THE GREAT ADVENTURE 19 



been aghast at the idea of a young woman venturing alone 

 into a territory as yet unexplored. The agreement that 

 had just been signed with Sidi Idris gave them control 

 of the whole of Cyrenaica, thus assuring a future of great 

 prosperity to the colony, but it left the great Libyan 

 desert from Aujela to Jaghabub, with Kufara still an- 

 other six hundred kilometres to the sou;h, in the hands of 

 Sayed Idris as an independent ruler under Italian 

 protection. 



A most humorous complication added immensely to 

 our difficulties. Hassanein Bey, having been secretary 

 to the Italo-British Mission which arranged the treaty 

 of 1916 with the Senussi, was promj^tly suspected of the 

 darkest Pan-Islamic designs. For a week at Benghazi 

 we lived in a state of suspense. Intrigue was in the air 

 and everyone suspected the motives of everyone else. If 

 a camion broke down, we decided that we were not to be 

 allowed to reach Jedabia. If Hassanein spoke to a 

 Beduin, using the Moslem salutation, the eyes of our 

 so-called interpreter would almost pop out of his head 

 with interest and dismay. Relays of kindly individuals 

 took the utmost interest in our historj% plans, ideas and 

 belongings. We were "pumped" until we could not think 

 of anything more to say; and we, in turn "pumped" 

 every hospitable and amiable individual who politely 

 and indifferently asked us our destination! At times we 

 must have worn such strained and agonised expres- 

 sions that I wonder we were not suspected of Bolshevism 

 at the very least. The most amusing part of the busi- 

 ness was afforded by the spies who constantly surrounded 

 us and who were so thrilled with their own importance 

 that I used to have daily fights with Hassanein Bey to 

 prevent him playing delightful little comedies to excite 

 them stiU more. 



However, once Jedabia was reached we felt happier. 



