I found myself obliged to hire another camel here, as we were to cross a three days’ desert, and it was necessary to carry water for our horses; our load too was much increased by large presents of zumeita, dweeda, dates, flour, and other provisions from the Shreefs. Dec. 25th. Therm. 9°. At 10.45. A.M. we were attended out of the town by the kind natives, who promised to renew their acquaintance with us at Morzouk. Belford was now much recovered; but I still continued in a very weak state. Our road lay over the highest and most irregular sand hills I ever saw; the horses with great difficulty ascending without their riders. I was too weak to walk, and was pulled up by Besheer. The hired camel and its load took a most terrific roll, and I greatly feared we should be at a stand: fortunately, however, a man travelling our way came up with us, and helped us to re-load the camel, so that by 11.45. we cleared the hills, and arrived on a heavy sandy plain, over which we toiled until 4. when we arrived at Terboo, the most wretched mud village I had as yet met with. All the men were mere skeletons, and the women equally miserable in appearance; yet they were obliged, poor and wretched as they were, to feed us and our horses without expecting a reward. I bought, however, a quantity of corn, and distributed amongst them; and they declared I was the first person coming from the Sultan, who had not distressed them by taking their small stock of provisions. Nothing could exceed the wretchedness of this place but the water, which was of a much worse quality than any we had tasted, from its close resemblance to sea water. A few old walls of about 12 feet high were in the centre of the huts, and were dignified by the name of the Castle. There are but few palms here, and the people subsist chiefly by attending camels, sent to feed on the Agool; and for the right of pasture they receive, in return, some very trifling payment in corn or dates. We made this day S. 12°. W. 10 miles. As it was Christmas day, Belford and myself drank to the health of our friends in England, in a bumper of coffee.