but they axe extremely good eating, and far superior
to the domestic guinea-fowl of Europe. In this
spot, Soojalup, I could have killed any number,
had I wished to expend my shot: but this most
necessary ammunition required much nursing'during
a long exploration. I had a good supply, four
hundred-weight, of the most useful sizes, No. 6 for
general shooting, and b b . for geese, &c. ; also a bag
of No. 10, for firing into dense flocks of small
birds. On the following morning we left Soojalup ;
for several miles on our route were Arab camps
and wells, with immense herds of goats, sheep, and
cattle. Antelopes were very numerous, and it was
exceedingly interesting to observe the new varieties
as we increased our distance from the north. I shot
two from my camel (G. Dorcas), they were about
the size of a fine roebuck the horns were like
those of the gazelle, but the animals were larger and
darker in colour, with a distinguishing mark in a
jet black stripe longitudinally dividing the white of
.the belly from the reddish colour of the flank.
These antelopes were exceedingly wild, and without
the aid of a camel it would have been impossible to
approach them. I had exchanged my donkey for
Hadji Achmet’s dromedary; thus mounted I could
generally succeed in stalking to within ninety or
one hundred yards, by allowing the animal to feed
upon the various bushes, as though I had mounted
it for the purpose of leading it to graze. This deceived
the antelopes, and by carefully ascertaining
the correct wind, I obtained several shots, some of
which failed, owing to the unsteadiness of my steed,
which had a strong objection to the rifle.
The entire country from Gozerajup to Cassala is a
dead flat, upon which there is not one tree sufficiently
large to shade a full-sized tent : there is no real
timber in the country, but the vast level extent of soil
is a series of open plains and low bush of thorny
mimosa; there is no drainage upon this perfect level,
thus during the rainy season, the soakage actually
jnelts the soil, and forms deep holes throughout the
country, which then becomes an impracticable slough,
bearing grass and jungle. Upon this fertile tract of
land, cotton might.be cultivated to a large extent, and
sent to Berber, vid the Atbara, from Gozerajup, during
the season of flood. At the present time, the growth
is restricted to the supply required by the Arabs
for the manufacture of their cloths. These are
woven by themselves, the weaver sitting in a hole
excavated in the ground before his rude loom,
shaded by a rough thatch about ten feet square, supported
upon poles. There is a uniformity in dress
throughout afl the Nubian tribes of Arabs, the simple
toga of the Romans ; this is worn in many ways, as
occasion may suggest, very similar to the Scotch plaid.
The quality of cotton produced is the same as that of
Lower Egypt, and the cloths manufactured by the
Arabs, although coarse, are remarkably soft. The toga
or tope is generally ornamented with a few red stripes
at either extremity, and is terminated by a fringe.
F