CHAPTER XXI. 



How the earth biims ! each pebble underfoot 

 Is as a living thing with power to wound. 

 The white sand quivers ; and the footfall mute 

 Of the slow camels strikes but gives no sound, 

 As if they trod the air, not solid ground. 

 'Tis noon ; and the beasts' shadows even are fled - 

 Back to their feet ; and there is fire around, 

 And fire beneath, and, overhead, the sun. 



March under a bm-ning sun — The Welled Ali and their sheep — We 

 come to the Koala camp — One hundred and fifty thousand 

 camels — Sotamm Ibn Shaalan receives us — Diplomatic checks 

 — Sotamm's wife — The Uttfa — Mohammed's choice — Goodbye 

 to the Desert. 



April 11. — Tliank God! our news is all good 

 news, and we can go on liglithearted now to the 

 end of our journey, enjoying the prospect thoroughly 

 of the delights of home. 



We left the Bir Sakr this morning, just as the 

 flocks of the Welled Ali were beffinnino; to arrive. 

 Poor creatures ! they have had no water these three 

 days, and have been driven in their thick winter 

 fleeces at least fifty miles under a burning sun. We 

 did not stop to talk long with the shepherds, but 

 made away south-west in the direction of Damascus. 

 Everyone assures us that we shall meet the Roala 

 on the road, or at least a party of Sleb, who will 

 tell us where the Roala are. Then Mohammed has 



