FEASTS IN THE HOLY PLACE 199 



which was offered us. It brought back memories of 

 Sayed Rida's marvellous dinners at Jedabia, especially 

 as it was to him and to Sidi Idris that we owed our 

 welcome in Kufara, the most loyal and devoted of all 

 the Libyan oases, for it is the keynote of the Senussi 

 faith. I heard Hassanein repeating rapidly the vital 

 points of the speech he intended to make to the 

 kaimakaan concerning our return journey and I almost 

 shook him. "Never mind those details now!" I 

 exclaimed. "How long do you think they will leave 

 us alone with this food?" 



There were twelve dishes of lamb cooked in different 

 rich sauces, with a monster bowl of strange oddments, 

 which I imagine also belonged to the private Hfe of a 

 sheep, floating in rich gravy. There were a score of 

 poached eggs on silver plates and fifteen vegetables and 

 green sticky mounds of "mulukhia" which hid all sorts 

 of intricate delicacies. Then there were bowls of curdled 

 milk, which I had begun to like, or powdered mint 

 leaves and of an unknown liquid which I thought was 

 sweet-scented \4negar, with bottles of water, because 

 the Senussi law forbids strong drinks. When we paused 

 for breath a slave brought us another bowl, this time of 

 bitter lemon juice, to renew our appetites and when 

 at last these failed, a second cup of the peppered coffee 

 appeared before the ceremony of washing hands and 

 mouth in the carved ewer. Then fly-whisks were given 

 us and we leant against the hard, stiff cushions, feeling 

 beautifully replete, until our host joined us and we did 

 business in the Oriental fashion, while he made three 

 series of tea, the first bitter, the second scented and 

 the third with mint. He had an elaborate silver tea-set 

 spread before him and he warmed the teapot himself 

 on a little brazier, while we skirted round the subjects 

 nearest our hearts, approaching, retreating, avoiding 



