we were no sooner mounted than he led the way at
about ten miles an hour, down the steep slopes, across
the rough water-courses, and up the hill sides,
assuring my wife that she might sip a cup of coffee
on the back of the animal she rode, without spilling
a drop : although an exaggeration, this is the usual
figure of speech by which an Arab describes the easy
action of a first-rate hygeen. It was a beautiful sight
to watch the extraordinary ease with which the
hygeen glided along over the numerous inequalities
of the ground without the slightest discomfort to
the rider; the numerous escort became a long and
irregular line of stragglers, until at length lost in the
distance, with the exception of three or four, who,
well-mounted, were proud of keeping their position.
Emerging from the uneven valley of the Atbara, we
arrived upon the high and level table-land above ;
here the speed increased, and in the exhilaration of
the pace in the cool morning air, with all nature
glowing in the fresh green of a Nubian spring, we
only regretted the shortness of the journey to Soil,
which we reached before the heat of the day had
commenced. We were met by the sheik of the
village, and by a German who had been a resident of
Sofi for some years; he was delighted to see
Europeans, especially those who were conversant with
his own language, and he very politely insisted that
we should dismount at his house. Accordingly our
camels knelt at the door of a little circular stone
building about twelve feet in diameter, with a roof
thatched according to Arab fashion. This dwelling
was the model of an Arab hut, but the walls were
of masonry instead of mud and sticks, and two small
windows formed an innovation upon the Arab style,
which had much astonished the natives, who are
contented with the light afforded by the doorway.
We were shortly sitting in the only stone building
in the country, among a crowd of Arabs, who,
according to their annoying custom, had thronged to
the hut upon our arrival, and not only had filled the
room, but were sitting in a mob at the doorway,
while masses of mop-like heads were peering over
the shoulders of the front rank, excluding both light
and air; even the windows were blocked with highly
frizzled heads, while all were talking at the same
time.
Coffee having been handed to the principal people,
while our tents were being pitched outside the village,
we at length silenced the crowd; our new acquaintance
explained in Arabic the object of our arrival,
and our intention of passing the rainy season at Sofi,
and of exploring the various rivers of Abyssinia at
the earliest opportunity. Atalan Wat Said promised
every assistance when the time should arrive; he
described the country as abounding with large game
of all kinds, and he agreed to furnish me with guides
and hunters at the commencement of the huntingO
season; in the mean time he ordered the sheik of the
village, Hassan bel Kader, to pay us every attention.
After the departure of Atalan and his people,