A SUJRLY 3IAN. 279 We camped at the village of Abbas Bey, wbo was a surly old man and a yeritable scamp ; he refused us everything but house-room, and even that was given with very bad grace ; his conduct contrasted most unfavourably with the usual hospitable reception accorded to us.

The next morning we had more unpleasantness with him, as he made a great disturbance, and was very indignant because one of our soldiers wished to borrow a donkey from him, and he did not approve of having dealings with " kafir " or heretics.

The next day we had a short but hot march to Bir-Inges. Dara hills had been in sight all day; the ground was very sandy, and covered with low acacia-trees ; numbers of antelopes and guinea-fowl enlivened the scene. There is a small market at Bir-Inges. When we encamped the market people were just arriving with their wares, bringing merissa, corn, sweet and sour milk. The market was situated under the shade of a clump of large trees, which distinguished the place from the surrounding plains.

The early morning scene at the wells was extremely interesting. The water here is very good, the wells being dug under the trees ; they are about sixty feet deep, and are partly covered with a platform of wood to prevent the sides being worn away by the ropes, which are made of the fibre of the baobab tree ; in drawing up the leathern buckets, which hold about three quarts, the ropes cut the wooden platform.