CHAPTER XI 



t 



THE EXPLORERS' CHRISTMAS 



IT is a curious fact that in most of the books written 

 by the great explorers details are given of the manner 

 in which the great European festival of Christmas was 

 celebrated. As the festivities often took quite an 

 original form some of them are worth recording. 



The Christmas of 1905 will probably linger long 

 in the memory of the members of the Kaufmann ex- 

 pedition to North Africa. It is given to few to witness 

 such a picturesque display of Arab horsemanship as 

 they enjoyed. The following vivid account of the inci- 

 dent is from Mr. Ewald Falls* record of three years' 

 work in the Libyan Desert. 1 " Two days before Christ- 

 mas I had bought a sack of rice, sugar, and dates at 

 the Souk in Bahing, and kind friends had sent all 

 sorts of things from Alexandria when we decided to 

 spend Christmas in the solitude of the desert. Early 

 in the morning women came from each tent with 

 their metal pots in which to receive their rations, 

 which were measured out according to the number 

 of dwellers in the tents. As a rule the work-people 

 had of course to fend for themselves, only water being 

 supplied, but to-day they were all guests of the 

 Effendis. It gave us a welcome opportunity of making 

 some return to our neighbours for their continued 

 1 See Bibliography, 37. 



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