62 THE SECRET OF SAHARA: KUFARA 



no tent to save labour, share our food evenly with them, 

 but that thej^ must expect to be very hungry for four 

 or five days. There was a good deal of protest, because 

 they looked with simple faith to the caravan and they 

 could not realise that if we waited four days and it had 

 not arrived, starvation would drive us back to Jedabia. 

 The form of protest showed, however, how well things 

 were going. They now looked upon us as their friends. 

 The arrival of the spy had made a bond between us. 

 "We knew that you were hurt by the coming of that 

 man," they said, "but you are safe with us. It is our 

 honour, too." We tried to explain the difficulty about 

 food, and Mohammed suddenly showed the fine clay he 

 was made of. "I have felt ashamed," he said, "that 

 we have taken your food for three days, that we have 

 asked you for sugar when you have none. I would have 

 liked to share my food with you, as is our habit, but we 

 were ordered to come with you at the last moment. We 

 asked if we might visit our homes. 'No,' we were told. 

 'The caravan will follow with all things needful.' It 

 is not our fault, but we feel it deeply that you are 

 depriving yourselves for us." 



This is the loyal spirit that lies at the heart of every 

 Beduin. Greedy for food he may be and the stranger 

 with gold is not safe with him, but once you are his friend 

 he will never betray you. These men were beginning to 

 realise our sympathy for their race, our love for their 

 customs and country. They had eaten our bread and; 

 salt. We had shared all we had with them and we had 

 taken them wholly into our confidence. We were guests 

 of their lord, the holy one, the blessed of Allah. We were 

 friends of their blood and religion. The Italians should 

 not get us back. They swore to protect us as their own 

 families. We had won another fight. "We will find 

 food somehow in the nuggas!" said Yusuf. "No Arab 



