216 SIR VICTOR BROOKE CHAP, vin 



loaf, no water, and nothing but a selection of nauseous tins 

 of sweet biscuits, vinegar-like wine, and garlic sausages 

 to fall back on. This decided me to make a bolt to- 

 morrow with Garstin. Just as we were shutting up the 

 tents, the camels arrived with water which was a matter 

 of thankfulness ; nevertheless, I was heartily sick of the 

 entire concern. I knew, until one gets to the hill 

 under proper conditions, no ibex can be shot on it, and 

 so stuck to my decision to leave the Webed till some 

 future day. 



Thursday, JtJi March. Garstin and I left at eight 

 o'clock with two camels. We passed at first along 

 under El Webed and thought more and more of the 

 little hill. It is, we saw, separated from the Attaka 

 by a plain about 6 miles across. Striking the pilgrims' 

 road, along which the sacred carpet is carried annually 

 from Cairo to Mecca, we found nice going and got 

 along well, though my little nag was very tired. I had 

 not been able to get him to eat in the morning, and 

 he was very faint. I induced him to eat some of the 

 plants as we went along, and walked a good deal from 

 time to time. It was a very long and dreary trudge, 

 nothing to greet the eye but sandy ridges and stretches 

 of pebble-covered sand. At one we lunched under 

 a very fine prickly acacia-like tree, and then on again. 

 At about three we came in sight of the white barracks 

 (now unused) of Suez, and the last three hours, for it 

 was six before we arrived, across the seemingly endless 

 flat to the west of Suez was simply purgatory. On 

 arriving at the sweet water canal it was a relief to give 

 the poor horses and camels a drink, ditto ourselves. 



Found the hotel most grateful. It is very com- 

 fortable. My bath was coffee - coloured when I had 

 done with it, and we both slept the sleep of the just. 



