CAMELS STOLEX. 121 guard the two dromedaries given us by the Pascha, that were celebrated for their power, speed, and endurance, as also a young naga (female camel of highest breed), that the Sheik Soliman had sold us as a great favour. She had not in all the camp her equal in endurance, was gentle in her paces, not too tall, and got over the ground quickly and smoothly. When a dromedary does not step out strong and boldly, the Arabs say he has a cold back (Dach'r btirt). Along with these went also three of our packcamels,— a heavy loss for us. The keeper too, from fear of punishment for his neglect, has also absconded ; but on our sending out our other servants, they soon hit upon the track of our stolen beasts, leading in the direction of Soggilab, and this showed plainly they had been carried off by the thieving Haddenda. The Pascha certainly at once wrote to the Sheik of Soggilab, to have our animals sought for, but they have never appeared again, and the Pascha has omitted to compel this rascally tribe to supply their place by others. Our equipment for this expedition had, ere we left Chartum, already cost us 8000 piastres, and now we are again put to the fresh expense of buying other dromedaries and pack-camels (as we have only four left), to convoy ourselves and goods, the daily rumour of the camp being that we march in the morning. It is too well known, unfortunately, to all, that we must buy, which will compel us to pay double price. The sums of money lost on these chasuas are great, and men like ourselves, engaging in one for the first time, have to pay a premium for experience. But the greatest annoyance,.as well as additional expense, is the servants' waste, extravagance, and insolence. We have as few of these pests as possible, but still have five for loading, feeding, and attending to onr camels ; one as cook ; one as attendant on ourselves, and to bring in cofiee when we have visitors. The tricks, lies, idleness of these gentry is beyond my powers of relating. One European servant would do more than any four of them ; indeed, were not the karbatsch kept ever in hand, one would neither get work out of them, nor be able to get on with them.* • We have long ago been convijiccd of the truth of the common saying in Egjpt, tluit no Arab can bring home even an orange or lemon from the market, without running a pin into and sucking it, so as to make sometliing by the