110 SCENE OF OUR HALT. 



know if I thought sweet water could be found 

 where a patch of bright red earth broke through 

 the darker covering of the sand. I found it was a 

 beautiful and very tenacious clay, and was con- 

 vinced if an attempt were made, an excellent 

 spring of water would be met with. The labour, 

 however, not suiting the inclination of my com- 

 panions, and as I preferred drinking the chalybeate, 

 we left the place undisturbed. Numerous dry 

 thirsty looking senna shrubs dotted the plain ; their 

 yellow laburnum-like flowers, mocking by their 

 glittering brightness, the dreary waste of sand and 

 rock around. Grass there certainly was, in large 

 and dispersed tufts of a coarse wire-like hay, rather 

 than of the bright green, yielding blades, we so 

 generally associate with the idea of turf. We 

 remained here only one day and night, and I slept 

 without any disturbance beyond the pealing 

 laughter of the whole Kanlah, from a conversation 

 kept up at the extreme ends of the camp by two of 

 the merriest fellows in it, Adam Burrah and 

 Omer Suis. After every one had retired to rest, 

 each upon his plaited palm-leaf mat, and wrapped 

 up in his body-cloth, these two commenced shout- 

 ing out their repartees at the top of their voices, 

 each remark being followed by bursts of laughter 

 from the rest. I could hear Ohmed Mahomed, 

 who lay at the entrance of my "bait," as it was 

 called, whispering suggestions to Adam Burrah, 

 whilst I dare say, some other friend, aided Omer 



