132 THE SECRET OF SAHARA: KUFARA 



the Sudan and the prowess of her soldiers. It was no 

 easy task keeping everyone cheerful during an eleven 

 hours' walk on no food or water. In the evening, after 

 we had eaten our half -ration of meat and a handful of 

 dates — for we were carrying the least possible amount 

 of food — a pathetic procession used to rob us of much- 

 needed sleep. We treated blistered and swollen feet, 

 headache from the sun, toothache from dates, sores, fever 

 and lots of other ailments before we were allowed the 

 peace of our flea-bags — very comparative peace, for by 

 this time we were suffering seriously from sand-rash! 



December 29 saw us en route at 6.40, and by 



10 o'clock Abdullah stated that we had arrived at the 



Wadi Farig. Personally, looking at it from every angle, 



I could not see the slightest depression of any kind, 



but everyone said it was half-way, so spirits rose high. 



Nevertheless, it was a trying day, for by this time nearly 



everyone was lame. Mohammed could hardly keep on 



^his feet, but he doggedly refused to ride. The blacks 



[used to walk on half a mile in front of the camels, then 



4ie on their faces while their companions stamped on 



their backs, an original form of massage. 



Abdullah picked up a piece of ostrich eggshell dropped 

 by a passing caravan from Wadai. "Seventy years ago 

 there was ostriches here," he informed us with doubtful 

 accuracy. "What did they eat?" I asked. "Oh, food, 

 much food!" he answered vaguely. 



There was a short shower in the evening which inter- 

 fered with the cooking but provided a little extra water. 

 We were very anxious about our supply, for the first 

 day one of our fanatis had leaked and the blacks had 

 availed themselves of the excuse to empty it during the 

 night. We used to arrange the girbas outside our tent 

 and dele out the water ourselves. Several of the new 

 girbas leaked badly and in spite of the utmost care we 



