Observers' Field Reports 73 



On the morrow everj' plant within sight was pulled out, or dug out with knives, and was 

 fed the starving beasts as they plodded along. Foot-races ensued between the soldiers 

 whenever an extra large clump of growth appeared. Each one was eager to obtain it for 

 his own camel. On the 9th of January good pasturage and sweet water was reached in 

 the gorge of Tibratne. 



The desert here is mountainous; the gorge of Tibratne is a canyon with walls 200 or 

 300 feet high sunk into a rough, rocky, desert plateau, and of a width of about 50 yards. 

 Two-hours' march from the mouth into this gorge is sweet water and good grazing for the 

 camels. Four hours more of march in the bed of this gorge brings one out into a broad 

 plain, flanked by a range of hills on either side. Here we halted for 2 daj's to allow the 

 camels to recuperate from the starvation route they had just come through. 



According to the men the biggest difficulty of the road had now been overcome. What 

 remained was plain sailing. We had come across the "Tanezruft." Many times we had 

 been told one thing and found it difTerent. That we should have crossed the "terrible 

 Tanezruft" so lightly seemed incredible, especially as in the travelers' books it was 

 located much farther south. It seems, however, that any high, desert plateau of especial 

 barrenness receives the name "Tanezruft" from the Arabs. The higher the altitude the 

 greater the barrenness. It was later found that a high plateau of no matter what extent 

 had almost invariabl.y to be completely crossed and a descent to a lower level to be made 

 before any vegetation or even passing pasturage for the camels could be found. For this 

 reason the name "Tanezruft" has everywhere come to be associated with danger and 

 hardship. 



January 12 we passed out of the canyon of Tibratne and camped in the broad water 

 draw at its mouth. On the 16th we were once more encamped in a narrow gorge and on 

 the 17th, after a march of 15 hours, to avoid the necessity of camping without pasturage, 

 we halted at the Hassi Meniet. On the 18th the animals and men were allowed to rest 

 while magnetic observations were made. 



Between Hassi Meniet and the wells at Tesnou is an interval of high desert plateau, 

 such as the French call "reg," absolutely bare. Sufficient pasturage was cut at Meniet 

 for one feeding of the camels and was loaded on the caravan. On the 19th we marched 

 half way across this "reg," camping on it and feeding the animals with the pasturage 

 carried. 



On the 20th the wells of Tesnou were reached with many of the animals showing signs 

 of distress. These wells merit description. There are three of them, about a third of the 

 way up a cleft in the mountain of solid rock. They are arranged one above the other 

 along the slope of the cleft. During our stay the upper two were dry, while the lower con- 

 tained only a scant supply. Evidently the cleft gathers all the drainage of the big, rounded 

 mass of unbroken rock which it splits, and provides a natural reservoir of a very limited 

 supply. We halted here for a day to rest the camels and to make observations. Leaving 

 Tesnou, insufficient pasturage was again encountered, and on January 24 the question of 

 food for the animals became very grave. All the animals were very hungry and ate with 

 aviditj' what dry, dead growth they found on the march. 



One camel, called "Fatigue," was only kept going by a daily ration of dates. He 

 had to be styled "Fatigue No. 1" later on. Off of our route, 6 hours to the right, a 

 pasturage was reported by Abdullah, the Arab corporal, which he said was reputed to be 

 always green. He was instructed to lead the caravan to the place as directh' as possible. 

 Arriving there at 11 a.m., we were favored beyond hope. There had been a rain within a 

 month or two. The narrow "oued" between the bleak, gazelle-tracked hills was green 

 with "mrokba." Even some succulent, low, green herbs, which the.Arabs esteem of especial 

 efficacy in restoring exhausted camels, were found. There was, however, no water, which 

 was an objection to our staying there long. But there was a well 8 hours of travel away. 



