THE CARAVAN. 153 



and reason good. It takes many hours to col- 

 lect the camels and their drivers for the first 

 time, and there is many a dispute to settle as to 

 whether Achmed's or Musa's camel shall carry 

 this or that parcel of luggage ; and then, as 

 many things are sure to be forgotten on start- 

 ing, it is good to lodge the first night within 

 hail of your point of departure, so that things 

 missing may be brought out of limbo, and new- 

 found wants supplied from town without too 

 much loss of time. Your tent and camp equip- 

 age have been sent out to the appointed station 

 before you, and on arriving, after an hour's ride, 

 you find all things in order, so that this time you 

 do not witness the pitching of the camp, and 

 your real experience of desert life does not be- 

 gin till to-morrow. 



" Your first night under canvas passes very 

 comfortably, disturbed by nothing but the quar- 

 rels of the Arabs about the division of the ex- 

 pected profits, or perhaps some slight rustling 

 under your pillow or about your bed, ominously 

 like the crawling of a scorpion or the wriggle 

 of a snake. You will wisely have ordered 

 breakfast to be ready as early as you can see to 

 eat it, (and if 'by the misty moonbeams' strug- 

 gling light,' or by ' lanterns dimly burning,' so 

 much the better,) in order that you may start in 

 time to reach your next station before the hot- 



