A more classical figure I have never beheld than the old
Abou Do with his harpoon, as he first breasted the torrent, and
then landed dripping from the waves to join our party from the
Arab camp on the opposite side of the river. In addition to my
Tokrooris, I had engaged nine camels, each with a separate
driver, of the Hamrans, who were to accompany us throughout the
expedition. These people were glad to engage themselves, with
their camels included, at one and a half dollars (six shillings)
per month, for man and beast as one. We had not sufficient
baggage to load five camels, but four carried a large supply of
corn for our horses and people.
Hardly were we mounted and fairly started, than the monkey-like
agility of our aggageers was displayed in a variety of antics,
that were far more suited to performance in a circus than to a
party of steady and experienced hunters, who wished to reserve
the strength of their horses for a trying journey.
Abou Do was mounted on a beautiful Abyssinian horse, a grey;
Suleiman rode a rough and inferior-looking beast; while little
Jali, who was the pet of the party, rode a grey mare, not
exceeding fourteen hands in height, which matched her rider
exactly in fire, spirit, and speed.
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