42 THE SECRET OF SAHARA: KUFARA 



added to our mental troubles, but, luckily, the fact 

 that they were obviouslj' watching us turned the affair 

 into a game and justified us in having a few secrets 

 also. 



If my charming hosts in Cyrenaica read this book, I 

 think they will forgive me for the part their own kindness 

 and forethought forced me to play most unwillingly. 

 They are all sportsmen. They, too, are travellers and 

 lovers of the great desert. They laid the foundations of 

 my journey by their long years of work in North Africa. 

 They will reap the benefit when the friendship between 

 European and Senussi is firmly cemented and the Beduins 

 welcome the influx of commerce and exploration from 

 over the sea. 



I returned at 7 p.m. to our walled Arab house, but 

 the fantasia was still continuing. The gift of our last 

 packet of cigarettes had stimulated the performers to 

 frenzy and they were prepared to spend the night in an 

 orgy of dance and song. Ordinarily, I should have loved 

 watching their barbaric vigour and I was exceedingly 

 grateful to the ever-thoughtful Sayed for giving this f esta 

 in our honour, but we had still a good many preparations 

 to make, so we regretfully thanked the performers and 

 despatched them to their homes. After a hasty meal, 

 Hassanein went off to make final preparations concerning 

 changing our Italian notes into heavy silver mejidies, the 

 cumbersome coin of the country, buying bread and eggs, 

 collecting the native dress and a dozen other things that 

 had to be done at the very last moment for fear of 

 arousing suspicion. I wrote a note to our Italian inter- 

 preter, who had also proved guide, philosopher and 

 friend, explaining that I was not to be entirely deprived 

 of my desert journey after all, for at the last moment I 

 was able to accompany an ekhwan who was travelling 

 to an encampment a day or two away. I then made 



