THE ESCAPE FROM JEDABIA 49 



As we were merely describing irregular circles we were 

 not surprised when a little before five a chorus of dogs 

 barking proclaimed our nearness to Jedabia. "It is 

 an encampment," said Yusuf. "I know where we are 

 now!" and at that moment the donkey in the suq 

 brayed quite close to us! I couldn't help laughing. In 

 a few minutes our desperate midnight flight would land 

 us before the doors of the house from which we had 

 escaped so triumphantly three hours earlier. The dis- 

 tressed Yusuf, inexplicably bereft of his tame star, was 

 all for camping there and then to await the dawn, but, lest 

 the rising sun should reveal to the astonished eyes of the 

 early astir a dishevelled party asleep on the space before 

 the mosque, I firmly took conmiand. By the compass 

 I marched them due south of the donkey's bray for half 

 an hour. At least we should be out of sight at dawn 

 and could then start off on the right track. 



The wind seemed colder than ever as we "barraked" 

 our camels on the flat, sandy waste. We were frozen 

 and shelterless. Excitement, suspense and physical 

 labour had all combined to wear us out. My foot 

 was swollen and inflamed after its unusual exercise. 

 Hassanein had rheumatism in his back. There was an 

 hour to wait for the dawn. I doubt if a more miserable 

 couple existed than the two who rolled themselves into 

 the thin and dirty camel rugs and lay down on the hard 

 sand, their heads on tufts of spiky grass. I did not 

 sleep. It was too cold. The wind searched out every 

 corner of my aching body. I began to feel the strain 

 of our sleepless nights and days of suspense. Even my 

 sense of humour had gone. It was five weeks since we 

 had left England and we had got no farther than a 

 sand heap outside Jedabia! At six a flush of pale pink 

 appeared in the sky in a direction which amazed Yusuf. 

 Shivering, with chattering teeth, we rose to a windy 



