Fortunately my wife was present, but she did not appear to enjoy it more than I did.

My snow-white blouse was soiled and greasy, and for the rest of the day I was a disagreeable compound of smells--castor oil, tallow, musk, sandal-wood, burnt shells, and Barrake.
Mahomet and Barrake herself, I believe, were the only people who really enjoyed this little event.

"Ha!" Mahomet exclaimed, "this is your own fault! You insisted upon speaking kindly, and telling her that she is not a slave; now she thinks that she is one of your WIVES!" This was the real fact; the unfortunate ** Barrake ** had deceived herself.

Never having been free, she could not understand the use of freedom unless she was to be a wife.

She had understood my little address as a proposal, and of course she was disappointed; but as an action for breach of promise cannot be pressed in the Soudan, poor Barrake, although free, had not the happy rights of a free-born Englishwoman, who can heal her broken heart with a pecuniary plaster, and console herself with damages for the loss of a lover.
We were ready to start, having our party of servants complete, six Tokrooris--Moosa, Abdoolahi, Abderachman, Hassan, Adow, and Hadji Ali, with Mahomet, Wat Gamma, Bacheet, Mahomet secundus (a groom), and Barrake; total, eleven men and the cook.
When half way on our return from Katariff to Wat el Negur, we found the whole country in alarm, Mek Nimmur having suddenly made a foray.