334 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
and fouth, as do the villages, and the fmall river when it 
has water, but it was now apparently dry. However, by 
digging pretty deep in the fand, the water filtering through 
the fides of the holes filled in a certain time with a putrid, 
ill-tafted, unwholefome beverage, which is all this mifer- 
able village has for its ufe. The people look fickly and ill- 
coloured. Falaty is three miles and a half diftant from Hor- 
Cacamoot, its name interpreted is Poverty. 
On the 18th, at half after fix in the morning we conti- 
mued our journey through thick, and almoft impenetrable 
' avoods full of thorns; and in two hours we came to the | 
‘bed of a torrent, though in appearance dry, upon digging 
with our hands in the loofe fand, we found great. plenty 
of frefh water exceedingly well tafted, being ‘helter- 
ed by proje@ting rocks from the action of the fun. This is 
called Surf elShekh. Here we filled our girbas, for there 
is very little good water to be found between this and 
Teawa. , | 
A ciRrBA is an ox’s {kin fquared, and the edges fewed to- 
gether very artificially by a double feam, which does not 
let out water, much refembling that upon the beft Englifh . 
cricket-balls. An opening is left in the top of the girba, in 
the fame manner as the bung-hole of a cafk. Around this 
the fkin is gathered to the fize of a large handful, which, 
when the girba is full of water, is tied round with whip- 
cord. Thefe girbas generally contain about fixty gallons 
each, and two of them are the load of acamel. They are 
then all befmeared on the outfide with greafe, as well to 
hinder the water from oozing through, as to prevent its 
being evaporated by the action of the fun upon the girba, 
which 
