CHAPTER IV. Governor of Dongola-Embarkation of camelsWell in the desert-Camel drivers-Iron frag ments Effect of cold on the Bedouins An 1 Arab superstition-Verdure on the banks of the Nile-Pastoral scene. DURING the first two days of the four we unwillingly passed at Dongola, my chief employment was lying on my back applying a lotion to my eyes. This treatment succeeded wonderfully, and I at length got rid of the inflammation. We visited the Governor, to whom we had letters of recommendation, and a firman, about three times a day. We found him polite, extremely obliging, and gentlemanlike ; had travelled much in Europe, and was well acquainted by name with all the leading statesmen of England and France. He at once sent a soldier to collect camels for us, and afterwards sent four more on the same errand, as there was some difficulty, the Camel Sheik being ill of the small-pox, and no one liking to interfere in his duties. Notwithstanding all the Governor's exertions in our favour, only nine camels had made their appearance by the third day. An express was sent to order a fresh supply at Argo island, about twenty miles distantand these were brought to a place near the river, where the banks were sufficiently low to embark them and the luggage, that we might determine their different employments. It was not till between two and three o'clock of the following afternoon that we were able to effect a start. We broke up our camp; had everything transported by camels to the water's side, to be shipped in two crazy boats, for the purpose of crossing to the opposite bank. I watched the embarking of our unfortunate beasts, who, much to my disgust, were tormented with more than Smithfield cruelty. After having been dragged down the bank on their knees, they were hoisted into the boat by the aid of ropes. The scene was further enlivened by the soldiers thrashing the Bedouins with whips, made of hippopotamus's hide; and as each of the sufferers had a wife, and each possessed the power of screaming, their united concert in that way defies description. Dongola is a large mud town, with capacious streets, and pieces of ground without buildings. In one of these I counted sixteen large white and black eagles, moving about as unconcernedly as barn-door fowls. They are almost tame, and quite impudent, for some of them came swooping down upon our hen-coop with a rush that nearly made the inmates die of fright. We were obliged to shoot a couple of the most audacious. The dogs too had to be ran after and stoned for being too inquisitive respecting our dinner. We found them great connoisseurs of soup, and possessed of a respectable taste for more solid cookery. A superstition prevails which prevents these curs from being destroyed, so they multiply at a considerable rate, and though perfectly harmless and cowardly, are an immense nuisance to strangers. Crowds of children visited our tents, and a few very pretty little girls, uncommonly unlike their mammas. One wore a girdle of agate, badly cut, from which hung a fringe of leather. Several necklaces were round her neck; from one a Spanish dollar was suspended. My brother and I, well supplied with five-para pieces, went into the houses. We were soon surrounded by crowds of mothers and children; but the young girls, from seven to eighteen, were so shy, that they invariably ran away directly we made our appearance. The We killed about seven brace of partridges during our stay at this place; they were very wild, but exceedingly numerous. only day I could go out, we saw at least two thousand, yet only succeeded in bagging a brace, and this was quite a chance, as we |