CTT. XVII.] JVc Gather Manna. 21 



only merry one of the party, for he is going home. 

 As to Mohammed, the Tudmuri, we hardly yet 

 know what to make of him, except that he seems 

 anxious to oblige and to be of use. He is certainly 

 an ornamental addition to our party, as he is well 

 mounted on a grey Shuemeh Shah, and carries a 

 lance fifteen feet long. He seems more of a Bedouin 

 than a townsman, and Wilfrid thinks he may be 

 won over to our plans ; but first we must get rid 

 of the soldiers, and it is ag;reed that we are to 

 starve them out by making things as uncomfortable 

 for them as we can. So they have been told that 

 they must expect no rations from us, and must keep 

 watch all night. AVe think that in this way they 

 may be induced to go home. 



We are encamped in a snug wady, about ten 

 miles south-west of Deyr ; and Mohammed has 

 been teaching Wilfrid how to find truffles, of which 

 there are great numbers now. They are found by 

 dio-oino- with a stick, wherever a crack is seen in the 

 ground or an appearance observed of a heaving of 

 the soil, just as one sees over tulip bulbs in the 

 spring. There, with a little practice, the kemeyes 

 are discovered, only a few inches from the surface. 

 They are white and soft, like potatoes, but much 

 lighter ; and some we found this evening were as 

 big as both Mohammed's fists. They occur in light 

 soil, where there are no stones, and prefer rather 

 high ground. Wilfrid, though a novice in the art, 

 picked up a dozen or so after we encamped, enough 



