450 JOURNEY TO CENTRAL AFRICA.

say: henak, "there;" if it is a moderate distance off, they lengthen the sound into " Jien-a-a-ak ;" while, if it is so far as to be barely visible, the last syllable is sustained with a full breath — " hen-a-a-a-a-a-ak ! " In the same way, saci signifies " an hour ;" sa-a-a-a, " two hours," &c. This habit of speech gives the language a very singular and eccentric character.

"We pushed on till the spot was reached, but as far ahead as the sand would permit us to see, could discern no house. We asked again ; the town commenced at the next corner of the palms ahead of us. I think this thing must have happened to us five or six times, till at last I got into that peculiarly amiable mood which sees nothing good in Heaven or Earth.

If my best friend had come to meet me, I should have given him but a sour greeting. My eyes were blinded, my head dull and stupid, and my bones sore from twelve hours in the saddle. As it grew dark, we were overtaken by four riders mounted on fine dromedaries. They were going at a sweeping trot, and our beasts were ambitious enough to keep pace with them for some time. One of them was a stately shekh, with a white robe and broad gold border and fringe. From what the people said of him, I took him to be the Melek, or King of Dongola.

Meanwhile, it was growing dark. We could see nothing of the town, though a woman who had been walking beside us, said we were there already. She said she had a fine house, which we could have for the night, since it was almost impossible for a tent to stand in such a wind. As I had already dipped into the night, I determined to reach Handak at all hazards, and after yet another hour, succeeded. Achmet and I dismounted in a ruined court-yard, and while I sat on a