100 THE SECRET OF SAHARA; KUFARA 



of sun-baked bricks; but as we drove our camels upwards 

 we saw only the bigger houses, with scattered groups of 

 women and children wrapped in black and indigo robes. 

 To the left of the buildings stretched what appeared to 

 be a long, low, white wall, solid and even, which con- 

 tinued, indefinitely. Mohammed, seeing it, rushed for- 

 ward excitedly. "It is a royal reception in your honour," 

 he shouted. "En nahs tayibin hena. Ana Mabsut! Oh, 

 they are good people here! I am happy! They love 

 the Sayed! They wish to honour him and his guests!" 



Bewildered, I looked again at the long, white wall. 

 It was a solid mass of white-clad Arabs. Line upon line 

 of Beduins stretched in rigid order from the corner of 

 the last house along the whole length of the rise, at the 

 end of which the splendid wall of humanity dwindled 

 away into groups of women and children. Thrills of emo- 

 tion warmed us all. It was so spontaneously generous 

 and kindly. I could have cried from sheer gratitude and 

 Mohammed's dazzling smile was reflected on all our faces. 

 The camels were driven with shouts into more regular 

 order. Abdul Rahim ordered his men into line. Mighrib, 

 wild with excitement, seized my camel and almost dragged 

 me off it. "Are you happy? Are you happy?" he 

 kept asking. Yusuf was dancing with delight. We tried 

 to collect our scattered wits and march up the rise in 

 dignified fashion. The Sudanese achieved it, led by their 

 sergeant, but now that my foot was less swollen both my 

 great yellow shoes fell off at every second step, while 

 Hassanein's jerd described odd, wind-blown antics on its 

 own. 



I shall never forget the mass of tall, grave figures in 

 snowy jerd and burnus, drawn up in military formation. 

 The setting sun blazed red behind them, and from below 

 came the wild "Ullula-een!" of the women. We came 

 as strangers, as pilgrims to the land of the Senussi. We 



