C H A P T E R VIL
THE DEPARTURE*
O n the morning of the 25th July, 1861, Abou Sinn
arrived at our tent with a number of his followers,
in their whitest apparel, accompanied by one of his
grandsons, Sheik Ali, who was' to command our
escort and to accompany us to the frontier of the
Dabaina tribe, at which spot we were to be handed
over to the care of the sheik of those Arabs,
Atalan Wat Said, who would conduct us to Sofi.
There were two superb hygeens duly equipped for
my wife and myself; they were snow-white, without
speck or blemish, and as clean and silk-like as
good grooming could accomplish. One of these
beautiful creatures I subsequently measured,—seven
feet three and a half inches to the top of the hump;
this was much above the average. The baggage-
camels were left to the charge of the servants, and
we were requested to mount immediately, as the
Sheik Abou Sinn was determined to accompany us
for some distance as a mark of courtesy, although he
was himself to march with his people on that day in
the opposite direction towards Gozerajup. Escorted by
our grand old host, with a great number of mounted
attendants, we left the hospitable camp, and followed
the margin of the Atbara valley towards the south,
until, at the distance of about two miles, Abou Sinn
took leave, and returned with his people.
We now enjoyed the contrast between the light
active step of first-class hygeens, and the heavy
swinging action of the camels we had hitherto
ridden. Travelling was for the first time a pleasure;
there was a delightful movement in the elasticity of
the hygeens, who ambled at about five miles and a
half an hour, as their natural pace; this they can
continue for nine or ten hours without fatigue.
Having no care for the luggage, and the coffee-pot
being slung upon the saddle of an attendant, who
also carried our carpet, we were perfectly independent,
as we were prepared with the usual luxuries upon
halting,—the carpet to recline upon beneath a shady
tree, and a cup of good Turkish coffee. Thus we
could afford to travel at a rapid rate, and await
the arrival of the baggage-camels at the end of
the day’s journey. In this manner the march
should be arranged in these wild countries, where
there is no resting-place upon the path beyond
the first inviting shade that suggests a halt. The
day’s journey should be about twenty-four miles.
A loaded camel seldom exceeds two miles and a half
per hour; at this rate nearly ten hours would be
consumed upon the road daily, during which time