same character of country as before, the river full of rocks, and
forming a succession of rapids the entire distance from Abou
Hammed. Navigation at this season is impossible, and is most
dangerous even at flood-time. The simoom is fearful, and the heat
is so intense that it was impossible to draw the gun-cases out of
their leather covers, which it was necessary to cut open. All
woodwork is warped; ivory knife-handles are split; paper breaks
when crunched in the hand, and the very marrow seems to be dried
out of the bones by this horrible simoom. One of our camels fell
down to die. Shot two buck gazelles; I saw many, but they are
very wild.

"May 3O.--The extreme dryness of the air induces an extraordinary
amount of electricity in the hair, and in all woollen materials.
A Scotch plaid laid upon a blanket for a few hours adheres to it,
and upon being roughly withdrawn at night a sheet of flame is
produced, accompanied by tolerably loud reports.

"May 31.--After an early march of three hours and twenty minutes,
we arrived at the town of Berber, on the Nile, at 9.35 A.M. We
have been fifty-seven hours and five minutes actually marching
from Abou Hammed, which, at two and a half miles per hour, equals
143 miles. We have thus marched 373 miles from Korosko to Berber
in fifteen days; the entire route is the monotonous Nubian
desert. Our camels have averaged twenty-five miles per day, with
loads of 400 lbs. at a cost of ninety piastres (about 19s.) each,
for the whole distance. This rate, with the addition of the
guide's expenses, equals about 5s. 6d. per 100 lbs. for carriage
throughout 373 miles of burning desert. Although this frightful
country appears to be cut off from all communication with the