1046 



THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



isolated dwellers of the "desert of the 

 sea." Alas for ignorance and supersti- 

 tion ! How true the saying of the 

 Bedouin : "He who travels not is both 

 blind and ignorant." 



The small population of Ithera, much 

 less than Kaf, eke out an existence in 

 much the same way as their neighbors, by 

 evaporating salt from the springs that 

 surround their tiny oasis, and it is only 

 because their needs are so limited that 

 they are able to exist. 



Adjoining Ithera on the south is a 

 prominent tell or mound about ioo feet 

 high ; on its top are the remains of an 

 old castle which at one time must have 

 been quite a stronghold and landmark in 

 the desert. 



Ten days' journey; as laden camels 

 travel, south from Ithera is the great 

 oasis of El Jowf, probably the largest 

 center of population in northern Arabia. 

 The word Jowf in Arabic means depres- 

 sion and literally verifies what it ex- 

 presses, for El Jowf is indeed a con- 

 siderable drop in the great expanse of 

 Arabia. 



I was fortunate in being able to jour- 

 ney from Ithera to El Jowf in company 

 with the sheikh, i. c, chief of Ithera, an 

 opportunity that for me was fortunate, 

 as it afforded me some amount of pro- 

 tection as well as secured for me a relia- 

 ble and trustworthy escort across the 

 desert. The company with which I trav- 

 eled was composed of about 80 men and 

 120 camels, the latter laden with wheat 

 that was to be bartered for dates or some 

 other produce of El Jowf. 



Great were the objections made to my 

 accompanying the party across the desert, 

 for would not I, being a Christian, bring 

 trouble on the caravan? So argued the 

 more fanatical of my traveling compan- 

 ions, and it seemed to them with reason, 

 for a few hours after starting our party 

 was set upon by a robber band, and in 

 spite of our coming off victorious the 

 blame for the attack was laid noon me. 



Some insisted that I be sent back, 

 others that I be left to shift for myself, 

 but my friend the sheikh said, "No ; to 

 the Jowf the Christian goes, even though 



we travel alone," so the next ten days 

 were passed riding over the sandy ex- 

 panse between Ithera and El Jowf in 

 company with men strongly opposed to 

 the presence of the Christian in their 

 midst. 



To me words fail when any descrip- 

 tion of the desert has to be written or 

 given. It has to be lived in, crossed, 

 slept on, made one's place of abode for 

 a time in order to be really and thor- 

 oughly enjoyed. The boasting of the 

 Bedouin about the free life they enjoy, 

 and their pity for their city neighbors, 

 confined in their close and dark dwell- 

 ings, can be excused after a sojourn in 

 the desert itself. But the desert life is 

 not all honey by any means, for is there 

 not always the danger of attack from the 

 nothing-to-lose and all-to-gain Bedouin, 

 or the risk of perishing for want of 

 water, or the giving out of one's food 

 without the possibility of being able to 

 replace it? True, all these have to be 

 reckoned with by him who would explore 

 "the desert of the sea," but dangers of 

 all kinds abound in every land and are 

 not confined to Arabia. 



The daily routine of travel was much 

 the same. Up with the daybreak and as 

 soon as possible load the camels ; ride for 

 some four or five hours ; then put down 

 for our first and morning meal, which 

 usually consisted of dates and water; 

 then off again until late in the afternoon, 

 when a halt is made for the night. Sup- 

 per usually consists of warm bread with 

 an onion or dates as a relish. 



Bread is prepared in as simple a man- 

 ner as possible.. While the coarse flour 

 and water are being kneaded into dough 

 a large fire is made which provides a 

 good heap of hot ashes. On part of these 

 the flattened dough is laid, then covered 

 with the remainder of the ashes. In 

 about fifteen minutes the dough is suffi- 

 ciently baked. It is then well beaten to 

 free it from ashes, broken in pieces, and 

 divided among those who from their bags 

 have contributed to the rneal. 



After the evening feast coffee is made 

 by some member of the party and in tiny 

 cups handed round to each one, as much 



