892 JOURNEY TO CENTRAL AFRICA.

CHAPTER XXXI.

FROM KHARTOUM TO EL METEMMA.

Farewell Breakfast — Departure from Khartoum — Parting with Dr. Reitz — A Prediction and its Fulfilment — Dreary Appearance of the Country — Lions — Burying-Grounds— The Natives — My Kababish Guide, Mohammed — Character of the Arabs — Habits of Deception — My Dromedary — Mutton and Mareesa — A Soudan Ditty — The Eowyan — Akaba Gerri — Heat and Scenery — An Altercation with the Guide — A Mishap — A Landscape — Tedious Approach to El Metemma — Appearance of the Town — Preparations for the Desert — Meeting Old Acquaintances.

The wind blew so violently on the morning of my departure from Khartoum, that the ferry-boat which had been engaged to convey my equipage to the Kordofan shore, could not round the point at the junction of the Niles. My camels, with the Kababish guide and drivers, had been ferried over the evening previous, and were in readiness to start. In this dilemma Dr.

Peney, with whom I had engaged to take a parting breakfast, kindly gave me the use of his neither and its crew. Our breakfast was a fete cliampetre under the beautiful nebbuk tree in the Doctor's court-yard, and consisted of a highlyspiced salmi of his own compounding, a salad of lettuce and tomatoes, and a bottle of Cyprus wine. The coolness and force of the north-wind gave us a keen appetite, and our kind