34 AFRICAN WANDERINGS.

the field-pieces, but soon had to halt again, as this guiding-trace was hid in darkness. So, like knights-errant, we turned into another settlement of Kammarabs, which was large and flourishino', and, with its numerous fires before the tents, offered a lively picture of native life. The head man received us most kindly, told us we had been commended to his care by the Pascha, who had also sent orders back to Damer that we were every where to be looked on as his friends. While we sat eating our durra bread and milk, and looking round us for sheep or goat to stick on the spit, twenty Schaigies, mounted on dromedaries, arrived, sent by the Pascha to seek us out and act as our gu9rd. We now continued our march by moonlight, were again become great people, and looked on as Turks. We were told the tribe of Kammarabs was small, and therefore the Schaigies took the high hand, and would have made a sad business of it, had we not kept order, as in every village a guide was to be taken by force, the Arabs, holding us for Turks, putting no trust in our promise of payment. Our Schaigies proved brisk, merry fellows, and played many a mad prank to amuse us.

24th March.—We encamped, about midnight, some distance from the river banks, and found ourselves on a Steppe. The soil was bad and sandy ; the barrowlike range of hillocks, that ran from east to west, were sparingly covered Avith herbage and a few white flowering Mimosas. At mid-day we turned into a small village of some ten huts, belonging to the Kabyle of the Wood Naga, a branch or tribe of the Bischari. These people had no durra for our camels, or would not give us any. The head man brought us milk and durra-teig, but demanded soap and medicine in exchange. On the right bank of the Atbara here dwell the Bischari; the banks of the river are high, nor does it seem to overflow them ; but that falls of rain are frequent and heavy, is plainly shown by the high grass under the thorny nebbek and Dom-palm trees. All about the banks, trees are to be seen overthrown and floating in the water. The Schaigies hunted out a deserter, and we could plainly mark the hatred in which they held the Egyptians. I promised I would obtain the Pascha's pardon for him, and kept my word. At the next village men came at once up to us, offering us water, but for the Egyptian neither ass nor camel could be got. The huts of