On our arrival at Nousreddin, no more dromedaries could be immediately obtained than were sufficient to mount the courier and his two guides.  I was, therefore, obliged to tarry five days in Nousreddin before I could find a caravan journeying to Egypt.

On the 28th of Shawal, I quitted Nousreddin, along with a caravan on its way to Egypt from Sennaar, conducted by a soldier attached to the Cadilaskier of the army of Ismael Pasha, who was conducting to Egypt twenty-two dromedaries and camels, and some slaves, belonging to the Cadilaskier, and four fine horses belonging to the Pasha.

We started at about three hours before noon, and after marching for three hours, stopped at a village named Sheraffey, to obtain rations for the horses and camels to subsist them through the desert.  Our route lay on the outside of the villages, and on the border of the desert.  The villages are numerous and well built of sun-dried bricks, and the face of the country, on our side of the river, perfectly level.

We stayed at Sheraffey until the next morning:  the conductor of the caravan not being able to obtain at this place the durra he wanted for his cattle, we proceeded to a village called Hassah, which is about an hour’s march from Sheraffey.  We stayed there till next morning.

On the 30th of the Moon, at day-light, we mounted our camels, and proceeded on our road, which lay on the skirts of the desert.  We passed a continual succession of large, well-built and populous villages, lying about a mile distant from the river; the weather serene and cool, as it has been since our arrival in Berber.  We halted at about the middle of the forenoon, by a village called Abdea, until an hour and a half before sunset, when we again set forward, and after marching for three hours and a half, halted for the remainder of the night in a small village, half in ruins.  The reason of our short marches and frequent stoppages was, to give the conductor of the caravan opportunities to make provision for passing the desert.  He might have done it at any of the villages, had he been content to pay the price demanded; but as he was a man who seemed to hold hard bargains in horror, and to love money with great affection, he did not give the latter for durra till he was absolutely obliged to make the afflictive exchange.

On the 1st of Zilkade we started at daylight, and marched till about two hours after sunrise, when we stopped at some villages called Gannettee.  The country we passed since yesterday is the desert, which comes down close to the river’s bank, presenting but few spots fit for cultivation.  We were informed last night, that the camp of Mehemmet Bey, who is on his way from Egypt with five thousand men, to take possession of Darfour and Kordofan, is on the other side of the river.[68] The weather continues serene and not very hot.  Stayed at Gannettee till about the middle of the afternoon, when we proceeded on our journey through a a desert and dreary country,