Manchurian Books

When they saw my portmanteau (twenty-five pounds in
weight), they were quite puzzled to know what to do with it. It was
useless my explaining to them how the luggage is carried in Egypt,
and that I had been accustomed to carry very little with me on my
own animal: they were used to a different plan, and would not
depart from it.
Travelling on camels is always unpleasant and troublesome. The
jolting motion of the animal produces in many people the same ill
effects as the rocking of a ship on the sea; but in India it is
almost unbearable, on account of the inconvenience of the
arrangements. Here each animal has a driver, who sits in front and
takes the best place; the traveller has only a little space left for
him on the hinder part of the animal.
Dr. Rolland advised me at once to put up with the inconvenience as
well as I could. He told me that I should fall in with Captain
Burdon in the next day or two, and it would be easy to obtain a more
convenient conveyance from him. I followed his advice, allowed my
luggage to be carried, and patiently mounted my camel.


Pages:
555 556 557 558 559 560 561 562 563 564 565 566 567 568 569 570 571 572 573 574 575 576 577 578 579