244 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

thirty horsemen, under the command of Mahmoud, our goods being carried by two camels and oxen.

That day we only rode about six miles, to El Mugurana, where we took possession of the best huts we could find, and had our Christmas dinner, which consisted of a goat. The next day we rode to Agareb, passing the two villages of El Fadri and El Jadri. At El Fadri we saw the sultan Ibrahim, who is chief over part of the Eizegat Arabs. He talked a good deal, much hindering our progress, but strengthened our escort by adding ten horsemen to our company. There was a small Arab school at El Fadri, where about twenty-five children were being taught by a very old toothless fakir. On the following day we rode through several villages, in one of which was a good loom and mule of native manufacture. They seemed well adapted for the work; I give a drawing of them and description further on.

• We camped that night near a large pool, and were just going to sleep, when the people said that there were huts farther on, and insisted on our getting up and riding for another hour, when we came to a village called Sigila. Each of our camels kicked off their loads this day, breaking open my despatch-box and scattering papers and money to the winds. Some $25 or $30 were lost in the sand, or else stolen, probably the latter. The nights now were very cold, only 46" Fahr. beiog registered at