32 AFRICAN WANDERINGS.

and beheld with horror our tent struck over my head, my bed, tod, packed up, and ourselves with our servants, obliged to follow the army. I could not mount, I felt as if the sun was heaping glowing coals on ray head, but did not lose my consciousness. My brother and I, therefore, resolved to remain behind till the heat of the day was over, and ride on after the crisis was past, if I was ever to get over it. Supported by Joseph and Achmet, Iwas ledtoaDora-palra, near which I sank down, as if dead, under shade, certainly, but on the burning earth. A fearful vomiting and dysentery, sending sweat from every pore, attacked me; I could not remain lying on my carpet, but to keep in the shade, I had, with my trowsers about my heels, to crawl on the sand, round and round the tree, while the spot I had quitted was covered over with clean sand. Dr. Bellotti and the apothecary, Dumont, having heard I. was dying, had quitted the army's slow train, and come to see for themselves, if the I'eport was true or not. They advised me to give up the expedition, the Italian, contrary to my brother's opinion however, holding my case as most serious. I made Bellotti a sign, and as he bent over me, prayed him, in case of my death, to do his utmost to persuade Joseph to quit Bellad Sudan, and then he could fill all his good posts. Duraont could hardly restrain his laughter, and the two mounted and rode off. Never in my life have I longed for sunset as I then did ; the very last sun beams seemed to effect my hair, as if each separate one was electrified and discharging the fluid into my bursting head. Hardly was the torturing sun under the horizon when I felt much better, could again stand up and move slowly about. Good humoured Arab herd lads approached our fire, pitied my state, and brought me milk and durra bread.* It was a beautiful evening, the full moon glittering on the waters of the Atbara, silvered the dark crowns of the Dom-palms; wild geese now and then screamed, and some pigeons cooed round us, all else was silence.

22rd March. — There is a deep pleasure in sleeping in the open air, where weather and climate will permit. Often had I in Greece, even when most sleepy, sought the free air, and, particularly at Nauplia, mounted up to the higher Herculesburg of Tirynth and the rocks of Palmedes, and there passed the night.

* Kisra, flat cakes like pancakes ; other bread is called csch, as is also the durra itself.