THE ESCAPE FROM JEDABIA 51 



Sudanese soldiers, had brought no provisions of any sort. 

 They had trusted either to us or to joining the south- 

 bound caravan within a few hours. Consternation seized 

 us. In order to travel light we had brought what we 

 considered the least possible amount of food necessary 

 for two people for a week — that is, one tin of meat per 

 day, with a very small ration of flour, rice, dates and 

 tea. How were we going to feed six people for perhaps 

 a fortnight on it? At the moment we were too tired 

 to think. We doled out to the retinue rice, tea and 

 most of the hard-boiled eggs intended for ourselves and, 

 after the frugal meal, insisted on immediate departure. 

 There was a great deal of grumbling. They were all 

 tired and they wanted to sleep there and then. The 

 blacks were openly rebellious. "We are not your slaves," 

 they said. "We will not over-tire ourselves." How- 

 ever, by force of sarcasm, encouragement and laughter, 

 we got them to load the camels. 



In Libya they do not girth the baggage saddles at all. 

 They merely balance the bales evenly according to weight 

 on either side of a straw pad round the hump. Thus, 

 if the camel stumbles badly or is frightened and runs a 

 few paces, the luggage over-balances and crashes to the 

 ground, generally terrifying the beast into a mad gallop. 

 I suppose ours were carelessly loaded, for the tent 

 dropped off three times and tempers grew sulky. 



About one we came to a small cluster of camel's- 

 hair tents in the shelter of a slight rise and the 

 retinue clamoured to stop there for the night. The 

 Arab is greedy by nature, while the Sudanese is positively 

 voracious. At one meal he will devour what would 

 support a European family for a day. Having seen our 

 meagre provisions, the retinue thought they would get 

 a better dinner in these Beduin tents. They protested and 

 argued violently, but we were ruthless. There was fear 



