272 THE SECRET OF SAHARA: KUFARA 



show how infinitely remote is "that inverted bowl we 

 call the sky," Mohammed pleaded for an extra spurt. 

 **Let us just put that star out," he urged, pointing to 

 the brightest point in the west. Having noticed, how- 

 ever, that all the camels were stumbling and swinging 

 out of the line, I thought a race with the evening star 

 would be a mistake, so I insisted on barraking. We 

 made no zariba, leaving the loads ready coupled for the 

 morning. We had taken very little hattab from the 

 Mehemsa because of the weight, so our fire was of the 

 smallest description and we should have been asleep in 

 an hour, but for a prolonged dispute between Mohammed 

 and Suleiman as to the necessity of agaling the camels. 

 "They will not move, my son," said Suleiman. "They 

 are tired, like me, and I am an old man." "Old, too, 

 in experience," replied our polite retainer, "but make 

 my heart at peace by agaling them." And he related 

 a lurid story of how 70 camels had stampeded midway on 

 the Zieghen route. They all reached Jalo safely, but 

 some of the men, unexpectedly left to carry their food 

 and water, died on the march. Suleiman was already 

 rolled like a dormouse between two hawias, so he 

 appealed to me for support. "Know you the saying of 

 the Prophet, Uncle Suleiman," I asked, "how a man 

 came to him and asked whether he should agal his camel 

 or put his trust in Allah? 'First place the agal on the 

 camel and then j^our trust in Allah,' was the reply." 



Various grunts and roars, mingled with my sleep, 

 told me that the guide had been impressed by my 

 theological learning and it seemed only a few minutes 

 later that I woke to the sound of Yusuf's voice, "Allah 

 make you strong! Are you ready for rice?" Protest- 

 ing that it must still be the middle of the night, I poked 

 my head out of the flea-bag, dislodging a shower of 

 sand from its folds, and a few yards away was one of 



