26 SPORT AND TRAVEL PAPERS 



matter, either from the green branches used to support the walls 

 or from that contained in the sand, that no amount of filtering 

 or boiling would get rid of it. Close to these wells are troughs, 

 made of wet sand and earth hardened by the sun, whereat, when 

 filled, the flocks are watered. At one of these wells we now 

 make our mid-day halt, for the sun has become very hot, and 

 rest for an hour or so is very grateful to man and beast. The 

 camels are unloaded and march off to seek their favourite food ; 

 we lie down under shelter of some overhanging tree and eat our 

 lunch, while the cook lights a fire in preparation for the usual 

 cup of coffee. To-day we are not alone, for a large herd of 

 female camels, kept for stud purposes, is being watered at the 

 well; they are in magnificent condition, as sleek as possible, 

 with enormous humps, beautiful skin, and some with thick, 

 heavy manes. Most of them are followed by a young one, 

 which, if a camel can be pretty, are certainly so, gambolling 

 about around their mothers, who now, however, crowd together, 

 anxiously waiting for their turn at the water. The men are a 

 wild-looking lot, with the usual mop-like hair, whose only gar- 

 ment is a piece of leather tightly wound round the loins. Some 

 draw the water from the well by means of leathern buckets, 

 which they empty into the trough, chanting a monotonous song 

 all the while ; others are fully occupied in keeping the thirsty 

 camels back, who are ranged in order preparatory to approaching 

 the water : age first, and impudence after. The men almost 

 entirely live on the milk, hence are the teats of the camels 

 tightly wound round a small piece of wood, thereby preventing 

 the youngsters from appropriating the whole supply. 



Our siesta finished, our camels, which look poor and lean 

 indeed compared with their fat sisters, are collected, loaded, and 

 then off we go once more. It is still very hot ; for, not only do 

 we feel the full force of the sun's rays from above, but also the 

 heat reflected from the sand ; still, refreshed by the rest in 

 the shade, we plod on towards our intended halting-place for 

 the night, which is but a few miles distant. Suddenly, when 

 turning the bend of one of the arms of the river, we came upon 

 running water, a sight so unwonted that its reality seemed diffi- 

 cult to believe in at first. But there it was, running as clear as 

 possible between beautifully green banks ; under some rocks 

 grew lovely ferns, high reedy grass luxuriated in the wet soil 



