A VALUABLE COMPANION LOST. 37 



covered, parched and withered corpses, by the Arabs 

 sent upon the search.' 



Jan. 12. The only important event of to-day has 

 been discarding Coke's camel, and reducing it to the 

 ignominious position of a baggage carrier in consequence 

 of its conduct having at last become unbearable. 



Jan. 13. An eventful day, and one that for me 

 began very badly, for whilst shooting in a wood close to 

 our camp before starting I lost my belt, containing my 

 watch and other articles of value to me. 



In vain I retraced my footsteps until the last moment 

 I could spare before joining my party, nowhere could I 

 find it ; but on telling Emanuel of my loss, he despatched 

 an Arab in search of it, and expressed the greatest con- 

 fidence in his success. However, he rejoined us two 

 hours later when at luncheon, having given up the 

 search ; and then an Arab, who had recently joined us, 

 volunteered a good hunt, provided I returned with him, 

 and that if he found it I would give him two dollars. 

 The general opinion being in favour of this, I agreed, 

 hopeless as I thought it ; and having snatched up what 

 remained of our luncheon in case of any emergency, and 

 filled my water-bottle, I mounted my camel and started 

 off at a trot. On arriving at our camping ground in- 

 numerable vultures were fighting over the remnants we 

 had left, and gazelle playfully skipped about within easy 



