320 THE ARAB HORSE OF AFRICA. 



large sum in the desert, where coin is so scarce. 

 Should our wife accompany us, it is manifest that the 

 loss of any of her multifarious raiment will not be 

 readily replaced; for the \ four wives of our desert host 

 and the two wives of his two sons have Only, General 

 Daumas warns us, one haick a-piece, one pair morocco- 

 leather boots, embroidered (price 4s. 6d. each we like 

 to be precise when writing for the ladies). Chemises 

 and chemisettes being nowhere in the inventory, we fear 

 our " second self and mysterious double " will not at 

 once take into her loving arms her Arab sisters, even 

 though assured that the lack of clean linen is by them 

 supposed to be more than compensated by their being 

 each the possessors of two pairs silver ear-rings set in 

 coral. 



As to our creature- comforts, we are in hopes that 

 they will not be neglected, for our Arab host's property 

 is estimated at 5121. He will, moreover, have time to 

 make himself agreeable, for all he has to do is to attend 

 the meetings of his tribe, ride about, look after his 

 flocks, and pray. 



It is quite a mistake to fancy that in the desert 

 every man has a horse, and that walking is at a dis- 

 count. The poor Arabs are astonishing pedestrians, 

 and, as special messengers, think themselves well paid 

 with four francs for going sixty leagues. In the desert 

 such a messenger travels day and night, and sleeps 

 only two hours in the twenty-four. When he lies down 

 he fastens to his foot a piece of cord of a certain length, 

 to which he sets fire ; and just as it is nearly burnt 

 out the heat awakes him. General Daumas relates that 

 one of these men, the bearer of an important message, 

 travelled about 120 miles in sixteen hours, eating during 

 the journey only a few dates, and drinking about three and 

 a half pints of water. So that the British pedestrian 

 through the Sahara, if such a personage shall appear, 

 bent on " astonishing the natives," will require to step 

 out briskly in order to accomplish his amiable project. 



