346 TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 
Not a little alarmed at this difcovery that the Arabs 
were near us, we left Imhanzara at four o’clock in the eve- 
ning of the 2:1ft, our journey moftly N. W.; at eight we loft 
our way, and were obliged to halt in a wood. Here we 
were terrified to find, that the water in our girbas was en- 
tirely gone; whether by evaporation of the hot wind, or 
otherwife, I know not; but the fkin had the appearance of 
water in it, till its lightnefs in unloading difcovered the 
contrary. Though all the people were fick, the terror of 
being without water gave us fomething like alacrity, and 
defire to pufh on. We fet out at eleven, but full wandered in 
the wood till three o’clock in the morning of the 22d, 
when we were obliged again to alight. I really then began 
to think we were loft. I ordered the girbas to be examin- 
ed: a large one which we had filled at Rafhid was entirely 
‘empty; and that one which we had partly filled at Imhan- 
zara on account of the badnefs of the water, had not mueh 
more in it than what kept liquid the mud which had_beert 
taken up with it. This, however, (bad as it was). was: 
greedily gazzled up ina moment. The people who con- 
ducted the affes, feeing that we had fkins to contain plen- . 
ty of water for us, had omitted to fill the fmall goat-fkin 
which each of them carried. A general murmur of fear 
and difcontent prevailed through our whole company;. for | 
we could have no guefs at the nearnefs. or fituation of the 
next well, as we had loft our road; and fome of the ca- 
ravan even pretended that we had paffed it. But though _ 
we had travelled thirteen hours, I cannot compute the 
diftance to have been above fourteen miles. ; 
Tuis day, being the fixth from Ras el Feel, at half af- 
ter five in the morning, we fet off in great defpondency ; 
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