30 LIFE WITH THE HAMRAN ARABS. 



their morning repast, consisting of a bowl of dhurra 

 made into a mash with gazelle and some greasy 

 material, called by Mohamed butter, and far prefer 

 sucking off their fingers at their leisure any of the 

 remaining fat. 



We really are quite helpless as regards both camels 

 and camel-drivers, for if either want to lie down or go 

 on they simply do so, whatever we may wish, We 

 passed to-day a piece of ground surrounded by dome 



Lalms, where we found considerable life and animation. 

 n the centre was a well about 40 feet deep, into which 

 young Arabs were busily throwing leather buckets, and 

 after hauling them up when full, emptying them into 

 circular mud basins, placed round the well for the 

 cattle to drink from. Other Arabs were counting their 

 goats, some were washing themselves, whilst the younger 

 portion of the community were beating off the rind of 

 the dome nut (with which the palms are now laden) 

 preparatory to its being baked for food. These palms 

 with their characteristic bifurcating branches are very 

 fine here, and as there is a considerable amount of vege- 

 tation in this oasis we saw numerous kinds of small birds. 

 These for the present we have left undisturbed, but 

 before returning we hope to collect some specimens, as 

 well as beetles and other moving things. Gazelles are 

 becoming very scarce, and although we sadly wanted 

 one to-day for the table it was not forthcoming, and 



