Feïzulla Capitan has found a new consolation, by establishing a small brandy distillery. For this purpose he used dates, a great quantity of which fruit we carried with us. One burma forms the boiler, and another, with a reed in it, the head of the still. As, however, he only once draws off this araki, there remain too many lees in it to be pleasant; but this does not offend the taste and smell of the bold captain. The thermometer before sunrise 19°, from noon to afternoon 25-26°; after sunset 24°. The hygrometer had fallen from 80° to 30°. CHAPTER VIII. ARNAUD’S IGNORANCE AND SELIM CAPITAN’S CUNNING. — HATRED OF THE THREE FRENCHMEN TO EACH OTHER. — THE ENDERÀB TREE. — THE POISON TREE HARMLESS. — REMARKS ON THE LAKES IN CONNEXION WITH THE WHITE NILE. — THE WOOD OF THE AMBAK TREE. — FONDNESS OF THE ARABS FOR NICK-NAMES. — THE AUTHOR DEFENDED FROM GNATS BY A CAT. — INTERVIEW WITH A KÈK. — HUSSEÏN AGA’S DRINKING BOUTS WITH FEÏZULLA CAPITAN. — DESCRIPTION OF A SUN-RISE. — VISIT OF THE KÈKS. — SOLIMAN KASHEF AND THE LOOKING-GLASS. 25th December.—We are still waiting for the Kawàss and Sandal. A man had been given to each of these ships to assist them; but we have gained nothing by it; and therefore Selim Capitan intends to tow both of them. Thibaut and I visited the invalid, Sabatier, who scarcely knew how to keep himself from laughing when Selim-Capitan took upon himself to give lessons anew to the learned Arnaud, who very boldly asserted in our presence, that the “altitudine” and “amplitudine” of the sun were one and the same thing. As we then well understood, Selim Capitan wants Arnaud and he to agree in their calculations, and grudges no instruction to the latter for that purpose. He tells us, that such a coincidence with the French engineer is the more necessary, because the Viceroy would sooner credit the reckonings of a scientific Frenchman than of a Turk, who had never seen Frankestàn. According to Sabatier, Arnaud has not made yet a single calculation, because he is not capable of doing so, but loads his back with these burdens, notwithstanding Sabatier’s feverish state of health. Unfortunately, this appears to be exactly the case, for Arnaud always agrees with Selim-Capitan, who is exceedingly reserved in speech; and therefore it is really fortunate that the Turk, being a naval officer, understands something at least of these matters.