A DOUBLE RAINBOW 



send back to a rain-pool I had passed some fifteen 

 miles to the south, which a local thunderstorm had 

 luckily filled, in order to obtain any water at all. It 

 was small in quantity and unpleasant in quality, but 

 we were glad enough to get any. This rendered it 

 imperative that we should leave Jeldez as soon as 

 possible, in order to reach a more plentiful water- 

 supply. 



Jeldez itself is a circular depression, about 300 

 yards in diameter, surrounded on all sides by very 

 dense bush, and on the north also by some large 

 acacia trees. The soil is sandy, and in the centre a 

 well has been dug, now fallen into disuse, about 

 12 feet deep. The floor of the well was damp, but 

 though I dug 3 feet deeper no water could be 

 obtained. In spite of the sandy covering the ground 

 below was extremely hard, so hard indeed that it was 

 impossible to drive the tent-pegs in, so that in order 

 to pitch my tent I was compelled to tie the guy-ropes 

 to the water-tanks, which were placed in line, three 

 on each side. 



On the day after my arrival there was a heavy 

 storm in the north, and as it drew to a close there 

 was a most beautiful double rainbow, so vivid in 

 colouring that I was able to take a photograph of it. 

 In the evening the men I had sent forward returned, 

 bringing bad news, for although they had walked for 

 six hours along the trail they had found no water. 

 This was indeed serious, especially as it was too 

 hot to march during the day. So on the following 

 morning I decided to send back five camels to fill 

 up the water-tanks at the last rain-pool, since it was 

 not safe to proceed without a maximum supply of 

 water. While they were away, I was busily engaged 



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