10 THE SECRET OF SAHARA: KUFARA 



and saw before us a fringe of patched Beduin tents. It 

 was the first step on a long journey. Everything was 

 uncertain. There were so many difficulties to be sur- 

 mounted, but we felt that now, at least, the last trace 

 of Europe laj^ behind us. We breathed more freely. 

 We both loved the desert and the dwellers therein, and 

 we felt that they must understand and respond to our 

 sympathy. I turned to Hassanein Bey as the sandy 

 track ran between the blind mud walls that I had seen 

 in so many countries. "I feel as if I had left behind 

 me the last shred of civilisation. The simplicity of life 

 is beginning to impregnate me. I believe that old 

 Beduin's blessing has bewitched me. When we leave 

 the desert I shall be a Moslem." 



We sent to ask if Sayed Rida el Mahdi es Senussi, 

 the brother and wakil of Sidi Idris, would receive us 

 and we waited for an answer at the edge of the suq, 

 where grave, bearded men, with the wistful eyes of those 

 who look at far horizons, stood in white-robed groups. 

 A few camels lay beside piles of grain, but otherwise the 

 wide open spaces between the square walled-in yards, 

 where were Arab houses, were deserted. The banner of 

 the Senussi family, a silver crescent and star on a black 

 ground, floated over two of the houses and the pro- 

 testing roar of laden camels came from one of the larger 

 enclosures, for Sayed Safi ed Din, cousin of Sidi Idris 

 and brother of the banished Ahmed, was travelling to 

 the interior the following day with the whole of his family 

 and sixty beasts of burden. 



A soldier of the Arab guard brought us news that 

 the Sayed would receive us at once and we dismounted 

 in one of the windowless yards before the door of a big 

 white house. We were ushered into the usual Arab 

 reception room with a stiff row of crimson brocaded 

 chairs and sofas round the walls and a table covered by 



