106 AFRICAN WANDERINGS.

sold the stolen goods had come forward to give evidence against him, and had proved him beyond doubt to be the thief: but, on the day we made him a soldier, I was lying, much worn out, on my angareb, the fever having just left me, when I heard in the back part of our hut a case of provisions being broken open. I looked round, and there was Aqjimet, who had takenx out a loaf of sugar, and was about to carry it off by the back door. I cried out, " Rugh fenn ?"

(Where with that ?) He put down the sugar, and with a snarling " Aus e ? " (What's wanted ?) advanced up to me, as if, I being all alone, he would have throttled me ; but, at the instant, I seized one of my pistols, which hung near me, and pointed it at his head ; on which he remained as if rooted to the ground, his eyes glaring on me like a tiger's. As if it had been arranged, and perchance fortunately for me, my brother at that moment entered the hut by the back door, and Topschi Baschi by the front, at the same instant ; and now I had to spring up to prevent the wild Kurd, who at once comprehended how matters stood, from splitting Achmet's head on the spot. Although our friend Achmet came from the land of Djaal, the inhabitants of which, as well as of Barabra, are not compelled to serve as soldiers, their countries being much depopulated, still an exception was made in his favour. He was thus rendered harmless to others, as now the Nabut would take care of his doings ; and the example we made of him had the best effect on our other servants.

The noble art of cooking is as little known in Bellad-Sudan as in Arabia or Turkey. Cleanliness, there, is even less attended to than it is generally among the Arabs and Negroes, and the cook is ever distinguished by being dirtier and more filthy in his dress than others. Even in Europe, it is said, if a man would enjoy his dinner, he must not see it cooked ; but let one here only cast a glance into the filthy hole they call a kitchen (matbach), see the dabblings of the cook with filthy hands, an equally dirty pipe ever in his mouth, and how, without knife, fork, or spoon, he tastes every dish with his fingers, and with these arranges each plat on its dish, and he must indeed be a man of strong stomach, and stronger appetite, who can eat at all. Arab cookery is certainly very simple, as it is composed of boiled beans, and flesh, either boiled (lachame masluk, or mistaui) or roasted (kabab). This last consists of small pieces of