fields of corn and beans.

They are hardly

ever seen during the day;

but at night they

resort in numbers to the islands on the river, where they take the air unmolested, and roll themselves in fields of grass and lupins.

They are, accordingly, much hated by the natives, who hear them making their peculiar noise, while destroying and ravaging some unhappy Arab's property. The latter do not seem to take very active measures to frighten them away, probably as it is Allah's will, and partly also from their aversion to going out in the dark.

The inhabitants of an island, a short distance below Berber, applied, while we were at Khartoum, for troops to drive away these midnight revellers, and a hundred soldiers were dispatched hippopotami-hunting. Troops are made all sorts of uses of

in the East ; a battalion of infantry was sent boar-hunting in the Delta last year, owing to the great devastation committed by these animals, who were rooting up acres of cotton. I think this sporting must be more amusing than the frontier work against the Shellouk tribes, north of Kordofan.

By sunset we came in sight of Berber, on the sixth day of our voyage from Khartoum, which city it much resembled, though its banks sloped a great deal more to the river. Scarcely was the plank adjusted for our stepping ashore, when Mahamet Elmi, the sub-governor of Berber, a well-dressed and curious little Turk, apparently as quiet as a dormouse, came to the boat to pay his respects to us, accompanied by a goodlooking cavalry officer, and by one of the handsomest men I had ever seen-he was

a priest, and quite a celebrity in the country; of him I shall say more presently. We ascertained that every preparation had been made for us that we had deserved, and that if we insisted we might start at once. We, however, resolved to await the arrival of Ali Bey Hassib, whom we expected hourly.

We here made the acquaintance of Monsieur L-—, a gentleman from Bordeaux, who makes annual excursions up the White River. He prefers the climate and society of Berber, to existing in the continual sunshine enjoyed by his compatriots at Khartoum. He finds the air of Berber so healthy, that he has settled himself here his first step in that direction being

the selection of a wife, a

slave, whom he purchased.

beautiful white

How dear she

was to him, I really had not the means of ascertaining; but I have no doubt that his

capital found what in the city is called "a very pretty investment." It would not do to sing here

"Oh! say not woman's heart is bought."

The heart finds a market every day, and the rest of her organization is thrown in by way of make-weight. I do not know but what this system has its advantages. The immortal direction of Mrs. Glasse, as to the dressing a hare, is not more to the purpose than would be the suggestions of a Berber bachelor as to the securing a wife: for nothing can be made so completely one's own, as what we have bought and paid for.

VO L. II.

L

CHAPTER IX.

Romance of Oriental life Summary justice and Latiffe Pacha-His despotism-Hatred of Europeans-A box on the ear-Visit to the hareem of Ali Bey Hassib-Juvenile costume-Marabouts.

My mother and sister paid a visit to the hareem of Ali Bey Hassib, to the door of which we accompanied them, after passing through a yard tenanted by a giraffe and an ostrich, and defended by two brass cannon and fifteen very inferior looking soldiers-they, however, constitute the force armée