the loads are taken

off at night, the camels are turned out to feed ; at dusk, unless

there is a moon, they must be collected in camp again, to be