2 THE SECRET OF SAHARA: KUFARA 



seen congregated flocks of sheep and goats and herds of 

 camels numbering many thousands. After rain, how- 

 ever, so much water Hes out on the rocky ground that 

 the animals can drink wherever they like, so the country 

 presents its most deserted appearance. 



Benghazi is a httle white town lying on the very 

 edge of the Mediterranean breakers, unprotected by 

 harbour or mole. Famine and disease considerably 

 reduced its population during the War and the suqs 

 are almost deserted. An occasional donkey with scarlet 

 tassels and a load of fresh dates passes down the Sidi 

 Shabi where European stores and native booths stand 

 side by side. A few camels come in from the coimtry 

 half buried beneath huge sacks of grain. In the evening 

 there is a mustering of bearded merchants at the httle 

 cafe by the mosque, while contemptuous Askari in scar- 

 let tarboushes and swinging capes stroll by, smoking 

 Italian cigarettes, but the life of the town is confined 

 to the European quarter containing the hotel and the 

 Government offices. 



The biggest of the white, Oriental-looking buildings 

 is Government House, with a double line of great 

 Moorish arches decorating its imposing facade. So 

 different from the windowless dwellings of Jedabia with 

 their discreet high-walled yards, yet it was there that I 

 first saw Es Saj^ed Mohammed Idris bin es Sayed el 

 Mahdi es Senussi, the man whose power is felt even 

 beyond the boundaries of Libya and Cyrenaica. The 

 Italians and the Senussi had ratified a few days before 

 the provisional treaty of 1916 and there were great 

 festas at Benghazi in honour of the newly made Emir, 

 who was spending a few days in the capital on his way 

 to Italy to visit the King. 



There had been an official reception and down the 

 broad steps moved the black mass of Italian uniforms 



