cii. xvii.j L'homme Propose. 27 



deep. The water is not particularly good, but, tliey 

 tell us, never foils. It is drawn by means of a 

 leathern bucket, but oiie of the zaptiehs having 

 iiccidentally dropped his ayhdl (head rope) into the 

 well, climbed down to fetch it Ijy some steps there 

 are in the masonry. The men were, of course, very 

 polite and very anxious that we should stop the 

 night in their barracks, but this we would not do, 

 as Wilfrid had found a nice grassy spot about a 

 mile off down the Wady, and there we now are. 



As we were pitching our tents, a string of camels 

 «ame by from the south, and we learned that they 

 were a party of Abu Kamis Arabs come to fetch 

 water for their camp, which is a day's march from 

 Bir, and that only a day's march beyond them are 

 the tents of the Ajajera, the advanced guard of the 

 Anazeh, while Jedaan himself with all the Sebaa are 

 just beyond these. This is indeed good news, and 

 now we are sorry at having sent the note about 

 Sokhne to Mr. S. ; but we cannot miss the opportu- 

 nity, and it is settled we are to go back with the 

 Abu Kamis to-morrow^ morning, stay a night with 

 them, and then on next day to the Anazeh. Our 

 only anxiety is lest the caravan should arrive before 

 we manage to get away, as there may be soldiers 

 with it, and they may have orders to keep us on the 

 Tudmur road. Mohammed, however, seems dis- 

 posed to go with us, so let us hope that all is well. 

 In the meantime this is a delightful spot — a hollow 

 full of deep pasture, where the mares and the white 



