34 LIFE WITH THE HAMRAN ARABS. 



by arriving at a well containing some really excellent 

 water, and here the desire for a halt was unanimous, 

 not only to fill our casks, but also our indiarubber 

 baths, and to make the most of so great a treat. The 

 guns also had a turn to-day, in consequence of the 

 presence of numerous doves. These gave us a pleasant 

 novelty for dinner, for gazelle-eating, like camel-riding, 

 or even desert sunsets, can after a time become slightly 

 monotonous. 



Now that the back has become accustomed to camel-r 

 riding, one finds a certain charm in it ; and, as hour 

 after hour passes, the mind relapses into a half-dreamy 

 state of reverie, in which the pleasures and sorrows of 

 the past year flit rapidly before it, mingling with 

 thoughts of what is in store for us during the next 

 few months. 



Jan. II. We have in vain tried to be on friendly 

 terms with our respective camels, and have named them 

 according to special characteristics. Coke declares his 

 camel does everything in its power to annoy him. Only 

 to-day it made a playful attempt to bolt agam, but was 

 fortunately checked in time to prevent a repetition of 

 the previous catastrophe. At midday we arrived at 

 one of the wells that are now comparatively numerous, 

 and though hundreds of goats and cows were there, no 

 milk would be given us. We gained a point in receiving 

 permission to get some if we could, and immediately 



