54 AFRICAN WANDERINGS.

carpets, over my legs and my brother's face, out hurried and made off, a snake some six feet long. Astonished we indeed were, but too wearied to move, and remained calmly reposing, though ere long the very same snake, having been killed by the attendants of the Sheik Defalla, was brought back to us. After a time one becomes careless as to scorpions and other such I'eptiles. The Pascha had also hit on a shady tree, but had not allowed his tent to be set up, which led me to fancy he expected an attack, when his tent would have pointed out his whereabouts to the foe. About evening we struck our own, and for the same wise reasons as had prevented the Pascha's being erected. But the tent of the Kaimakan Sorop EfFendi had to remain up, to pass, in the enemy's eye, for the Pasclia's, although it was not fifty paces from the tree under which the latter had settled himself.

13th April.—The country where we now are, is called El Grash, from the Gohr of like name ; the nearest village is one named Aronga. All over our camping ground are now built bower-like huts, of branches and fresh green durra straw; these, called Recubas, are far cooler and pleasanter than tents. From the hut of our herculean neighbour, Mohammed Defalla, crept about mid-day, a snake like that of yesterday: it was, too, soon killed, and measured six feet two inches ; they called it an assala (Python Seboe) ; about the same hour came into camp, with six hundred dromedaries and seventy horses, Abu Sin, the great Sheik of the Schukurie. The Pascha had gone out to meet him, with all the cavalry and reo-iraental bands. Abu Sin is a handsome large man, with noble countenance, and his character is described by all as vigorous, able.

and generous.

\Mh April. — It is certainly, as usual, excessively warm, but the air here seems better and purer than at any of our former camping places ; the same may also be said of the water, which, though drank in large quantities, has no ill effect. Serpents are brought us daily, but generally so much injured as not to be fit for stuffing.

After much negotiation, there arrived to-day the much talked of and feared great Sheik, Mohammed Din, with a pretty numerous train, and dismounted at the hut of our neighbour. Sheik Defalla, who had ridden out to meet him on his great war horse. Greatly was our curiosity aroused to behold this so famed man, the