2 2 Seven Years in tJic Sotidan.

His name was Haggi Stefo Paleologo, a l)lacksmith by trade. He liad been absent from his native countiy for twelve years, of Avliicli several Avere spent in Alexandria and ('airo, wliere lie worked in the Viceregal Palace. He had then taken service on the steamers of the Peninsular Com])an3% had been in China, at Bombay and Calcutta, and on returning to Egypt, had established himself again at Cairo. Having heard that a mosque Avas to be built at Khartoum, he offered himself as mason, and Aveut there, but money having become scarce, the building Avas deferred. Haggi, from a boy, had learned to shoot. His father, he told me, i)ref erred shooting to Avorking ; it AA'as a famih' failing, for CAen his grandfather, at eighty A'ears of age, Avas still hunting Avhen Haggi had left his natiA'e country. Being Avithout occupation at Khartoum he associated himself Avith a doctor Avho adA'anced him some money, and he set olf for Kaka. He returned to Khartoum a Aear later, but the profits of the chase had hardly paid his expenses. Xot knoAving the country, he had lost much time in seeking out the ])hxces rich in game. His pack-animals had died, and he Avas returning from one of his excursions Avlien, by good chance, he had met me just AAdien his affairs Avere at the Avorst.

During his tAvo years and a half hunting he had only been able to take fourteen skins of lions, seventeen of giraffes, about fifty of buffaloes, three of leopards, a few hippojiotamus-liides, about two hundred and sixty pounds' Aveight of ostrich feathers, a hundred hides of Avild oxen and three hundred ol;e of the fat of giraffes and ostriches. All this might be Avorth at Khartoum about a thousand dollars, AAdiich, diAaded in two parts, would yield a profit of some 300 francs a year for each head. The elephanthides Avere small and of little A'alue.

His companion was a baker aa'Iio had come to Khartoum to seek his fortune. He, too, Avas an