- Had a bad attack of fever yesterday that has been hanging
about me for some days.
Weighed all the luggage and packed the stores in
loads of fifty pounds each for the natives to carry.
"June 20th. - Busy making new ropes from the bark of a mimosa; all hands
at work, as we start the day after to-morrow. My loss in animals makes a
difference of twenty-three porters' loads. I shall take forty natives as
the bad roads will necessitate light loads for the donkeys. I have now
only fourteen donkeys; these are in good condition, and would thrive,
were not the birds so destructive by pecking sores upon their backs.
These sores would heal quickly by the application of gunpowder, but the
birds irritate and enlarge them until the animal, is rendered useless. I
have lost two donkeys simply from the attacks of these birds; - the only
remaining camel and some of the donkeys I have covered with jackets made
of tent-cloth.
"June 21st. - Nil.
"June 22d. - We were awoke last night by a report from the sentry that
natives were prowling around the camp; - I accordingly posted three
additional guards. At a little after 2 A.m. a shot was fired, followed
by two others in quick succession, and a sound as of many feet running
quickly was heard passing the entrance of the camp. I was up in a
moment, and my men were quickly under arms: the Turks' drum beat, and
their camp (that was contiguous to mine) was alive with men, but all was
darkness.
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