THE FLIGHT FROM TAJ 233 



adaptable. Within a few minutes of receiving the news 

 the saddle carpets had been spread in the shelter of the 

 wall, a fire of palm leaves (sent out by our host) hghted, 

 dates produced from the same hospitable source and 

 we had all settled down for a prolonged wait under the 

 still brilliant stars. I think I slept for a few moments, 

 my head on a stone, for when I was roused by a soft 

 "Salaam Aleikum!" the stars were less brilliant and 

 a third slender-limbed hejin was outlined against the 

 grey sky. We set forth briskly to the south, and soon 

 the long block of Jof's houses and the neatly fenced 

 gardens of the Sayeds lay behind us. The donkeys kept 

 up a sort of short amble, while the camels slipped into 

 the tireless swinging stride, half swift walk, half trot, 

 the most comfortable pace in the world. As the light 

 grew clearer I saw that mine was a big Tebesti beast, 

 palest grey, long-haired and stately, but not as finely 

 bred as the other two. They were the fast Tuareg 

 breed of piebald grey and white, with blue eyes, very 

 thin, like greyhounds in their lean slenderness. They 

 ought to be able to do the racing trot which covers 

 10 kilometres an hour. 



Through the dawn we rode and till the sun grew hot, 

 always west with a hint of south. The large sweep of 

 Jof palms disappeared on our right. Zuruk was left on 

 the other side. Then, as we came into the open space 

 beyond, where the large mounds of hattab begin, we saw 

 that we were leaving the enchanted wadi behind us. We 

 skirted the long strip of palms which forms Tolelib. 

 There is no proper village in the oasis, but, scattered 

 through the green, one catches sight of a few houses of 

 the slaves who tend the palms. As we went farther 

 west the mounds grew to hillocks and the red sand was 

 tufted here and there with high grass, while masses of 

 grey bushes cHmbed over the miniature gherds, Four 



